Powerful women in Washington

From the American Red Cross to the Supreme Court, more and more institutions of power in the nation’s capital are seeing women take the lead.

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on the release of the State Department's 2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices at the State Department in Washington. In 2000, Clinton made history by becoming the first first lady elected to the United States Senate. In 2009, she became secretary of state.

Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP

Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor steps up to speak after President Obama announced her as his choice of nomination for the Supreme Court justice, to replace retiring Justice David Souter in the East Room at the White House in May 2009. Justice Sotomayor became the first Hispanic woman to serve on the court.

Jim Young / Reuters

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan enters the committee room on the third day of hearings, before testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in June 2010. Kagan became the fourth female to serve on the court.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. secretary of health and human services, second from left, meets with insurance industry executives and officials at the White House in March 2010. Sebelius was the second female governor of Kansas, and in 2011, she was named the 13th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.

Brendan Hoffman / Bloomberg

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, shown in her office in Washington in April 2010, was Arizona’s third female governor and the first female attorney general of Arizona.

Bill O'Leary / The Washington Post

Acting D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson congratulates the Class of 2011 Most Improved Student Award winners inside the Wilson building in June. Henderson was previously the deputy chancellor, and has served as executive director of Team for America-D.C.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Samantha Power, senior director for multilateral affairs and human rights at the National Security Council and foreign policy adviser to President Obama, emerges from the West Wing of the White House in Washington in October 2010. Power was the founding executive director at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, where she is the Anna Lindh Professor of Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy. Her book, “A Problem from Hell,” won a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.

Charles Dharapak / AP

White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and White House social secretary Desiree Rogers chat during a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, where President Obama was meeting with President Lee Myung-bak in June 2009. Jarrett was previously the chairman of the Chicago Transit Board, the commissioner of planning and development for the city of Chicago, and deputy chief of staff for Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

President Obama's director of the White House Office for Health Reform, Nancy-Ann DeParle, moderates a follow-up meeting on health reform with health-care professionals. As Obama’s health czar, DeParle was the administration’s "point guard" in overhauling the American health-care system.

Bill O’Leary / The Washington Post

Mary Schapiro, the first female chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, speaks at an SEC meeting in Washington in October 2009.

Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg

U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann arrives to speak at the annual Republican Party of Iowa Ronald Reagan Dinner in Des Moines on Nov. 4. Bachmann became the first Republican woman to be elected in Minnesota to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006.

Jim Young / Reuters

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) applauds as then-Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) speaks at a rally in Coral Gables, Fla. Rep. Wasserman Schultz is the first Jewish congresswoman elected from Florida, and is currently chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Lynne Sladky / AP

IMF chief Christine Lagarde talks during a press conference on Nov. 4 on the last day of the G-20 Summit of Heads of State and Government in Cannes, France. Lagarde is the first woman to ever head the IMF.

Sebastian Nogier / AFP/Getty Images

Chairman and chief executive of BET Networks Debra L. Lee speaks during the BET panel at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif., in July 2009.

Matt Sayles / AP

Gail J. McGovern, president and chief executive of the American Red Cross, is pictured in her Washington office.

Sarah L. Voisin / The Washington Post

Elizabeth Broun is the director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery.

Bachrach Photography

Featured Photo Galleries

Homeowner David Firth tries to beat back a brush fire heading towards his home at Bettas Road and Low Drive as wildfire burns Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 in Cle Elum, Wash. The fire jumped the line they were trying to make but still stands after being sprayed with water trucks and further efforts to beat it back with the help of several neighbors volunteering. (AP Photo/The Seattle Times, Bettina Hansen) SEATTLE OUT, USA TODAY OUT, MAGAZINES OUT, TELEVISION OUT, NO SALES . MANDATORY CREDIT TO: BETTINA HANSEN/THE SEATTLE TIMES.

Residents evacuate as wildfires rage through the West

This year’s wildfires are more numerous and have gotten bigger than last year’s, an official says.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 16: Protesters gather outside the Ecuadorian Embassy, where Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks is staying on August 16, 2012 in London, England. Mr Assange has been living inside Ecuador's London embassy since June 19, 2012 after requesting political asylum whilst facing extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Julian Assange granted political asylum by Ecuador

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted asylum on Thursday by Ecuador, raising the possibility of a diplomatic showdown between British...

Chase Culp of Houston checks his clown makeup before the performance of Circus Smirkus on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 in Montpelier, Vt. Circus Smirkus, based in Greensboro, Vt., is an award-winning international youth circus founded to promote the skills, culture and traditions of the traveling circus.(AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

India Independence Day, Syrian air strikes, Western wildfires, plastination and more in the day in photos

News and feature images from around the world.

Cast member Charisma Carpenter poses at the premiere of 'The Expendables 2' at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California August 15, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on August 17. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

Eye on entertainment

Charisma Carpenter, Chuck Norris, Lionel Richie, Joe Jonas, Nelly, Alice Cooper and other celebrities.

US President Barack Obama drinks a Guinness beer at The Dubliner pub on March 17, 2012 in Washington. Obama went to the bar to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Hoppy days are here again

President Obama is making clear his love for beer on the campaign trail as he attempts to ferment a coalition of the swilling.

Scanned from Post archive. Washington Senators baseball players Goose Goslin, Manush, Kukel. 9/21/1933. No other info. TWP Photo.

The last time Washington was this good . . .

The Nationals have had the best record in baseball in August, starting to erase memories hardened by decades of mediocrity. Here are clues to...

Montreal Washington, of Kansas City, pets the dog she adopted, Friday, Aug. 10, during 'Tackle Pet Homelessness' at the Kansas City animal shelter in Kansas City, Mo.. Washington plans on naming the pit bull, Alexandra. The shelter is at capacity and is offering a $25 adoption special for all dogs 25 pounds or more. For the month of August, all cats are 'name your own price' and kitten adoptions are $50. (AP Photo/The Kansas City Star, Allison Long)

Homeless and adopted dogs, sand kittens, snow leopards and more in animal views.

Amazing creatures from around the world.

LEWISBURG, WV - AUGUST 11: ( EDITORS NOTE: Image was created using the iPhone 4s with Snapseed's vintage filter) Two young boys sip a drink at the West Virginia State fair on August 11, 2012 in Lewisburg, West Virginia. People from across the region travel to the fair, which is celebrating its 88th year, and hosts various events including equestrian and livestock demonstrations along with a full compliment of carnival rides. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

iPhone snapshots at the West Virginia State Fair

An iPhone captures the fun at the West Virginia State Fair, in its 88th year. All images were created using the Snapseed photo-editing app&rsquo...

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