Primary tabs
Career
- United States Department of State
- 2013–present
- 68th U.S. Secretary of State Washington, District of Columbia USA
- United States Senate
- 1985–2013
- Senator for Massachusetts Washington, District of Columbia USA
- Government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- 1982–1985
- Lieutenant Governor under Governor Mike Dukakis Boston, Massachusetts USA
- Private Legal Practice
- 1982
- Attorney Boston, Massachusetts USA
- Office of the District Attorney, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- 1976
- Assistant District Attorney Lowell, Massachusetts USA
Professional affiliations
- 1976–present
- Massachusetts Bar State of Massachusetts USA Member
- 2009–2013
- United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Washington, District of Columbia USA Chairman
- 2011–2012
- Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction Supercommittee /United States Congress Committee failed to reach bipartisan agreement by the deadline and was disbanded
- 2007–2009
- United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Washington, District of Columbia USA Chairman
- 2001–2003
- United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Washington, District of Columbia USA Chairman
- 1991–1993
- Senate Select Committee on P.O.W./ M.I.A. Affairs Washington, District of Columbia USA Chairman
- Congressional Vietnam-Era Veterans Caucus Washington, District of Columbia USA Co-Chair
- Democratic Steering Committee Washington, District of Columbia USA Chair
- Senate Prosecutors Caucus Washington, District of Columbia USA Co-Chair
- Hispanic Task Force Washington, District of Columbia USA Chair
- 2000–2013
- Senate New Democrat Coalition Washington, District of Columbia USA Member
- 1987–1989
- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Washington, District of Columbia USA Chair
Accomplishments of note
- 2008
- Author: This Moment on Earth - Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future with Teresa Heinz Kerry Publisher: PublicAffairs
- 2004
- Author: Our Plan for America:- Stronger at Home, Respected in the World with John Edwards Publisher: PublicAfairs
- 2004
- Candidate: for the Office of United States President United States of America with Democrat Party His bid for the Presidency was unsuccessful - failed to win the election
- 2003
- Author: A Call to Service: My Vision for a Better America Publisher: Viking Press
- 1998
- Author: The New War - The Web of Crime That Threatens America's Security Publisher: Touchstone
- 1972
- Candidate: for the United States House of Representatives State of Massachusetts, USA with Democrat Party This, his first bid for public office, was unsuccessful and he failed to win the election.
- 1971
- Author: The New Soldier with Vietnam Veterans Against the War; edited by David Thorne and George Butler Publisher: Collier Books
Professional honors and awards
- 2004
- Policy Maker of the Year Massachusetts Telecommunications Council
- 2002
- John W. McCormick Award For Publice Service
- 2001
- Steven P. Duggan Award for International Understanding Institute of International Education
- 2001
- Powerful Friend Recognition Award Parents for Residential Reform/Mass Families Organizing for Change and the Federation for Children with Special Needs
- 2001
- Legislator of the Year Nurse Association of America
Community
Community service
- 1971
- Vietnam Veterans Against the War Spokesman - Spoke to members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the war .
Club memberships
- 1970
- Vietnam Veterans of America To support other returning veterans Co-founder
Community honors and awards
- 2002
- Award For Significant and Exemplary Support Rendered To Veterans of This Country and of the Cape and Islands NAM Vets Association of Cape Cod and Islands
- 2001
- Gerry Studds Stewardship Award Boston Harbor Island Alliance
- Powerful Friend Recognition Award Parents for Residential Reform/Mass Families
Military service
- 1966–1978
-
United States Navy
Lieutenant
Vietnam War
Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V (for valor), and three Purple Hearts
- Nationality
- American
- Politics
- Democrat
- Denomination
- Roman Catholic
- Sports
- Cycling, windsurfing, and sailing his 76-foot sloop, "Isabel"
Education
- University
- Yale University New Haven, Connecticut USA Bachelor of Arts Political Science Chairman of the Liberal Party; Skull & Bones; chosen to give graduating class oration
- Law School
- Boston College Law School Boston, Massachusetts USA Juris Doctor Law Class of 1976
- Native language
- English
- Other languages
- French, German
Honorary Degrees
- 2008
- University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts USA
- 2008
- Wheelock College Boston, Massachusetts USA
- 2007
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth North Dartmouth, Massachusetts USA
- 2005
- Boston University Boston, Massachusetts USA
- Babson College Babson Park, Massachusetts USA
- 2001
- Springfield College Springfield, Massachusetts USA Doctor of Humanics
Family
Vital statistics
- Birth information
- December 11, 1943
- Gender
- Male
- Place of birth
- Aurora, Colorado USA
- Marital status
- Married
Marriage
- 1995–present
- Maria Teresa (Thierstein Simões-Ferreira) Heinz 3 children Henry John Heinz IV (1966) (stepchild) André Heinz (1969) (stepchild) Christopher Drake Heinz (1973) (stepchild)
- 1970–1988
- Julia Stimson (Thorne) Kerry 2 children Alexandra Forbes Kerry (1973) Vanessa Bradford Kerry (1976)
Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren
- Grandchildren
- 3 Astrid, Alexander
Parents
- Father
- Richard Kerry (1915 - 2000)
- Mother
- Rosemary Isabel (Forbes) Kerry (1913 - 2002)
Grandparents
- Father's father
- Frederick KERRY (né Fritz KOHN) (1873 - 1921)
- Father's mother
- Ida (Löwe) Kohn, changed to Kerry in Austria (1877-1960)
- Mother's father
- James Grant FORBES
- Mother's mother
- Margaret Tyndal (Winthrop) Forbes
Ancestry
- Ashkenazi Jewish (father; who was raised Catholic); English, Scottish, Northern Irish, Dutch, Welsh, extremely remote French (mother)