Usha Vance (née Chilukuri) is the Second Lady of the United States, serving since January 20, 2025, as the wife of Vice President J.D. Vance under the Trump administration. Born January 6, 1986, in San Diego, California, to Telugu Indian immigrant parents, she is the first Indian-American and practicing Hindu to hold the role of Second Lady. Before transitioning to public life, she worked as a corporate litigator and served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Her remarkable academic credentials—including degrees from Yale University, Cambridge University, and Yale Law School—combined with her family’s intellectual legacy from India’s most prestigious institutions, position her as one of America’s most accomplished Second Ladies.
Who is Usha Vance?
Usha Vance represents a unique intersection of American opportunity and Indian heritage, embodying the American immigrant success narrative through her family’s journey and her own professional achievements. As Second Lady, she transitioned from practicing law to supporting her husband’s vice presidency while raising three young children and expecting a fourth.
She is characterized by colleagues and friends as thoughtful, intelligent, and highly reserved—qualities that have defined her approach to the public role. In her role as Second Lady, she leads U.S. delegations to international events, including the 2026 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and maintains focus on childhood literacy and youth programs.
Usha Vance Age
Usha Vance was born on January 6, 1986, in San Diego County, California. Consequently, she is 40 years old as of January 2026. She is the youngest Second Lady to serve since the Harry S. Truman administration, making her position historically significant.
Usha Vance Biography Table
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Usha Bala Vance (née Chilukuri) |
| Date of Birth | January 6, 1986 |
| Age (2026) | 40 Years Old |
| Birthplace | San Diego County, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Hindu (practicing) |
| Current Position | Second Lady of the United States (since January 20, 2025) |
| Profession | Lawyer (Corporate Litigator, former) |
| Spouse | J.D. Vance (Vice President of the United States) |
| Children | Three: Ewan (born 2017), Vivek (born 2020), Mirabel (born 2021); expecting fourth (July 2026) |
| Years Active (Legal Career) | 2013–2024 |
Early Life and Background
Usha Chilukuri was born in San Diego County to parents who emigrated from Andhra Pradesh, India, in the late 1970s. Her father, Radhakrishna “Krish” Chilukuri, is an aerospace engineer and university professor at San Diego State University. Her mother, Lakshmi Chilukuri, is a molecular biologist and provost at UC San Diego’s college system.
Growing up in a middle-class suburb of San Diego, she was raised in a devout Hindu household that prioritized education, intellectual achievement, and academic excellence. Her family’s roots trace back to villages in the West Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh, with ancestral lineage to Chilukuri Buchipapayya Sastri, an 18th-century scholar.
Her paternal grandfather taught physics at India’s Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) around its establishment in 1959, earning sufficient prominence that IIT established a student honor award in his memory. This academic legacy spanning generations shaped her childhood environment.
She has a younger sister who works as a mechanical engineer for a semiconductor company in San Diego, continuing the family’s tradition of achievement in technical fields.
Usha Vance Education
Usha attended Yale University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History. During her undergraduate years, she engaged in community service, tutoring local students, volunteering with homeless populations, and studying ballet.
Following her Yale undergraduate degree, she spent one year teaching English in China, an experience that broadened her perspective and demonstrated her commitment to service. Upon returning to the United States, she earned a prestigious Gates Scholarship, which funded her graduate studies.
At University of Cambridge, she pursued postgraduate education, earning her Master’s degree (MPhil) in Early Modern History. Her time at Cambridge provided advanced scholarly training and international exposure.
She then attended Yale Law School, where she focused on corporate law and met her future husband, J.D. Vance. At Yale Law School, she graduated in 2013.
Usha Vance Profession
Usha worked exclusively as a corporate litigator, specializing in complex civil litigation. Her legal career included high-profile positions:
Law Clerk: She served as a law clerk to Judge Brett Kavanaugh when he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2014–2015)
Supreme Court Clerk: She clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts at the U.S. Supreme Court (2017–2018)
Corporate Litigator: She worked as an attorney at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, a prestigious San Francisco-based law firm specializing in complex civil litigation
She resigned from her law firm position in 2024 following J.D. Vance’s nomination as Republican Vice Presidential candidate.
Usha Vance Career Journey
Yale Law School & Early Clerkships (2010–2015)
Usha enrolled at Yale Law School around 2010, where her academic excellence and intellectual contributions quickly earned recognition. At Yale Law School, she met J.D. Vance, a fellow law student from Ohio.
Upon graduating from Yale Law School in 2013, she secured a prestigious clerkship with Judge Brett Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, one of the most competitive judicial clerkships available. This position (2014–2015) provided invaluable experience in appellate legal analysis and constitutional law.
Supreme Court Clerkship (2017–2018)
Following her appellate court clerkship, Usha secured an even more prestigious position as a law clerk for Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. at the U.S. Supreme Court (2017–2018). This extraordinary achievement placed her among America’s most accomplished young lawyers.
Her Supreme Court clerkship exposed her to constitutional jurisprudence, major legal decisions, and the highest levels of American legal analysis.
Private Law Practice (2018–2024)
After completing her Supreme Court clerkship, Usha joined Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, a preeminent law firm based in San Francisco known for complex civil litigation. She practiced corporate litigation, handling sophisticated cases for major clients.
Her legal career progressed steadily until July 2024, when J.D. Vance was selected as Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate. Following the nomination, she resigned from the firm to focus on supporting her husband’s political campaign and eventually transition to the role of Second Lady.
Political Campaign & Transition to Second Lady (2024–2025)
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Usha became increasingly visible as she accompanied J.D. Vance at campaign events and political rallies across the country. She maintained her reserved demeanor while making strategic public appearances.
On January 20, 2025, J.D. Vance was inaugurated as Vice President, and Usha Vance assumed the role of Second Lady of the United States. She made her official national political debut by introducing her husband at the Republican National Convention in July 2024.
Second Lady Responsibilities (2025–Present)
In her role as Second Lady, Usha has undertaken official duties including leading U.S. delegations to international events such as the Special Olympics Winter Games in Turin, Italy in March 2025. She is focusing on childhood literacy initiatives and youth education programs while managing her responsibilities as a mother of three.
She has gradually formed a small staff team to support her official functions and is acclimating to life at the Naval Observatory, the official residence of the Vice President. Her approach emphasizes private family time and measured public engagement rather than extensive media presence.
Usha Vance Achievements
Usha’s accomplishments reflect intellectual excellence and professional distinction:
- Yale Undergraduate Degree: Graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in History
- Gates Scholarship: Earned prestigious graduate scholarship funding her Cambridge education
- Cambridge Master’s Degree: Earned MPhil in Early Modern History from University of Cambridge
- Yale Law School Degree: Graduated from Yale Law School in 2013
- Appellate Court Clerkship: Clerked for Judge Brett Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- Supreme Court Clerkship: Clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts at the U.S. Supreme Court
- Corporate Law Practice: Practiced complex civil litigation at prestigious Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
- First Indian-American Second Lady: Made history as the first person of Indian descent to hold the role of Second Lady
- Youngest Recent Second Lady: Youngest Second Lady since the Truman administration
Usha Vance Family
| Relationship | Details |
| Father | Radhakrishna “Krish” Chilukuri (Aerospace Engineer, San Diego State University Professor) |
| Mother | Lakshmi Chilukuri (Molecular Biologist, UC San Diego Provost) |
| Sibling | Younger sister (Mechanical Engineer, Semiconductor Firm, San Diego) |
| Spouse | James David “J.D.” Vance (Vice President of the United States; married June 2014) |
| Son 1 | Ewan Vance (born 2017, age 8-9 as of 2026) |
| Son 2 | Vivek Vance (born 2020, age 5-6 as of 2026) |
| Daughter | Mirabel Vance (born 2021, age 4-5 as of 2026) |
| Expected Son 4 | Due July 2026 |
| Religious Practice | Hindu (devout) |
| Paternal Great-Grandfather | Ramasa Chilukuri (Physics professor at IIT; honor award established in his name) |
Marriage & Family Life
Usha met J.D. Vance at Yale Law School around 2010. They formed a close friendship that evolved into romance as they supported each other through demanding law school experiences.
In his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” J.D. Vance refers to Usha as a “supersmart daughter of Indian immigrants” who became his “spirit guide” at Yale, helping him navigate the Ivy League environment where he felt “out of place”. He wrote that in a place that always seemed foreign, “Usha’s presence made me feel at home”.
They married in June 2014 following their graduation from Yale Law School. Their marriage united two very different family backgrounds—Usha’s educated, immigrant Indian family and J.D.’s working-class Appalachian heritage—illustrating broader American diversity.
The couple welcomed their first child, Ewan, in 2017, followed by Vivek in 2020 and Mirabel in 2021. On January 20, 2026, they announced they are expecting their fourth child, a son, due in late July 2026.
Usha Vance Net Worth
Usha’s net worth remains estimated at approximately $1-3 million as of 2026, accumulated primarily through her legal career.
Income Sources
Law Practice: Her corporate litigation work at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP provided six-figure compensation
Supreme Court Clerkship: While clerkships provide modest salaries, the credential carries immense prestige and leads to lucrative legal positions
Combined Family Wealth: J.D. Vance’s significant wealth from his venture capital career and book royalties from “Hillbilly Elegy” (published 2016) substantially increases their combined net worth
Congressional Salary: As Vice President, J.D. Vance earns the official vice presidential salary of approximately $235,000 annually
Their combined family wealth positions them comfortably among the nation’s wealthier political families.
