Rosie Rios became chair of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in July 2022.
Rios served as the 43rd treasurer of the United States from 2009 to 2016. In that role, her signature appeared on U.S. currency issued during the Obama administration. Her later appointment connected a former senior Treasury official with planning for the country’s 250th anniversary.
Rios replaced Dan DiLella as chair. She had first been appointed to the commission on January 11, 2018, before taking its leadership several years later. The commission’s work includes encouraging national observances and coordinating long-term planning for the 2026 commemoration.
Rios is sometimes confused with the commission’s chief executive officer or with honorary national co-chairs. Those are separate roles. The commission also announced former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, along with former first ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, as honorary national co-chairs in 2024.