Anne Gust Brown

Anne Gust grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She was an outstanding student and graduated at the top of her high school class. Anne attended Stanford University where she graduated with a degree in political science. After graduation, she returned to Michigan to attend the University of Michigan Law School. Anne returned to California to begin her career as a litigator at a few large law firms in San Francisco. In 1991, she joined GAP, Inc. where she worked her way up to General Counsel and then to executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief compliance officer for the company. In 1985, Anne met Jerry Brown, who was the Democratic National Chairman at the time, at a party. Shortly after meeting, they began their 15-year courtship. Anne and Jerry were married in 2005. She left GAP, Inc. when she married Jerry to help him run his campaign for Attorney General in 2006. During his tenure as Attorney General, Anne served as a special advisor to Brown. Anne was instrumental in helping Jerry Brown be elected as California’s 39th Governor. In a Capitol Weekly story, she said that her number one priority as first lady would be to “Help him … Just that – to help him.”