Condoleezza Rice is a renowned American political scientist and diplomat who served as the 66th United States Secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009. Born in 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, Rice excelled academically, eventually becoming the first female African-American Secretary of State. Prior to her diplomatic career, she was a professor of political science and served on the National Security Council. Rice is known for her expertise in international affairs and her contributions to foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East.