Born: 24 June 1962, Mexico
Died: NA
Country most active: Mexico
Also known as: Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo
The following is excerpted from Infinite Women founder Allison Tyra’s book The View from the Hill: Women Who Made Their Mark After 40.
In 2024, Mexican politician and environmental engineer Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum became the first woman and first Jewish person elected president of Mexico, winning a landslide victory the same month she turned 62. Born and raised in Mexico City, she began teaching engineering at her alma mater, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), in 1995. She was following in the footsteps of her mother, a biologist and UNAM professor emeritus, and her father, a chemical engineer.
Although she was politically active as a student and professor, it wasn’t until 2000 that Sheinbaum held a government office, when she was appointed Mexico City’s environmental minister. In this role, she oversaw the implementation of the city’s bus system and the construction of a second layer of the Periférico, which encircles the city’s urban zone. She returned to UNAM in 2006 and was among the scientists and policy makers who won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for their work on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
In 2015, she was elected mayor of Mexico City’s Tlalpan district, emphasizing the importance of water rights and fair usage. When she was elected mayor of Mexico City in 2018, she was the first woman and first Jewish person to hold that position as well. Known for both her research and policy advocacy on issues like energy efficiency, sustainability, and the environment, she held that role until stepping down to run in the 2024 presidential election. As mayor, she expanded rainwater collection, reformed waste management, and began a reforestation program, as well as announcing plans to invest in modernization and infrastructure improvements of the city’s long-neglected subway system.
As president, Sheinbaum prioritized issues like strengthening social programs, increasing state control over the energy sector and ensuring that the minimum wage was increased above the rate of inflation. She was ranked #5 on Forbes’ 2025 list of the most powerful women in the world.