The President's Doctor Eleanor "Connie" Mariano

For more than eight years, a Filipino-American has made sure that the world's most powerful person was physically fit to do his work. Her name is Eleanor "Connie" Mariano, a 47-year-old physician and a top-ranking officer of the US Navy. Mariano was the director of the White House medical unit attending to the health of former President Bill Clinton.

After President Clinton's term ended in January 2001, Mariano pursued her duty as rear admiral of the US Navy, the highest military post ever occupied by a Filipino-American woman in the mighty US Armed Forces. First Lady Hillary Clinton, who has just won a seat in the senate in the recent elections, personally thanked Mariano for her service to the American nation. "Our family loves you and we're grateful to you," Mrs. Clinton told Mariano in a ceremony tended for her in June 2000 when she was promoted as rear admiral of the US Navy.

Mariano was born at the former Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga in 1955. She was only two years old when her parents, Angel and Lu Mariano, immigrated to the United States in 1957. Her father served in the US Navy as a steward and retired as a master chef after serving 29 years. Mariano's four Filipino godfathers were also Navy master chefs. Mariano grew up in Imperial Beach near the Mexican border. She graduated valedictorian from Mar Vista High School in 1973 and cum laude from Revelle College at the University of California where she obtained a degree in Biology in 1977. She earned her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland in 1981.

Following an internship in Internal Medicine at San Diego Naval Hospital in 1982, Mariano was assigned as the General Officer on board USS Prairie where she served as the sole physician for a ship's company of 750 men and women. In 1991, she was selected as the hospital's head of internal medicine. In June 1992, she became the first military woman to serve as White House physician under President George Bush. When he got elected, President Clinton asked her to stay and even promoted her as Senior White House Physician in February 1994 and director of the White House Medical Unit.

By attending to two American presidents for more than eight years, Mariano had the longest service as a White House physician in American history. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations honored Mariano for her remarkable achievements.