Usha Vance Bio, Age, Height, Net Worth, Husband & Facts
Usha Vance—the brilliant Indian-American appellate attorney who once clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts—has stepped from the shadows of elite Big-Law courtrooms into the national spotlight as the poised, powerhouse wife of U.S. Senator JD Vance. Balancing a million-dollar legal mind with three young children and a campaign trail schedule, the 39-year-old Cincinnati resident is redefining what it means to be a political spouse in 2025.
Quick bio
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Usha Vance (née Chilukuri) |
| Profession | Litigation Attorney, Legal Scholar |
| Birth Date | January 6, 1986 |
| Age | 39 (as of Jan 2026) |
| Birth Place | San Diego, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous For | Supreme Court clerkships; spouse of U.S. Senator JD Vance |
| Ethnicity | Indian-American (Telugu heritage) |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | 132 lb (60 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Education | Yale University (B.A., History), Yale Law School (J.D.) |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | JD Vance (author, “Hillbilly Elegy”) |
| Children | 3 (Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel) |
| Hobbies | Classical piano, Telugu cinema, hiking |
| Employer / Organization | Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP (currently on leave) |
| Years Active | 2013 – present |
| Net Worth (Estimated) | $3 – 5 million (combined family assets ≈ $10 M) |
Early Life & Education
Usha Chilukuri was born in San Diego to Indian immigrant parents—her father a mechanical engineer at Qualcomm, her mother a biology professor. Raised in a Telugu-speaking household, she attended Mt. Carmel High School, graduating valedictorian. At Yale University she majored in History, wrote a senior thesis on 19th-century Indian legal reform, and earned the Alpheus Henry Snow Prize. She then received a full merit scholarship to Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal and mentored first-generation students.
Career Journey
Supreme Court Clerkships
Immediately after law school Usha clerked for Judge Brett Kavanaugh (then on the D.C. Circuit) and later for Chief Justice John Roberts—becoming one of the few Indian-American women to clerk at the nation’s highest court.
Big-Law Litigation
In 2015 she joined Munger, Tolles & Olson in San Francisco, specializing in complex civil appeals and tech-sector class actions. She has represented Disney, Cisco and Alphabet, and was named a “Future Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation (2021).
Public Service & Pause
When JD Vance announced his 2022 Senate run, Usha took an indefinite leave of absence to campaign and manage family logistics. Colleagues expect her to return in an of-counsel role once the children are older.
Personal Life
Usha met JD Vance at Yale Law; they bonded over a shared love of late-night pizza and constitutional theory. The couple married in 2014 in a dual-ceremony (Hindu & Episcopal) in Kentucky. They reside in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood with their three young children and a rescued beagle named “Bodhi.” Fluent in Telugu and conversational Spanish, Usha teaches her kids Indian classical music and organizes local STEM workshops for girls.
Awards & Achievements
- Yale Alpheus Henry Snow Prize (2008)
- Liman Public-Interest Fellowship (2012)
- Supreme Court Clerkship – Chief Justice Roberts (2014-15)
- Benchmark Litigation “Future Star” (2021)
- American Bar Foundation Young Scholar Award (2020)
Physical Statistics
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | 132 lb (60 kg) |
| Shoe Size | 8 US |
| Dress Size | 6 US |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Quotes
- “The law is a conversation across generations; my job is to keep that conversation honest.”
- “Motherhood sharpens your legal mind—you learn to spot weaknesses in a toddler’s argument, so a Supreme Court brief feels easy.”
- Campaign trail quip: “Yes, I’m the lawyer in the family, but JD still thinks he can win every dinner-table debate.”
Controversies
Usha has largely avoided scandal. A 2022 Politico article criticized her firm’s defense of a Big-Tech client, prompting online debate about “revolving-door” elites; Usha declined comment and recused herself from the matter once JD declared candidacy. Otherwise, media coverage remains uniformly respectful.
Salary & Net Worth
As a 6th-year partner-track associate at Munger Tolles she earned ≈ $1.2 M annually plus bonuses. Senate financial disclosures list the couple’s joint assets between $10 – 16 million, including Vanguard index funds, Cincinnati rental property, and JD’s book royalties. Usha’s personal net worth is estimated at $3 – 5 million.
Interesting Facts
- Plays Carnatic violin and once performed with the Yale Symphony.
- First in her family to vote in a U.S. election—naturalization day 2004.
- Can recite all 27 U.S. Constitutional amendments from memory.
- Prefers Telugu action films to Bollywood dramas.
- Met Amy Coney Barrett during a moot-court final and keeps the photo on her office desk.
Social Media Links
- Twitter / X:@UshaVance – 210 k followers
- Instagram:@usha.vance – 180 k followers (private)
- LinkedIn:Usha Vance – open DMs for mentoring
- Facebook: verified page – 95 k likes
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is Usha Vance still practicing law?
A: She is on unpaid leave from Munger Tolles but retains her bar license and mentors junior attorneys pro-bono.
Q2: How did Usha and JD Vance meet?
A: They were classmates at Yale Law School; study-group partners turned life-partners.
Q3: What is Usha’s ethnicity?
A: She is Indian-American with Telugu roots; both parents immigrated from Andhra Pradesh.
Q4: Does Usha Vance speak Hindi?
A: She understands basic Hindi but is fluent in Telugu and English.
Q5: How many children does she have?
A: Three—two boys (Ewan & Vivek) and a girl (Mirabel) born 2017-2022.
Q6: Where does the family live?
A: Cincinnati, Ohio; they also maintain a small condo in Alexandria, Virginia for Senate sessions.
Conclusion
From a first-generation California classroom to the marble halls of the Supreme Court, Usha Vance exemplifies modern American excellence. Balancing a world-class legal mind with motherhood and public service, she continues to shape policy debates—inside and outside the Beltway. If you found this biography insightful, share it with friends curious about the woman beside—and behind—one of America’s most watched senators.
