Condoleezza RICE was the successor of Colin Powell as United States Secretary of State. She served in this role from 2005 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. RICE was the first African American woman to serve as Secretary of State and the second woman to hold the position. She was also the first female National Security Advisor, a position she held from 2001 to 2005. RICE was a professor of political science at Stanford University prior to her appointment to the Bush administration.