Who is Doug Emhoff’s ex-wife? All about Kirsten Emhoff

Doug Emhoff has been married to Vice President Kamala Harris since 2014, but was previously married to Kerstin Emhoff for nearly two years ten years.

The second gentleman first married his ex-wife Kerstin in 1992. .

Doug has spoken out about how his previous marriage ended after he had an affair with a teacher at his children’s school.

In August 2024, Doug said in a statement to CNN: “In my first marriage, Kirsten and I went through some difficult times because of my actions.” “I took responsibility and have since Over the next few years, we worked things out together as a family.

So who was Doug Emhoff’s first wife? Here’s everything you need to know about Kerstin Emhoff and her previous relationship with The Second Gentleman.

She is the CEO of her own production company

Kerstin graduated from Boston University in 1990 with a degree in Cinema/Film/Video Studies. According to her LinkedIn message, she founded Prettybird in 2007, a hybrid production company specializing in branding and music content. Since then, she has expanded her roster to serve as CEO of Prettybird in addition to Ventureland and Pipelines, various production companies in the entertainment industry.

Prettybird is the production company behind many notable projects, including Beyonce’s 2016 “Formation” music video.

Kerstin and Doug have been married 18 years

Kerstin and Doug met while working as waitresses in Los Angeles in the early 1990s and married in 1992. As someone who works in the creative field, Kerstin admits she didn’t expect to fall in love with politicians.

“I never thought I would marry a lawyer,” she told Politico June 2021.

However, their marriage ended after divorcing in 2010.

They have two children together

Kerstein and Doug welcomed their first child, son Cole, on September 15, 1994. Later, the three established a strong co-parenting relationship and raised the children together.

In August 2020, Harris told People magazine: “My kids don’t call me stepmom, they call me momma, Marla. We’re a very modern family. Their mom is a close friend of mine.”

In a 2019 article EllerIn “Harris,” Harris writes about how she and Kirsten hit it off while raising their children together, attending sporting events and family gatherings together.

“At Ella’s swim meets and basketball games, she and I became the cheerleading duo in the stands, often to Ella’s embarrassment,” Harris wrote. “We sometimes joke that our modern family is almost a bit So practical.”

Doug admits to having extramarital affairs during relationship

In August 2024, Doug admitted to having an extramarital affair, which led to the end of his relationship with Kerstin. according to daily mailDoug had an affair with a teacher at his children’s elementary school in Culver City, California. new york timesHarris knew about it before she married Doug, and the Biden campaign knew about it before choosing Harris as their 2020 vice presidential pick.

“Years ago, Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons,” Kerstin said in a statement to CNN. “He was a great father to our children and remains a good friend. I’m very grateful to Doug, So proud of the warm, supportive blended family Kamala and I have built together.

Kerstin supported Doug’s relationship with Harris from the beginning

When Kerstin found out Doug had started dating Harris (who was California’s attorney general at the time), she told her she was excited for him Marie Claire Magazine 2020.

“I just thought, ‘Wow, that’s so cool. Don’t screw it up!'” she said.

The three eventually bonded and even worked out together.

“When she was [California attorney general] And the senators, I would meet them at SoulCycle near their home and we would take classes together,” Kirsten told Politico.

Kirsten and Harris now have a close friendship

When Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election, she and Kerstin were already close friends. The producer even volunteered to help with the event, lending her creative knowledge and connections.

“Their response is, ‘My ex-wife wants to What? ” Kerstin recalled Marie Claire Magazine Harris campaign’s reaction.

Kerstin also acknowledged that Doug has been a better husband to Harris than he has been in the past, planning trips for the couple and taking initiative in the relationship.

“Of course, he’s a better husband, which is great,” Kerstin told Time magazine in 2021. “That’s how it should be.”