Who is Douglas Emhoff’s ex-wife, Kerstin?
BEFORE he had to handle the pressures of the political spotlight as the Second Gentleman of the United States, Doug Emhoff was taking on the glitz and glamour of Hollywood alongside his filmmaker ex-wife.
Douglas Emhoff may be married – and fully committed to – Vice President Kamala Harris, but the former entertainment lawyer also has a positive, friendly relationship with his ex-wife, Kerstin Emhoff.
Who is Douglas Emhoff's ex-wife, Kerstin?
Kerstin Emhoff, originally Kerstin Mackin, was born on March 18, 1967.
She was raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and her family is originally of Swedish descent.
After graduating from film school, Kerstin moved to Los Angeles.
She began working at a small production company before working her way up to a principal and executive producer at HSI Productions in 2002.
In 2007, Kerstin and one of her co-workers, Paul Hunter, left HSI to start their own production company.
They are both the co-founders of Prettybird, and Kerstin is also the company's CEO.
Since its inception, Prettybird has won numerous awards and accolades, including Grammy and Emmy Awards, Cannes Lions, Clios, AICPs, and even an MTV Video of the Year Award.
In 2015 and 2021, Ad Age named Prettybird as Creativity's Production Company of the Year.
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In 2020, Kerstin, Paul Hunter, and Ali Brown co-founded Ventureland, a multi-platform entertainment company, alongside John Battsek.
Ventureland produces documentaries, podcasts, scripted content, and branded entertainment.
Beyond her career as a producer, creative, and filmmaker, Kerstin also founded the non-profit Pipelines in 2016.
The organization aims to increase opportunities in advertising for diverse young individuals.
The not-for-profit initiative is scheduled to launch a mobile app in late 2024, aiming to connect companies looking for diverse talent with diverse groups looking for roles in the entertainment and tech industries.
Kerstin previously served on the board of directors of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers for over a decade and was the AICP President for the Western US.
Kerstin also serves on the Advisory Board of the Evolve Entertainment Fund, which was set up by Ava DuVernay, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, and executives from Netflix, HBO, and other platforms.
Kerstin has executive produced dozens of films, series, documentaries, and music videos, including:
- The Tillman Story
- Manhunt: The Search for Bin Laden
- Pretty Hurts
- XOXO
- The Final Year
- If These Walls Could Sing
- American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing
- The Deepest Breath
- Bobi Wine: The People's President
In her spare time, Kerstin shares behind-the-scenes snapshots of her personal life and career on her social media channels.
Her Instagram boasts nearly , while her X account has nearly .
How long were Douglas Emhoff and Kerstin married?
Kerstin Emhoff met Douglas Emhoff in the early 1990s when she was a waitress.
“I would have never thought that I would have married a lawyer,” she said in a June 2021 interview with .
“I was a film student and I grew up in a performing arts school, but you know I like really smart people, and he’s incredibly smart and we connected very quickly," she added.
The couple started dating, and their relationship quickly progressed.
Kerstin and Doug officially got married in 1992.
They were married for 18 years before getting divorced in 2010.
While Kerstin has yet to remarry, Douglas began dating Kamala Harris in 2013, after being set up on a blind date by a friend.
After about a year of dating, Doug proposed to Harris in her apartment on March 27, 2014.
The couple got married in a courthouse wedding in Santa Barbara, California, on August 22, 2014.
Kerstin and Douglas remained close friends even after their divorce, and there was absolutely no bad blood between Kerstin and Kamala.
“We really hit it off ourselves and became friends," Kamala Harris wrote in her 2019 memoir.
"We sometimes joke that our modern family is almost a little too functional," she added, referencing her close relationship with Kerstin.
Kerstin was even in attendance to support Harris during the January 2021 Inauguration.
As for Kerstin, she agrees that the trio's relationship is healthy, with one caveat.
"I don't want to just be the famous ex-wife," Kerstin told Politico.
"I am accomplished in my own right," she added.
How many children does Douglas Emhoff have?
Douglas and Kerstin's close relationship is largely due to their terrific relationship co-parenting their children.
The duo have two children together, Cole and Ella.
Cole Emhoff was born on September 15, 1994.
He was named after jazz musician John Coltrane.
After graduating from Colorado College with a degree in psychology, Cole began working as an assistant at William Morris Endeavor, a talent agency.
He then went on to become an Executive Assistant and Plan B, a production company founded by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.
Kerstin and Douglas' second child, a daughter they named Ella, was born on May 29, 1999.
Ella Emhoff, who is named after musical legend Ella Fitzgerald, graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City in May 2021.
The 22-year-old, who went to Wildwood High School like her older brother, studied textile design and works in the fashion industry.
Already a knitwear designer, Brooklyn-based Ella accepts commissions for her pieces through Instagram and her website.
In 2021, she was signed by IMG Models Worldwide and has modeled for brands like Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and Adidas by Stella McCartney.
In 2022, Harper's Bazaar named Ella as one of their "icons" of the year.
"It's kind of shocking," she said.
"This is an incredible honor and as someone who doesn't really think of herself like that it's nice reassurance."
"And makes me check myself and the way I perceive myself, so exciting," she added.
Kamala, who has mentioned that Cole and Ella affectionately call her "Momala," credits her great relationship with her stepchildren to Kerstin.
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"One of the keys to my relationship with Cole and Ella is their mom," she said ahead of the 2020 election, as reported by .
"The thing about blended families — if everyone approaches it in the way that there's plenty of love to share, then it works."