Who is the First Lady-in-waiting Dr Jill Biden?

Jill Biden has a doctorate in education and completed two masters degrees while working and raising a family. Credit: AP

Often described as her husband's biggest defender, First Lady-elect Dr Jill Biden has been by her husband's side on his road to the White House.

In his victory speech, Joe Biden described his wife as "a mom, a military mom, and an educator".

"As I said many times before, I’m Jill’s husband," he said, adding that he would not be where he is without the "love and tireless support" of her and their family.

This is not the first time Dr Biden has supported her husband during his long political career, but she has an equally illustrative and inspirational career.

As a teacher of more than 30 years, Dr Biden is far more at home in the classroom than she is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

While she served two terms at Second Lady from 2009 to 2017 in the Obama administration, Dr Biden continued to teach English full-time at a community college in Virginia.

And the Flotus-in-waiting has previously said she would continue to teach even if her husband made it to the top job.

Mr Biden said: "For America’s educators, this is a great day – you’re going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great First Lady."

President-elect Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden gesture to supporters in Delaware. Credit: AP

Born Jill Jacobs in 1951, Dr Biden is the oldest of five sisters, and was raised by Bonny and Donald Jacobs just outside Philadelphia in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.Dr Biden - who describes herself as an introvert - earned a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware in 2007 and completed two masters’ degrees while working and raising a family.

As Second Lady while her husband served as Vice President to Barack Obama, her work included bringing attention to the sacrifices made by military families.

She also highlighted the importance of community colleges, and raised awareness around areas of particular importance to women, including breast cancer prevention.

On her Facebook profile, Dr Biden describes herself as a "lifelong educator, military mother, grandmother, sister, author, and wife".

After the 2020 presidential race was called on November 7, First Lady-in-waiting Dr Biden posted a picture of herself with Mr Biden on Twitter and said: "He will be a President for all of our families."

Dr Biden met the future US President in 1975 three years after Mr Biden’s first wife Neilia and baby daughter Naomi died in a car accident.

They married in 1977 and Dr Biden became step-mother to Mr Biden's surviving sons who had been injured in the crash - Beau and Hunter.

The Bidens had a daughter, Ashley, in 1981.

Tragedy would again strike the family when more than 40 years later in 2015, Beau died of a brain tumour aged 46.