Veteran Secret Service agent Julia Pierson has been sworn in as the agency's first female director.

During an Oval Office ceremony, President Barack Obama said Pierson is breaking the mold in the male-dominated agency. He also joked that she would have more control over his life and Vice President Joe Biden's than anyone except their spouses.

The Secret Service is charged with protecting the president, vice president and their families, as well as investigating financial crimes.

Pierson's appointment does not require Senate confirmation. She takes over an agency that has been marred by scandal, including a prostitution scandal last year in Colombia.

Biden administered the oath of office.