President-Elect Obama Announces More Key White House Staff

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

WASHINGTON – Today, President-elect Barack Obama announced that Christina M. Tchen will serve as White House Director of Public Liaison and Michael Strautmanis will serve as Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison.

President-elect Obama said, "I am pleased to announce that these two distinguished individuals will be joining my administration, as we seek to meet the big challenges of our time. They not only bring impressive resumes but also a deep commitment to public service -- and I know the American people will be served well by them."

The White House Staff Announcements are below:

Christina M. Tchen, Director of Public Liaison
Tchen has broad litigation experience at all levels of the state and federal courts. She has represented companies, officers and directors in shareholder class and derivative actions, and she has also handled a wide range of commercial, intellectual property and employment-related litigation. Tchen also has represented public agencies in state and federal class actions, including the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Illinois Department of Public Aid and the Chicago Housing Authority. She serves on the board of the Chicago Bar Foundation; she is also Chair of the Board of Field Foundation of Illinois and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Public Library and the Board of the Chinese American Service League. She has served on the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois and she has been appointed to several leadership positions with the American Bar Association Section of Litigation.

Tchen is the recipient of many awards, including the Leadership Award from the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (1999); “Women of Achievement” award from the Anti-Defamation League (1996); and Chicago Lawyer “Person of the Year” (1994). She was selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2008 and The Best Lawyers in America 2009. She also was selected as one of the top three women business lawyers in Illinois by the Leading Lawyers Network 2007.

Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison
A native of Chicago, Strautmanis first came to know the Obamas when he worked as a paralegal at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin for Mrs. Michelle Obama. After law school, Strautmanis practiced complex litigation and employment law in Chicago, before joining the Clinton Administration at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Strautmanis also served as Legislative Director and Counsel to then Rep. Rod Blagojevich, aiding Governor Blagojevich in his successful 2002 Illinois gubernatorial campaign, and serving as Counsel for Legislation for the American Association of Justice.

Strautmanis served as Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to Obama in the United States Senate. He then served as Senior Counsel for Obama for America where he played a leading role in political outreach as a member of the Congressional Relations team. Strautmanis received a B.S. from the University of Illinois, and a J.D. from the University Of Illinois College Of Law. He and his wife Damona are the proud parents of three.

President-Elect Barack Obama Names Louis Caldera Director of White House Military Office

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama announced today that Louis Caldera will serve as Director of the White House Military Office. Caldera brings a lifetime of military and public service to the Military Office, which coordinates all military support for Presidential operations.

“Louis has served his country with distinction in uniform and in government, and his pedigree is second-to-none. I know he’ll bring to the White House the same dedication and integrity that have earned him the highest praise in every post, from Secretary of the Army to university president,” said President-elect Obama.

Louis Caldera, Director, White House Military Office
Caldera has had a distinguished 30-year career as a soldier, lawyer, legislator, high ranking government official, university president and professor of law. In 1992, Caldera was elected to the California State Assembly, and later served in the Clinton administration. From 1997 to 1998, Caldera was managing director and chief operating officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service. From 1998 to 2001, he served as the nation’s 17th Secretary of the Army. He has served as a vice chancellor for the California State University system and president of the University of New Mexico, after which he joined the faculty of the UNM School of Law as a tenured professor. Caldera is a member of the Board of Trustees of Claremont McKenna College and of The National World War II Museum, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Caldera is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and earned his law and business degrees at Harvard University in 1987, later practicing law in Los Angeles.

Presidential Appointment List - No Senate Confirmation Required

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

The following is a list of Presidential Appointed positions to the Executive Branch. These positions do not require Senate approval. You can find our Presidential Appointment list requiring Senate confirmation here. Information has been gathered from the Plum Book, the Transition Team as well as several other government sites. The list is not finished yet. We will add additional positions as quickly as possible.

White House Office

Position	Nominee	Date
White House Chief of Staff	Rahm Emanuel	11/6/08
Deputy White House Chief of Staff	Mona Sutphen	11/16/08
Deputy White House Chief of Staff	Jim Messina	11/16/08
Counsel to the President	Greg Craig	11/15/08
Counselor to the President	TBA
Asst to the President for Presidential Personnel	Don Gips	1/5/09
Asst to the President for National Security Affairs	Jim Jones	12/1/08
Asst. to the President for Economic Policy and Director, National Economic Council	Larry Summers	11/24/08
Asst. to the President for Strategic Initiatives & External Affairs	TBA
Chief of Staff to the First Lady	Jackie Norris	11/20/08
Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady	Melissa Winter	11/24/08
Asst. to the President for Legislative Affairs	Phil Schiliro	11/15/08
Press Secretary	Robert Gibbs	11/6/08
Deputy Press Secretary	Bill Burton	12/24/08
Deputy National Security Advisor	Thomas Donilon	12/22/08
Director of Communications	Ellen Moran	11/22/08
Deputy Director of Communications	Dan Pfeiffer	11/22/08
Director of Speechwriting	Jon Favreau	11/26/08
Asst to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism	TBA
Staff Secretary	Lisa Brown	11/19/08
Director of the Domestic Policy Council	Melody Barnes	11/24/08
Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council	Heather Higginbottom	11/24/08
Director of Scheduling & Advance	Alyssa Mastromonaco	11/25/08
Asst to the President & White House Social Secretary	Desiree Rogers	11/24/08
Special Counsel to the President	TBA
Deputy Asst to the President for Legislative Affairs	TBA
Senior Advisor	David Axelrod	11/6/08
Senior Advisor	Pete Rouse	11/16/08
Director of Intergovernmental Affairs	Cecilia Munoz	11/26/08
Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison	Valerie Jarrett	11/15/08
Cabinet Secretary	Chris Lu	11/19/08
Director of Political Affairs	Patrick Gaspard	11/21/08
Director of Public Liason	Christina Tchen	12/5/08
Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison	Michael Strautmanis	12/5/08
Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change	Carol Browner	12/15/08
Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change	Heather Zichal	12/15/08
Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the United States Senate	Shawn Maher	12/23/08
Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the United States House	Dan Turton	12/23/08
Deputy White House Counsel	Cassandra Butts	12/23/08
Deputy Cabinet Secretary	Elizabeth Sears Smith	12/23/08
Director of Communications for the First Lady	Camille Johnston	12/23/08
Press Secretary for the First Lady	Katie McCormick Lelyveld	12/23/08
Deputy Press Secretary for the First Lady	Semonti Mustaphi	12/23/08
White House Photographer	Pete Souza	1/5/09
Associate Counsel to the President	Susan Sher	1/5/09
Director of the Office of Management and Administration	Bradley Kiley	1/5/09
Chief Performance Officer	Nancy Killefer	1/6/09
Last updated: 1/6/09

Click here to see additional appointments and positions

Office of Policy Development

Position	Nominee	Date
Deputy Asst to the President for Economic Policy and Deputy Director
Deputy Asst to the President for Domestic Policy
Special Asst to the President for Domestic Policy
Special Asst to the President for Economic Policy
Special Asst to the President for Economic Policy
Acting Director of the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives
Acting Director of USA Freedom Corps
Special Asst to the President for Domestic Policy
Last updated: 11/17/08

Office of Administration

Position	Nominee	Date
Director, Office of Administration
Last updated: 11/17/08

National Security Council

Position	Nominee	Date
Executive Secretary
Last updated: 11/17/08

Office of the Vice-President

Position	Nominee	Date
Chief of Staff	Ron Klain	11/15/08
Counsel	Cynthia Hogan	11/21/08
Director of Administration	Moises Vela, Jr.	11/21/08
Counselor	Mike Donilon	11/25/08
Domestic Policy Advisor	Terrell McSweeny	11/25/08
Asst to the VP for Intergovernmental Affairs & Public Liasion	Evan Ryan	11/25/08
Chief of Staff for Dr. Jill Biden	Catherine Russell	11/21/08
Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications	Jay Carney	12/20/08
Press Secretary to the VP	Elizabeth Alexander	12/20/08
Deputy Press Secretary to the VP	Annie Tomasini	12/20/08
National Security Advisor to the VP	Antony Blinken	12/22/08
Chief Economist and Economic Policy Director to the VP	Jared Bernstein	12/24/08
Deputy Chief of Staff	Alan Hoffman	12/30/08
Director of Legislative Affairs	Sudafi Henry	12/30/08
Deputy National Security Advisor to the VP	Brian McKeon	1/5/09
Communications Director for Jill Biden	Courtney O'Donnell	1/5/09
Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the VP and Dr. Jill Biden	Carlos Elizondo	1/5/09
Last updated: 1/5/09

President-Elect Obama Names Two New White House Staff Members

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama today announced two new members of the White House staff. Jonathan Favreau will serve as Director of Speechwriting, and Cecilia Muñoz will serve as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.

“We’re continuing to build a White House team that can rise to the challenges facing this country – and I couldn’t be more excited to announce Jon and Cecilia. I’m confident that at a critical time in our history, this White House will restore openness and accountability to our Executive Branch and help to put government back in the hands of the people it serves.”

Jonathan Favreau, Director of Speechwriting
Jon Favreau served as Director of Speechwriting during the 2008 presidential campaign. He has worked for President-elect Obama since February 2005, when he joined Obama’s United States Senate office as Speechwriter. Previously, Favreau served as Deputy Director of Speechwriting on John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign. A resident of North Reading, Massachusetts, Favreau received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the College of the Holy Cross in 2003.

Cecilia Muñoz, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
Cecilia Muñoz currently serves as Senior Vice President for the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), where she supervises all legislative and advocacy activities conducted by NCLR policy staff. Muñoz is the Chair of the Board of Center for Community Change, and serves on the U.S. Programs Board of the Open Society Institute and the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Philanthropies. She is the daughter of immigrants from Bolivia and was born in Detroit, Michigan. In June 2000, she was awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship in recognition of her work on immigration and civil rights.

In case you're wondering... no it's not that Jon Favreau.

More Staff Announced for Obama and Biden Offices

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

From the Transition Team:

President-Elect Barack Obama Announces Director of Scheduling and Advance
WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama today announced the following White House staff: Alyssa Mastromonaco, Director of Scheduling and Advance.

President-elect Obama said, “I am honored to have this hardworking and trusted advisor join my administration as we work to tackle serious challenges and bring the change that we need to Washington. This talented and dynamic individual brings diverse skills to the White House, and is ready to work hard in service to the American people at this defining moment in history."

The White House Staff Announcement is below:
Alyssa Mastromonaco, Director of Scheduling and Advance
Mastromonaco served as Director of Scheduling and Advance for Obama’s presidential campaign beginning at his announcement in February 2007. She has worked for President-elect Obama since February 2005, when she first joined Obama’s United States Senate office as Director of Scheduling. After that, Mastromonaco was named the Political Director for Obama's Political Action Committee, Hopefund, during the 2006 midterm elections. Mastromonaco worked as the Director of Scheduling for Senator John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004 and before that was Press Secretary for Congressman Rick Boucher (VA-9). A resident of Rhinebeck, New York, Mastromonaco received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1998.

And from Biden's Office:

WASHINGTON – Today, Vice President-elect Joe Biden announced the following key Vice Presidential staff: Michael (Mike) C. Donilon, Terrell P. McSweeny and Evan M. Ryan.

Mike Donilon will serve as Counselor to the Vice President; Terrell McSweeny will serve as Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President; and Evan Ryan will serve as Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison.

“These talented individuals build on the professional, dedicated and diverse team being assembled to lead the Obama-Biden Administration,” said Vice President-elect Joe Biden. “Mike Donilon has been one of my closest advisors for more than 25 years, is one of the most astute counselors in national affairs I have ever met – he provided advice that was invaluable on the Obama-Biden campaign in 2008. Terrell McSweeny is an expert on domestic policy and has established herself as someone highly-regarded and experienced in national policy matters. Evan Ryan has a unique blend of White House management experience and public outreach skills, which will make her an indispensable asset to the Obama-Biden Administration.”

Mike Donilon, Counselor to the Vice President
Mike Donilon has been an advisor and consultant to Vice President-elect Biden since 1981. He was an instrumental part of the Vice President-elect's debate preparation team and was his traveling advisor during the general election campaign. Donilon has been part of some of the most remarkable breakthrough campaigns in the country, including Governor Douglas Wilder's historic victory in Virginia in 1989, Senator Harris Wofford's upset victory over Dick Thornburgh in 1991 and President Bill Clinton's win in 1992.

He has provided strategic advice and led the creative efforts in a number of statewide campaigns, including those for Governor Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and former Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN). In 2006 and 2008, Donilon created the advertising for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s independent expenditure campaigns for Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). Donilon received both an A.B. and a J.D. from Georgetown University.

Terrell McSweeny, Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President
Terrell McSweeny has advised three Presidential candidates on domestic policy and related matters. In 2008, she worked for Vice President-elect Biden in various capacities, serving as his Issues Director during the general election campaign and his Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director in the U.S. Senate where she managed domestic and economic policy development and legislative initiatives, as well as his principal domestic policy advisor during his own Presidential campaign. In 2004, McSweeny served as the Deputy Policy Director for the Wes Clark for President campaign in Little Rock, Arkansas; earlier, in 2000, she worked in the Gore for President campaign in Nashville, Tennessee. Her government service includes her work as Counsel to Senator Biden, where she worked on Judiciary Committee issues such as women's rights, domestic violence, judicial nominations, immigration and civil rights. In addition to her policy work in Presidential campaigns, McSweeny was also an attorney at O'Melveny & Myers LLP. McSweeny is a graduate of Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Evan Ryan, Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison
Evan Ryan possesses a unique blend of White House management, international outreach and policy expertise. She was an Adviser to the Vice President-elect during the general election campaign and served as his Deputy Campaign Manager during the primary cycle. Ryan served on the White House staff from 1994-2000, working for First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton as Special Assistant to the First Lady’s Chief of Staff and then as Deputy Director of Scheduling. In the latter capacity, Ryan traveled to 22 countries to prepare Mrs. Clinton’s foreign trips, representing the First Lady’s office with senior governmental officials, U.S. embassy personnel and non-governmental leaders. In 2000, Ryan was hired as Director of Scheduling for the Hillary 2000 U.S. Senate campaign in New York. In 2003-2004, during the Presidential primary season, Ryan was Deputy Communications Director for John Kerry’s campaign. In 2005, Ryan was Deputy Chair for the Governance track of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. Ryan is a member of the Executive Committee of the conflict-management NGO, PeacePlayers International and has served as a consultant for the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, an NGO co-founded by Angelina Jolie and Gene Sperling. She is also a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Ryan received a B.A. in political science from Boston College and a Masters in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.

President Elect Obama's Office off Management and Budget Press Conference

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Remarks of President-elect Barack Obama
OMB Announcement
November 25, 2008
Chicago, Illinois

Good morning.

I speak to you today, mindful that we meet at a moment of great challenge for America, as our credit markets are stressed, and our families are struggling. But as difficult as these times are, I’m confident that we will rise to meet this challenge – if we’re willing to band together and recognize that Wall Street cannot thrive so long as Main Street is struggling; if we’re willing to summon a new spirit of ingenuity and determination; and if Americans of great intellect, broad experience, and good character are willing to serve in government at this hour of need.

Yesterday, I announced four such Americans to help lead the economic team that will advise me as we seek to climb out of this crisis. Today, Vice President-elect Biden and I are pleased to announce two other key members of our team – Peter Orszag as Director and Robert Nabors as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Read more...

Before I explain why I selected these outstanding public servants, let me just say a word about the work I am asking them to undertake. As I said yesterday, the economic crisis we face demands that we invest immediately in a series of measures that will help save or create two and a half million jobs and put tax cuts in the pockets of the hard-pressed middle class. Many of those new jobs will come in areas such as energy independence, technology, and health care modernization that will strengthen our economy for the future.

But if we’re going to make the investments we need, we must also be willing to shed the spending we don’t. In these challenging times, when we are facing both rising deficits and a sinking economy, budget reform is not an option. It is an imperative. We cannot sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness, or exist solely because of the power of a politician, lobbyist, or interest group. We simply cannot afford it.

This isn’t about big government or small government. It’s about building a smarter government that focuses on what works. That is why I will ask my team to think anew and act anew to meet our new challenges. We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way.

Let me give you one example of what I’m talking about. There’s a report today that from 2003 to 2006, millionaire farmers received $49 million in crop subsidies even though they were earning more than the $2.5 million cutoff for such subsidies. If this is true, it is a prime example of the kind of waste I intend to end as President.

And we will also focus on one of the biggest, long-run challenges that our budget faces – namely, the rising cost of health care in both the public and private sectors. This is not just a challenge but also an opportunity to improve the health care that Americans rely on and to bring down the costs that taxpayers, businesses, and families have to pay.

That is what the OMB will do in my administration – it will not only help design a budget and manage its implementation, it will also help make sure that our government – your government – is more efficient and more effective at serving the American people.

There is no better person to help lead this effort as Director of the OMB than my friend Peter Orszag. Peter has been one of our nation’s leading voices on budgetary issues. It is said that a nation’s budget reflects its priorities. I believe that is true. And I know that Peter will bring to his work at the OMB a set of priorities that I – and the American people – share.

Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions in our understanding of all the major economic challenges we are now confronting – from reducing medical costs to saving Social Security to fighting global climate change to helping put the dream of a college degree within reach for more students.

As Director of the Congressional Budget Office, he reenergized and reinvigorated the agency, while shifting its focus to confront the health care crisis that is not only a cause of so much suffering for so many families, but a rapidly growing portion of our budget and a drag on our entire economy.

But it is not simply Peter’s past career that makes him qualified for his new appointment, it is his vision for the future. He believes, as I do, that even as we take steps to restore discipline to our budget, we must also take the steps right now that are necessary to solve our immediate crisis.

Peter doesn’t need a map to tell him where the bodies are buried in the federal budget. He knows what works and what doesn’t, what is worthy of our precious tax dollars and what is not. Just because a program, a special interest tax break or corporate subsidy is tucked into this year’s budget, does not mean it should survive the next. The old ways of Washington simply can’t meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

And no one is more able or more qualified to assist Peter in this work as Deputy Director of the OMB than Robert Nabors. Rob will bring to this post experience in the executive branch, at the OMB, where he helped the Clinton administration achieve balanced budgets, as well as in the legislative branch, where he led the appropriations committee staff as a driving force for a responsible budget. Together with Peter, Rob will help steer our budget through Congress so that I can sign it into law.

Now, let me be clear: these appointments and the appointments I announced yesterday are not the sum of my economic team. These appointees will work with those I have yet to announce – including the secretaries of Energy and Labor, Commerce and Health and Human Services and others in my administration – to design a recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street, and to put our economy on a path to long-term growth and prosperity.

Because at this moment, we must not only restore confidence in our markets. We must also restore the confidence of middle class families that their government is on their side – that it’s working for them – on their behalf – to meet their families’ needs. And that is exactly what I intend to do as President of the United States of America. Thank you.

President-Elect Obama Announces Office of Management and Budget Director and Deputy Director

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

CHICAGO – President-elect Barack Obama announced additional members of his economic team today, nominating Peter Orszag as Office of Management and Budget Director and Rob Nabors as Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director.

“In these challenging times, when we are facing both rising deficits and a sinking economy, budget reform is not an option. It is an imperative. We cannot sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness, or exist solely because of the power of a politician, lobbyist, or interest group. We simply cannot afford it. This isn’t about big government or small government. It’s about building a smarter government that focuses on what works. That is why I will ask my team to think anew and act anew to meet our new challenges. We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way,” said President-elect Obama.

Peter Orszag, Office of Management and Budget Director
Peter Orszag currently serves as the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), overseeing the agency's work in providing objective, nonpartisan, and timely analyses of economic and budgetary issues--supervising the numerous analytical papers and cost estimates that the agency produces and, to present the results, frequently testifying before the Congress. Under his leadership, the agency has significantly expanded its focus on areas such as health care and climate change. In previous government service, Orszag served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and as a staff economist and then Senior Advisor and Senior Economist at the President's Council of Economic Advisers. Orszag was the Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution where he authored or edited numerous books and papers. Orszag graduated summa cum laude in economics from Princeton University and obtained a Ph.D. in economics from the London School of Economics, which he attended as a Marshall scholar.

Rob Nabors, Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director
Rob Nabors currently serves as the 13th Clerk and Staff Director of the House Appropriations Committee. He is responsible for the hiring, and direction of the majority staff of the committee and for recommending overall legislative strategies with respect to discretionary spending to committee Democrats and the House Democratic Leadership. Nabors joined the Appropriations Committee in 2001. Prior to coming to the Appropriations Committee, Nabors served in the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President as the Senior Advisor to the Director and as the Assistant Director for Administration and Executive Secretary. Nabors is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he received degrees in Government and Computer Applications. He received a Masters Degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina.

Both of these positions require confirmation from the Senate Budget Committee.

We're keeping track of all of the Presidential Appointments that require Senate Confirmation as well as Presidential Appointments Not Needing Confirmation, as well as Cabinet rumors.

President-Elect Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama Announce More Key White House Staff

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

From the Transition Team

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama today announced the following White House staff: Desirée Rogers, Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary; and Melissa Winter, Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady.

President-elect Obama said, “Today's announcement continues to build a team with the talent, commitment and experience to bring the change that we need to Washington. These accomplished individuals share our commitment to bringing people together to achieve results for the American people at this time of great national challenge.”

The White House Staff Annoucements are below:
Desirée Rogers, Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary:
Rogers is one of the most high profile executives in the Midwest and over the past 16 years has headed two major corporations. She is recognized as an innovative leader with a proven track record. Most recently, Rogers joined Allstate Financial as the President of Social Networking to develop an internet based community among the firm’s 12 million households focused on financial discussions among everyday Americans. In 1997, Rogers joined Peoples Energy, a Chicago based natural gas company serving 2 million customers and became its utilities president in 2004. Prior to this, Rogers served as Director of the Illinois Lottery.

Rogers serves on the Board of Directors of Allstate Life Insurance Company, Equity Residential and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. She is also Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of both the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry, and is a member of the 2016 Olympic Cultural Committee.

Over the past few years, Rogers was named one of the “Top 25 Women to Watch” by Crain’s Chicago Business (2007). She was also named one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful African American Business Women" (2006) and one of the “Top 75 Most Powerful Blacks in Corporate America” (2005) by Black Enterprise. Rogers earned a master of business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor of arts in political science from Wellesley College.

Melissa Winter, Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady
As Mrs. Michelle Obama's first hire on the Obama presidential campaign, Winter has served in several different capacities, most recently as Mrs. Obama’s Traveling Chief of Staff. Winter was born in Chicago but her family later moved to La Jolla, California. After graduating from Skidmore College, she moved to Washington, D.C. and began an 18 year stint on Capitol Hill. She worked for Norman Y. Mineta (D-CA) for seven years as his Staff Assistant and then Executive Assistant before working for Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT). Winter was Senator Lieberman’s Traveling Aide during his 2000 Vice Presidential run as well as his Director of Scheduling on his 2004 Presidential race. She also served as Senator Lieberman’s Senate Executive Assistant. She will be returning to Washington, D.C. after spending the last 22 months in Chicago working for Mrs. Obama.

We're keeping track of all of the Presidential Appointments that require Senate Confirmation as well as Presidential Appointments Not Needing Confirmation, as well as Cabinet rumors.

President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden Announce Key White House Staff

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

From the Transition Team:

WASHINGTON – President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden today announced the following White House staff: Patrick Gaspard, Director of the Office of Political Affairs; Jackie Norris, Chief of Staff to First Lady; Catherine (Cathy) M. Russell, Chief of Staff for Dr. Jill Biden; Cynthia Hogan, Counsel to the Vice President; and Moises (Moe) V. Vela, Jr., Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President.

President-Elect Barack Obama said, “This group of public servants will bring decades of expertise to my administration, and I'll rely on their counsel and hard work as we fix our struggling economy and meet the great challenges of our time. Vice President-Elect Biden and I look forward to continuing our work with these outstanding individuals who have dedicated their careers to a better America.”

Vice President-Elect Joe Biden said, “These individuals all possess incredible integrity and an unmatched commitment to public service. Cathy Russell has a unique blend of policy and management experience, combined with an ardent commitment to ending injustices around the world. Cynthia Hogan is a brilliant lawyer who was instrumental in guiding the Senate Judiciary Committee though some of its most important challenges in both crime control and judicial selection, and has shown incredible legal acumen and integrity over her career. I’m grateful to have Moe Vela, a man with experience in White House management and broad outreach skills on my team. Their combined experience, diverse leadership and esteemed counsel will be essential in helping the Obama-Biden Administration bring the change we need to America.”

The White House Staff Announcements are below:

Patrick Gaspard, Director of the Office of Political Affairs
Gaspard currently serves as the Associate Director of Personnel for the Presidential Transition Team and served as National Political Director for Obama’s presidential campaign. Previously, Gaspard served as the Executive Vice President of Politics and Legislation for Local 1199 SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East, the largest local union in America, where he helped coordinate political activity and government relations on behalf of 300,000 members. In 2006, Gaspard served as the acting political director for SEIU International during the national union’s successful effort to help Democrats capture majorities in the House and Senate. In 2004, Gaspard was the National Field Director for America Coming Together. Gaspard worked for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign and numerous congressional candidates, and campaigns going back to the historic Mayoral election in New York in 1989. Gaspard is a former community organizer around school reform issues. He is married with two children.

Jackie Norris, Chief of Staff to the First Lady
Norris joined Obama’s presidential campaign in January 2007 and served as the Iowa Senior Advisor during the caucus campaign, later serving as the Iowa State Director for the successful 2008 general election campaign in Iowa. Originally from Ossining, New York, Norris started her career in the office of Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter. She later served as Vice President Al Gore’s scheduler and events planner and as Director of Scheduling and Advance for HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo. Norris served as finance director for Governor Tom Vilsack’s 1998 gubernatorial campaign and as Gore’s political director during the Iowa caucuses during his 2000 presidential bid. In 2002, Norris became a classroom teacher for high school history and government at three high schools in Perry, Ames and Johnston, Iowa. Norris, a 1992 graduate of SUNY: College at Geneseo, obtained secondary education teacher certification in 2002 from Iowa State University and Masters in Political Science in 2008. Norris is the 2005 award recipient of the James Madison Fellowship and serves as Vice Chair of the Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa Freedom Fund Board. Norris and her husband John are residents of Des Moines, Iowa and have five-year-old twin boys, Hunter and Cole, and a two-year-old son, Sam.

Catherine (Cathy) M. Russell, Chief of Staff for Dr. Jill Biden
Cathy Russell is a long time advisor to Dr. Biden and advocate for the prevention of violence against women, both at home and abroad. During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Ms. Russell served as Chief of Staff for Dr. Biden. Previously, she has been a Senior Advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on international women’s issues. In the Clinton Administration, she served as Associate Deputy Attorney General. On Capitol Hill, she was Staff Director of the Senate Judiciary Committee and also served as a senior counsel to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT). She received her J.D. from George Washington University.

Cynthia Hogan, Counsel to the Vice President
Cynthia Hogan has been a legal advisor to Vice President-elect Biden for nearly 20 years, first joining his staff in 1991 as his Counsel for Constitutional Law on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, then as Staff Director and finally as Chief Counsel, during his tenure as Chairman. During her time working for then-Chairman Biden (1991-1996), the Committee successfully passed the landmark 1994 Violence Crime and Control Act and the Violence Against Women Act. She also advised Chairman Biden during the Supreme Court nominations process for both Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer. Cynthia Hogan is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated in 1979 from Oberlin College and received a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1984, where she served as an editor on the Virginia Law Review. She clerked for the Honorable Edward Cahn on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was an associate at the Washington, DC law firm Williams & Connolly. She currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband Mark Katz and their two children.

Moises (Moe) V. Vela, Jr., Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President
Moe Vela will bring a wealth of business management skill and outreach experience to the Obama-Biden Administration. From 1996-2000, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Advisor on Hispanic Affairs for Vice President Al Gore. Most recently, Vela was the founder and a partner at The Comunidades Group, a multi-family acquisition and operations company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Vela is a graduate of the University of Texas with a B.A. in Government, received a J.D. from St. Mary’s Law School and is a member of the State Bar of Texas. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado and is a Denver Civil Service Commissioner, appointed by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. Vela is a native of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and hails from a pioneer South Texas family.

Jackie Norris Named Chief of Staff for the First Lady

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

From The Washington Post:

Incoming first lady Michelle Obama has tapped Jackie Norris, President-elect Barack Obama's Iowa state director to be her chief of staff. Norris, a high school government and history teacher and long-time Iowa Democrat, was former vice president Al Gore's Iowa political director in the 2000 presidential campaign and was finance director for former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack in 1998.

We're keeping track of all of the Presidential Appointments that require Senate Confirmation as well as Presidential Appointments Not Needing Confirmation, as well as Cabinet rumors.

David Axelrod

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Per George Stephanopolous, David Axelrod will be joining the Obama administration as a senior advisor.

This Time We Mean It.....

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff.

Politico says it's confirmed.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), a wily, aggressive West Wing strategist under President Bill Clinton, has accepted the post of White House chief of staff for President-elect Barack Obama, Democratic officials tell Politico.

The selection is the first major public decision by Obama since he was elected in a landslide on Tuesday.

The decision is to be announced Friday in Chicago, when Obama holds his first news conference as president-elect, after a meeting with his economic advisers. Aides say Obama and his family will relax at home for the weekend, then come to Washington to visit their new home, the White House, at the invitation of President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.