As President-Elect Joe Biden announces his cabinet picks, and Dr. Jill Biden, and Vice President-Elect Harris announce their staff, the Mayfield Crier will be updating this page with information on each of the new members of the administration. 

As he builds his cabinet, Biden said he hopes to create a group that looks like the United States.  Thus far, Biden has announced key players with experience to tackle the challenges his administration will face come inauguration day on January 20, 2021.  Biden’s Chief of Staff Ron Klain is worthy to handle the COVID-19 pandemic after he coordinated the White House response to the Ebola Epidemic. His chosen Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has been one of the public faces to the United States response to the pandemic and will continue this role in the Biden Administration. The President-Elect’s cabinet all have qualities making them apt to serve the citizens of the United States. 

WHITE HOUSE SENIOR STAFF 

CHIEF OF STAFF-Ron Klain

A longtime public servant, Klain has been tapped for incoming Chief of Staff, having worked  with President-Elect Biden since the late 1980’s. He served as then-Vice President Biden’s Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2011. Klain first worked alongside Biden in ‘88 as an advisor to his senate campaign and later served as chief counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1989 to 1992. He also worked with the Obama administration as the Ebola Response Coordinator making him suitable to address the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF-Jen O’Malley Dillion

The Biden-Harris Campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillion has been appointed the Deputy Chief of Staff after a successful 2020 campaign. O’Malley Dillon  was previously the campaign manager for Beto O’Rourke and deputy campaign manager for reelection of former President Barack Obama. She has also served as the executive director of the Democratic National Committee and as the battleground states director of the 2008 Obama campaign. She is a graduate of Tufts University in Massachusetts. 

DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS-Julie Rodriguez 

Julie Rodriguez was named as the incoming director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. The position she holds will ensure proper collaboration between state, local, and tribal governments with the federal government. She has served as both the deputy campaign director of the Biden Harris Campaign and the traveling chief of staff for then-Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. Rodriguez was the special assistant to President Obama and previously served as the Director of Programs at the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation. She is a Californian and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

DIRECTOR OF OVAL OFFICE OPERATIONS-Annie Tomasini

Previously the Deputy Press Secretary for Vice President Biden, Annie Tomasini will be serving as the Director of Oval Office Operations. Tomasini will manage the President’s schedule, private engagements as well as who has immediate access to the Commander in Chief. She worked with President-Elect Biden for over 10 years as his Press Secretary during his time in the Senate. She was also the Senior Director of State, Local, and Community Relations and Community Outreach at Harvard University. Tomasini is from Massachusetts and a graduate of Harvard University. 

WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY-Carlos Elizondo

After serving as the Vice President’s Social Secretary for eight years, Carlos Elizondo will be the next White House Social Secretary. Elizondo will manage official White House events and oversee the residence. He is experienced in the position after managing several events for President-Elect Biden and Dr. Jill Biden during his time in the Obama Administration. 

DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF PRESIDENTIAL PERSONNEL-Cathy Russell

After serving as the Vice Chair of the Biden Harris Campaign, Cathy Russell has accepted the position of Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Russell will hire those who work in the West Wing and will provide the President with the best candidates possible. Before the campaign, she served as a resident fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She served the Obama Administration for all eight years in the White House and State Department. She also held the position of US Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues. She is a graduate of Boston College and George Washington University Law School. 

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

SECRETARY OF STATE-Antony Blinken

Antony Blinken is the next Secretary of State for the Biden Administration. He has experience in the position, serving as Deputy Secretary of State for former President Obama. As the deputy, he worked on the Global Refugee Crisis and built strong relationships with countries. During President-Elect Biden’s campaign, he served as the foriegn policy advisor. He has worked in politics since the 1990’s as a member of former President Clinton’s National Security Staff. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Law School. 

SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY-Alejandro Mayorkas

Alejandro Mayorkas will be the first immigrant and Latino to lead Homeland Security. He served as Deputy Secretary of the department from 2013-2016 where he managed the Ebola virus crisis. He led the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2009-2013. He began his career as a public servant in the position of Assistant United States Attorney General in the Central District of California. 

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE-Avril Haines

Avril Haines will be the first woman to be the Director of National Intelligence. She was the Deputy National Security Advisor from 2015-2017 and was the Assistant to former President Obama. In 2013, she became the first woman to hold the position of the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She previously worked with then-Senator Biden as the Deputy Chief Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She attended the University of Chicago and Georgetown University Law Center. 

U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS-Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield is Biden’s U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. She has been a public servant for over 35 years in several foreign relations positions. She held the position of Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs during the second term of the Biden Administration. Previous to this, she held the position of the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Services for a year. She has held postings in over four continents and specializes in African Affairs. She attended Louisiana State University. She also holds two degrees from the University of Wisconsin. 

LAW REPRESENTATION

WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL-Dana Remus

Dana Remus is the incoming White House Counsel of the Biden administration in which she advises the President and his staff on legal matters. She has also worked at the Obama Foundation as their general counsel and was Deputy Assistant to former President Obama. She was a professor of Law at the University of North Carolina Law School and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Alito. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School. 

COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT-Steve Ricchetti

After being the Chairman of the Biden Harris Campaign, Steve Richetti will serve as the counselor to the President during the next administration. He has previously been the Assistant to the former President Obama and the Chief of Staff to President-Elect Biden when he served as Vice President. He was also Deputy Chief of Staff to former President Clinton and Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs during the Clinton Impeachment Hearings. He is a graduate of both Miami University and George Mason University of Law as a native of Ohio.

 ECONOMY

SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY-Janet Yellen

Janet Yellen has been nominated as the Secretary of the Treasury and if appointed, will be the first woman to run the department in the 231 years since its founding. She was the Vice Chair of the department from 2010 to 2014 and was the Chair of the Economic Council to former President Bill Clinton. She graduated from Brown University and has a Ph.D from Yale University. 

DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET-Neera Tanden

Neera Tanden, if appointed, will be the first woman of color to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget while she currently serves as the President of the Center of American Progress. Tanden specializes in developing policy for low-income families needing assistance after her experience as a young child with a single mother living on food stamps and Section 8 housing vouchers. She served as the Director of Domestic Policy in the Obama Biden Administration. She attended both UCLA and Yale Law School.

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY-Wally Adeyemo

Wally Adeyamo is the first African-American nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and is the current President of the Obama Foundation, a non-profit founded by former President and First Lady Obama. He served as Obama’s senior economic advisor and also has advised businesses in the private sector. Adeyemo was born in Nigeria and raised in the Inland Empire of Southern California. He attended the University of California at Berkeley and Yale Law School. 

HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH

DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES-Xavier Becerra

California’s very own Attorney General Xavier Becerra is nominated for the Director of Health and Human Services. Considered a candidate for the United States Attorney General, Becerra was selected for his position because of his consistent battle to fight for Obamacare. He served 12 terms as a United States Representative and was the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Originally from Sacramento, Becerra was the first of his family to graduate from college. He attended Stanford University and its Law School.

SURGEON GENERAL-Dr. Vivek Murthy

Dr. Vivek Murthy, if confirmed, will be the Surgeon General for the second time after sitting in the same position during the Obama Administration. He is the Co-chair of the President Elect’s COVID-19 advisory board and he has also managed the Ebola and Zika Virus during his time as Surgeon General. His experience makes him suitable to respond to the pandemic. Murthy was born in England and raised in Miami, Florida. He attended Harvard College, the Yale School of Management and the Yale School of Medicine. 

DOMESTIC DEPARTMENT

SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT-Marcia Fudge

In a surprising appointment, Representative Marcia Fudge is the Biden Administration’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The announcement comes as a shock to many because of Fudge’s passion for agriculture and feeding those who need it. Fudge was appointed to congress in 2008 to represent Ohio’s 11th District. Before that, she was the first African-American woman mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio. She attended Ohio State University and Cleveland University, earning degrees in business and law school. 

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE-Tom Velsick

Tom Velsick will be serving as the Secretary of Agriculture for a second administration after holding the same position in the Obama administration. Previously, he was a two-term governor of the state of Iowa. He continuously campaigned for the President-Elect since the Iowa Caucus during the primaries. In the 2008 election, he planned to run but dropped out in early 2007 and co-chaired Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign. He attended Hamilton College and  Albany Law School. 

SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS-Denis McDonough 

Previously the Chief of Staff to President Obama, Denis McDonough will be the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He also served as the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor from 2010 to 2013. He has worked as a Congressional Staffer prior to his work in the Obama Administration. Born and raised in Minnesota, he attended St. John’s University and went to graduate school at Georgetown University. 

UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE-Katherine Tai

Katherine Tai is the new United States Trade Representative after serving as the head attorney on the Committee of Ways and Means, handling matters of international trade. She was the Chief Counsel at the World Trade Organization and handled matters of United States trade with China. She is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. 

DIRECTOR OF THE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL-Ambassador Susan Rice

Ambassador Susan Rice has been appointed the Director of the Domestic Policy Council after a life of public service. She was the National Security Advisor from 2013-2017 and was the US Representative to the United Nations. In the Clinton administration, she served as the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. This year, she assisted the Mayor of Washington D.C.’s Reopen D.C. Program during the pandemic. She was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and attended Stanford.

ADVISORS TO THE PRESIDENT

SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF PUBLIC  ENGAGEMENT-Cedric Richmond

Cedric Richmond will be senior advisor to the President and head of the White House Office of public engagement after being the co-chair of the Biden Harris Campaign. Richmond was a United States representative for the second district of Louisiana. While a representative, he served on the Homeland Security Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. His work as a representative ensured that Louisiana is prepared for any possible natural disaster after the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Richman has spent his whole life in the city of New Orleans, attending Morehouse College and Tulane University School of Law. 

SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT-Mike Donilon

Mike Donilon will continue his work with President-Elect Biden as the Senior Advisor to the President. He previously served as the Chief Strategist of the Biden Campaign and has been a pollster for over four decades. He has also been an assistant professor at the University of Delaware and the managing director of the Biden Institute. Donilon is a graduate of Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center. 

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR-Jake Sullivan

After serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff to then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Jake Sullivan is the Biden Administration’s National Security Advisor. In the last four years, Sullivan has taught at Yale, Dartmouth and the University of New Hampshire. He is a graduate of Yale University, Oxford, and Yale Law School. 

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS-

DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS-Louisa Terrell

Louisa Terrell will hold the position of Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs in the Biden Administration. She has several years of experience on Capitol Hill, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to then-Senator Biden and Chief of Staff for Senator Cory Booker. She is a graduate of Tufts University and Boston College School of Law.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS-Reema Dodin

Reema Dodin is the new Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs after serving as a volunteer on the Biden Harris transition team specializing in legislature. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS-Shuwanza Goff

The next Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs is Shuwanza Goff She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and America University. 

WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY-Carlos Elizondo

After serving as the Vice President’s Social Secretary for eight years, Carlos Elizondo will be the next White House Social Secretary. He is experienced in the position after managing several events for President-Elect Biden and Dr. Jill Biden during his time in the Obama Administration. 

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR-Kate Bedingfield

After a successful campaign as the deputy manager, Kate Bedingfield will be serving as President Elect Biden’s Communications Director. She has worked for Biden before as his Communications Director during the Obama Biden Administration. She also served as the Communications Director to Senator Jeanne Shaheen in her 2008 campaign. Bedingfield is a graduate of the University of Virginia. 

WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY-Carlos Elizondo

After serving as the Vice President’s Social Secretary for eight years, Carlos Elizondo will be the next White House Social Secretary. He is experienced in the position after managing several events for President-Elect Biden and Dr. Jill Biden during his time in the Obama Administration. 

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY-Jen Psaki

Jen Psaki will be the next White House Press Secretary after currently overseeing the transition process for the President-Elect. She has worked on three different presidential campaigns including a position as the traveling secretary of the Obama Biden campaign. Before joining the Biden Harris campaign trail, she was the Vice President for Communications and Strategy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and worked as a contributor to CNN. Ms. Psaki attended the College of William and Mary. 

PRINCIPAL DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY-Karine Jean-Pierre

Karine Jean-Pierre is the Biden Administration’s Principal Deputy Press Secretary. She previously served as a senior advisor to Biden and Chief of Staff to Harris on the campaign trail. She has also worked at MSNBC as a political correspondent. She has served on a number of successful campaigns including Obama and Biden in 2008 and 2012. A native New Yorker, she is a graduate of Columbia University and was born in Martinique. 

DEPUTY WHIITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR-Pili Tobar

Pili Tobar is the new Deputy White House Communications Director. Previously, Tobar served as the Deputy Director of America’s Voice, a group advocating for immigrants. She held the position as the Hispanic Media Director for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. A graduate of the University of Miami, she was raised in Florida and Guatemala. 

VICE PRESIDENT’S CABINET-

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT-Ashley Etienne

Ashley Etienne will be serving as the Communications Director for Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. She has previously served in the same position to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Representative Pelosi wished her former staff member well saying, “Her experience working on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue and the immense respect she commands among both Members and staff will make her a powerful force in the Biden Harris Administration.” She is a graduate of Sam Houston State University and Johns Hopkins University.

SENIOR ADVISOR AND CHIEF SPOKESPERSON FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT-Symone Sanders

Symone Sanders is a senior advisor and chief spokesperson for the Vice President. Previously, she held the position of the youngest ever Presidential Press Secretary on Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign. In between serving Sanders and Biden, she was a political correspondent for CNN and as the principal for 360 Group LLC, providing communications advice to clients.

THE FIRST LADY’S STAFF-

CHIEF OF STAFF TO DR. JILL BIDEN-Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon

Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon has been chosen to be the incoming First Lady’s Chief of Staff. Reynoso Pantaleon was born in the Dominican Republic, immigrated to the United States at the age of 7, and grew up in the Bronx. She attended Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and Columbia Law School. During the Obama administration, she was the Ambassador to Uruguay and served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere in the state department. 

SENIOR ADVISOR TO DR. JILL BIDEN-Anthony Bernal

Anthony Bernal has been picked to beas the First Lady’s Senior Advisor after serving as her deputy campaign manager and Chief of Staff on the campaign trail as well as chief of staff during her time as . He was her chief of staff as Second Lady in the Obama Administration. Bernaland he began his career in public service working in scheduling for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. Born in Arizona, he attended Carleton College and the University of Texas at El Paso. 

POLICY DIRECTOR TO DR. JILL BIDEN-Mala Adiga

Mala Adiga will be serving as the Policy Director to Dr. Jill Biden for the second time after serving as her senior advisor during the Obama Administration and on the campaign trail. She has previously worked as the Director for Higher Education and Military Families during the Obama Administration and had also spent several years in the state department as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs at the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. She has also been the Director of Human Rights on the National Security Staff. She attended Grinnell College, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and the University of Chicago Law School. 

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR TO THE FIRST LADY-Elizabeth E. Alexander

After serving as a senior advisor on the campaign trail, Elizabeth E. Alexander will now be the new Communications Director to the First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. In the first four years of the Obama Biden Administration, Alexander was the Vice President’s Press Secretary after serving as the Press Secretary for then-Senator Biden. She has served in a variety of positions in the communications field for Senator Chuck Schumer, the United Nations, the Democratic National Committee, and Congressman Adam Schiff. She is a graduate of both Texas A&M University and Georgetown University Law Center.