US President-elect Joe Biden announces members of White House senior staff

The United States President-elect Joe Biden has announced members of his White House senior staff.

While making the announcement on Tuesday November 17, 2020, Biden stated that these diverse, experienced, and talented individuals demonstrate his commitment to building a strong administration.

Biden said, “I am proud to announce additional members of my senior team who will help us build back better than before.

“America faces great challenges, and they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to tackling these challenges and emerging on the other side a stronger, more united nation.”

“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have an ambitious and urgent agenda for action. The team we have already started to assemble will enable us to meet the challenges facing our country on day one,” said incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain.

Anthony Bernal, announced as the Senior Advisor to Dr. Jill Biden, was Deputy Campaign Manager and Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Bernal has served as a trusted advisor and assistant to the Biden family for more than a decade. From 2017 to 2019, he served as Chief of Staff in the Office of Dr. Biden. He served for all eight years of the Obama-Biden administration in multiple leadership roles, including as Director of Scheduling and Trip Director for Dr. Biden, and as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to Dr. Biden.

Mike Donilon, the Senior Advisor to the President, served as Chief Strategist for the Biden-Harris Campaign, where he was responsible for overseeing message discipline and development, television advertising, speechwriting, and polling and research. Previously, Donilon served as Counselor to then-Vice President Biden in the White House.

Jen O’Malley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff, served as the Campaign Manager for the Biden-Harris campaign. She was the first female campaign manager for a successful Democratic presidential campaign. A veteran of seven presidential campaigns, O’Malley Dillon has worked in leadership and organizing positions on campaigns at every level – from state senate and mayoral races to congressional, gubernatorial, and senate campaigns.

Dana Remus, White House Counsel, also served as General Counsel of the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to that, she was General Counsel of the Obama Foundation and President and Mrs. Obama’s personal office. During the Obama-Biden administration, Remus was the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel for Ethics. Previously, she was a Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she specialized in legal and judicial ethics and the regulation of the legal profession.

Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon, Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden, Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon is a partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn. During the Obama-Biden administration, Reynoso served as U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere in the U.S. Department of State, where she developed comprehensive security and rule of law strategies for Central America and the Carribean.

Steve Ricchetti, Counselor to the President, served as Chairman of the Biden-Harris campaign. Throughout his decades of public service, Ricchetti has held senior roles on Capitol Hill and at the White House, including as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Vice President Biden, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs for President Clinton during the impeachment hearings, and Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 1992, when women won a record number of seats.

Cedric Richmond, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement

Congressman Cedric Richmond was National Co-Chairman of the Biden-Harris Campaign and is currently a Co-Chair of the Biden-Harris Transition Team. Since 2011, Richmond has represented Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.

Julie Rodriguez, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs served as a Deputy Campaign Manager on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Before that, she was National Political Director and traveling Chief of Staff for then-Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. Prior to launching Senator Harris’ campaign, she served as California State Director in her senate office. During the Obama-Biden administration, Chavez Rodriguez served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Deputy Director of Public Engagement in the Office of Public Engagement. Before joining the White House, Chavez Rodriguez served as the Director of Youth Employment at the Department of the Interior and as Deputy Press Secretary to former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Earlier in her career, she served as the Director of Programs at the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation. A native of California, she is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

Annie Tomasini, Director of Oval Office Operations serves as President Elect Biden’s Traveling Chief of Staff, where she ensures the execution of day to day affairs and provides strategic counsel to the President Elect. Tomasini has served the Biden family for over a decade in several positions, including as Deputy Press Secretary for Vice President Biden and Press Secretary for Senator Biden when he was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Previously, Tomasini was Senior Director of State, Local, and Community Relations and Strategic Outreach at Harvard Public Affairs and Communications, where she oversaw the relationships with Harvard University’s external stakeholders, host communities, and state and local government.