White House Office Explained
The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). The White House Office is headed by the White House chief of staff, who is also the head of the Executive Office of the President.[1] The staff work for and report directly to the president, including West Wing staff and the president's senior advisers. Almost all of the White House Office staff are political appointees of the president, do not require Senate confirmation and can be dismissed at the discretion of the president.
The staff of the various offices are based in the West Wing and East Wing of the White House, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and the New Executive Office Building. Senior staff, with high level, close contact with the President, have the title Assistant to the President. Second-level staff have the title Deputy Assistant to the President, and third-level staff have the title Special Assistant to the President.[2] These aides oversee the political and policy interests of the president.
History
The White House Office was established in the Executive Office of the President by Reorganization Plan 1 of 1939 and to provide assistance to the president in the performance of activities incident to his immediate office.[3] The White House Office is organized in accordance with the wishes of each incumbent president and is directed by staff chosen by the president. A staff authorization was initially established in 1978 (92 Stat. 2445). Some presidential boards, committees, and commissions function organizationally as subunits of the White House Office.[4]
Although still a subunit of the EOP, the White House Office remains the center of the presidential staff system. In many ways it is closest to the president both in physical proximity, its top aides occupy most of the offices in the West Wing, and in its impact on the day-to-day operations, deliberations, policy agendas, and public communications of a presidency. During the transition to office and continuing throughout an administration, the president enjoys a great deal of discretion in terms of how the White House Office is organized.
Mission
The issues that confront the United States at any one time cannot be dealt with by the president alone, and therefore the president draws on the expertise of others in the administration and even within an administration as one chief of staff may differ from a predecessor or successor.
While chiefs of staff may differ in the degree of policy advice they provide a president, they are the managers of the White House staff system. At least in theory, they are the coordinators bringing the pieces together; they are the tone-setters and disciplinarians making for good organizational order, and often act as the gatekeeper for the president, overseeing every person, document and communication that goes to the president.
Organization
The White House Office under the administration of Joseph Biden as of is as follows.
Office of the Chief of Staff
Senior Advisors and Counselor to the President
Office of Domestic Climate Policy
- Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention: Stefanie Feldman
- Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council: Lael Brainard[9]
- Special Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff for the National Economic Council: Robert Friedlander
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council: Aviva Aron-Dine
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council: Joelle Gamble
- Director for Global Engagement and Multilateral Diplomacy at the NSC and NEC: Andy Rabens[10]
- White House Coordinator for CHIPS Implementation: Ronnie Chatterji
Office of Cabinet Affairs
Office of Communications
Office of Speechwriting
- Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy: Christian Tom
- Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the First Lady: Anthony Bernal[7]
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Policy and Projects Director for the First Lady: Mala Adiga[7]
- Deputy Policy Director: Vanessa Lion
- Assistant to the President for Gender Policy and Director of the Gender Policy Council: Jennifer Klein
- Chief of Staff and Policy Advisor for the Gender Policy Council: Lina Volin
- Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs: Tom Perez
- Chief of Staff for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs: Alexandra Sopko[11]
Office of Legislative Affairs
Office of Management and Administration
- Assistant to the President and Director of Management and Administration and Director of the Office of Administration: Dave Noble
- Chief of Staff for the Office of the Management and Administration: Frances Dougherty
- Office of Administration
- Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Administration: Sarah Feldmann
- General Counsel for the Office of Administration: vacant
- Director of COVID-19 Operations: Jeffrey Wexler
- White House Personnel
- Deputy Director of Management and Administration for Personnel: Christian Peele
- Deputy Director of White House Personnel: Dalmyra P. Caesar
- White House Management Office
- Director of Finance: vacant
- White House Switchboard
- White House Visitors Office
- Director of the White House Visitors Office: Carroll W Skinner
- White House Office of Technology
- Special Assistant to the President and Director of Technology: Austin Lin
Office of the National Security Advisor
Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy[16]
- Assistant to the President and Director of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy: Paul A. Friedrichs
- Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy & Chief of Staff: Nikki Romanik
Office of Political Strategy and Outreach
- Assistant to the President[17] and Director of Political Strategy and Outreach: Emmy Ruiz
- Chief of Staff for the Office of Political Strategy And Outreach: Rachel Chiu[18]
- Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Strategy and Outreach: Alana Mounce[19]
- Associate Director of Strategy and Outreach: Aleigha Cavalier
- Special Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Planning: Carla Frank[20]
- Associate Director for Strategic Planning: Katherine Bauer
- Director of Strategic Outreach: Natalie Montelongo
- Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Personnel: Gautam Raghavan
- Special Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff for the Office of Presidential Personnel: Stacy Eichner
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel: Katie Petrelius
- Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Public Engagement and Director of the Office of Public Engagement: Steve Benjamin
- Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement: Nia Page[21]
- Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement: Jamie Citron
- Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement: Tara Murray
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Senior Liaison: Erika L. Moritsugu[22]
- Special Assistant to the President and Director of Partnerships, Office of Public Engagement: Nathaly Arriola Maurice
- Director of Private Sector Engagement: Zach Butterworth
- Director of Labor Engagement: Erika Dinkel-Smith
- Director of Veterans Engagement: James Anderson
- Council on Women and Girls
- Office of Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity
Office of Scheduling and Advance
- Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling and Advance: Ryan Montoya
- Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary: Stefanie Feldman
- Chief of Staff for the Office of the Staff Secretary: Chris Farley
- Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Staff Secretary: Alexander Demots
- Director of Presidential Correspondence: Garrett Lamm [23]
- Deputy Director of Presidential Correspondence: Courtney Corbisiero[24]
- Deputy Director of Presidential Correspondence: Garrett Lamm[25]
- Digital Analyst: Rebecca Brubaker
- Executive Clerk: David E. Kalbaugh
Office of Records Management
- Director of Records Management: Philip Droege
- Deputy Director and Senior Advisor for Records Management: Paul S. Raizk
- Assistant to the President and White House Counsel: Ed Siskel
- Special Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the White House Counsel: Michael Posada[26]
- Deputy Chief of Staff to the White House Counsel: Caroline Saba[27]
- Deputy Spokeswoman & Deputy Communications Advisor: Sharon Yang[28]
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President & Legal Advisor to the NSC: Jake Phillips[29] [30]
- Special Assistant to the President, Associate Counsel and Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Security Council: Vacant
Senior Advisers for the Office of the White House Counsel:
- Senior Policy Advisor for Assets: Howell Jackson (Detailee)
- Assistant to the President and Director of Oval Office Operations: Richard Ruffner
- Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations: Ashley Williams
- Special Assistant for Oval Office Operations: Aditi Somani
- Special Assistant to the President and Personal Aide to the President: Jacob Spreye
- Director of the President's Commission on White House Fellowships: Rose Vela
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office: TBA
Notes and References
- Web site: Administration of the White House . John P. Burke . Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia . June 6, 2009 . August 1, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090801100112/http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/policy/whitehouse . dead .
- Web site: Kumar . Martha Joynt . Assistants to the President at 18 Months: White House Turnover Among the Highest Ranking Staff and Positions . Whitehousetransitionproject.org . November 24, 2020.
- Web site: 2016-08-15 . Executive Orders . 2023-10-25 . National Archives . en.
- Web site: The Executive Office of the President: An Historical Overview . Harold C. Relyea . Congressional Research Service . March 17, 2008 . April 14, 2008.
- News: Natalie Quillian to serve as Biden's deputy chief of staff . . February 8, 2023 . Jeremy . Diamond . February 8, 2023 .
- News: President Biden Announces Key White House Personnel . White House Briefing Room . May 5, 2023. July 16, 2023.
- Web site: White House Senior Staff . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210120162317/https://buildbackbetter.gov/nominees-and-appointees/white-house-senior-staff/ . January 20, 2021 . January 20, 2021 . .
- Web site: President Biden Announces Karine Jean-Pierre as White House Press Secretary. Whitehouse.gov . May 5, 2022 .
- News: President Biden Announces Key Members of his Economic Team . White House Briefing Room . February 14, 2023 . February 24, 2023.
- Web site: Andy Rabens LinkedIn profile. Linkedin.
- Web site: Office of Intergovernmental Affairs - Meet the team . The White House . 2022-09-26.
- Web site: 2023-07-24 . Biden chooses a longtime Hill aide respected by Republicans as his new legislative affairs director . 2023-07-24 . AP News . en.
- Web site: Joshua Geltzer LinkedIn profile.
- Web site: Jake Phillips LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn.com.
- Web site: White House Releases State Dinner Guest List . www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room . June 22, 2023 . August 23, 2023.
- Web site: House . The White . 2023-07-21 . FACT SHEET: White House Launches Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy . 2023-07-22 . The White House . en-US.
- Web site: Inside the Books White House. Openthebooks.com.
- Web site: White House. 2021-07-05. Open The Books. en.
- Web site: West Wing Playbook: Unpopular at home, Biden finds friends in Europe . 2022-07-01 . Politico . 2022-09-26.
- Web site: Carla Frank LinkedIn profile. Linkedin.
- Web site: Taking a moment today to launch @WhiteHouseOPE46 and introduce you to the White House Office of Public Engagement team: Cedric Richmond: Senior Advisor to POTUS and Director of OPE @Richmond46 Adrian Saenz: Special Assistant to POTUS and Deputy Director of OPE @Saenz46. twitter.com. 2022-07-27.
- Web site: 2021-04-14. President Biden Announces Erika L. Moritsugu as Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison. 2021-04-29. The White House. en-US.
- Web site: EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT : ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON WHITE HOUSE OFFICE PERSONNEL. Whitehouse.gov. 2022-07-27.
- Web site: Bender. Bryan. Thompson. Alex. Harris, we have a problem. 2021-12-20. Politi.co. September 9, 2021 . en.
- Web site: Garrett Lamm LinkedIn profile. Linkedin.
- Web site: 2023 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff . www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room . June 30, 2023 . August 23, 2023.
- Web site: Caroline S. LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn.com.
- Web site: Sharon Yang LinkedIn profile . LinkedIn.com.
- Web site: Jake Phillips LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn.com.
- Web site: White House Releases State Dinner Guest List . www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room . June 22, 2023 . August 23, 2023.