Kamala Harris chosen Tina Flournoy, who has served as chief of workers to President Clinton, to steer her vice presidential workplace when she and President-elect Joe Biden are sworn in subsequent month, her transition group introduced Thursday.
Flournoy will lead a small workplace whose hires so far are all feminine and largely ladies of shade, all of whom can be working for the primary lady and lady of shade ever elected to nationwide workplace.
The group additionally stated that Rohini Kosoglu, a former chief of workers in Harris’ Senate workplace who grew to become a prime advisor to her throughout the Biden presidential marketing campaign, will function her home coverage advisor. Nancy McEldowney, a former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria and 30-year U.S. International Service veteran, can be nationwide safety advisor.
Flournoy is African American. Kosoglu is of South Asian descent. Symone Sanders and Ashley Etienne, announced last week as Harris’ press secretary and chief spokesperson, respectively, are each Black. Their appointments come as Biden has fielded complaints from outstanding minority teams that he hasn’t named extra Black and Latino folks to his Cupboard and different top-tier posts.
“It was a women-of-color election,” stated Aimee Allison, founder and president of She the Individuals, a gaggle advocating for ladies of shade in politics. “It’s time to have a women-of-color agenda, the place we’re defining the priorities of the nation.”
Harris, in a press release, stated Flournoy’s “deep expertise, public coverage experience and completed profession in public service make her uniquely certified for this essential place.” Flournoy has been a participant in Democratic politics and coverage because the early Nineties, with high-ranking jobs within the Clinton White Home, the Democratic Nationwide Committee and the American Federation of Academics, amongst different positions. She has led Clinton’s post-presidency workplace since 2013.
Nathan Barankin, a former chief of workers to Harris when she served as California lawyer common and within the U.S. Senate, stated Flournoy’s deep Washington expertise can be very important in navigating the inevitable turf wars that vice presidents face whereas in workplace.
Although Harris’ group is well-known in Washington, solely Kosoglu, whom Harris referred to as “one in all my closest and most trusted aides,” has expertise working with Harris. That’s a distinction to Biden, who has surrounded himself with advisors who’ve labored with him for many years.
Biden has stated he expects Harris to serve in an analogous capability as he did to President Obama, as a key voice in main coverage selections. However he has but to outline her position extra particularly or to announce her coverage portfolio. The present vp, Mike Pence, has been accountable for the White Home’s response to the coronavirus.
“Along with the remainder of my group, immediately’s appointees will work to get this virus beneath management, open our financial system responsibly and ensure it lifts up all People, and restore and advance our nation’s management around the globe,” Harris stated in a press release.
