Black Women and the Biden Administration

This informational blog provides information about the Black women who are serving in the Biden Administration. By no means comprehensive, it highlights the historic role these women are playing in shaping the policy priorities of the nation.

Marcia Fudge

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Congressman Marcia Fudge (Biography)

https://fudge.house.gov/biography

Senate Committee confirms Marcia Fudge as HUD Secretary (Housing Wire, 2/8/2021)

https://www.housingwire.com/articles/senate-committee-confirms-marcia-fudge-as-hud-secretary/

Kristen Clarke

Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

https://lawyerscommittee.org/staff/kristen-clarke/

Durbin Discusses Justice Department Priorities with Kristen Clarke, Nominee for Assistant Attorney General for DOJ Civil Rights Division (Committee for the Judiciary)

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/dem/releases/durbin-discusses-justice-department-priorities-with-kristen-clarke-nominee-for-assistant-attorney-general-for-doj-civil-rights-division

Cecilia Rouse

Council of Economic Affairs Chairperson

Cecilia Elena Rose (Princeton School of Public and International Affairs)

https://spia.princeton.edu/faculty/rouse

Senate Confirms Cecilia Rouse as the first Black chair of White House economic council (New York Times, 2/2/2021)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/us/politics/cecilia-rouse-economic-council.html

Joelle Gambe

National Economic Council

Aluma Joelle Gamble goes from Westwood to the White House (UCLA Newsroom, 2/4/2021)

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/UCLA-alumna-joelle-gamble-biden-administration

Susan Rice

White House Domestic Policy Director

Taking on a New Role, Susan Rice is Asserting Herself (New York Times, 3/5/2021)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/us/politics/susan-rice-domestic-policy-council.html

American University School of International Service (Faculty)

https://www.american.edu/sis/faculty/srice.cfm

Shuwanza Goff

Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs

From the House to the White House: Ex-Hoyer aide relishes new role (Roll Call, 2/28/2021)

https://www.rollcall.com/2021/01/28/shuwanza-goff-from-house-to-the-white-house-ex-hoyer-aide-relishes-new-role/

Karine Jean-Pierre

White House Deputy Press Secretary

Karine Jean-Pierre (Personal Website)

http://www.karinejean-pierre.com/

Karine Jean-Pierre, Black Queer Woman, Named to Historic Post in the White House (them. 11/30/2020)

https://www.them.us/story/karine-jean-pierre-black-queer-woman-biden-harris-communications-team

Symone Sanders

Vice President’s spokesperson

Symone D. Sanders (Personal Website)

https://www.symonedsanders.com/

Omaha’s Symone Sanders will be chief spokesman for VP-elect Kamala Harris (Omaha World Herald, 11/30/2020)

https://omaha.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/omahas-symone-sanders-will-be-chief-spokeswoman-for-vp-elect-kamala-harris/article_0c8e95f0-b6fc-51b3-983a-593bc7d9c2e3.html

Brenda Mallory

Council on Environmental Quality Chairperson

Environmental Law Institute (Official Website)

https://www.eli.org/bios/brenda-mallory

Biden to Nominate Brenda Malory to Run Council on Environmental Quality (NPR, 12/17/2020)

https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/17/947355441/biden-to-nominate-brenda-mallory-to-run-council-on-environmental-quality

Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith

Co-Chair of Biden’s Coronavirus Task Force

Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS Named Director of Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity for Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital (Yale School of Medicine, July 16, 2020)

https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/25952/

Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith Takes Aim at Racial Gaps in Health Care (New York Times, 1/8/2021)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/health/coronavirus-marcella-nunez-smith.html