Biden fleshes out staff, names 9 top White House appointees
President-elect Joe Biden announced Tuesday the appointment of nine White House aides, including counselors and senior advisers, as he continued to flesh out his staff as President Donald Trump continues to challenge the election results in courts.
“I am proud to announce additional members of my senior team who will help us build back better than before,” Biden said in a statement. “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.”
Jen O’malley Dillon, Biden’s campaign manager, will become deputy chief of staff. O’malley Dillon had managed former Rep. Beto O’rourke’s rival campaign for president before joining Biden’s campaign.
She previously served as deputy campaign manager for former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection, executive director of the Democratic National Committee and battleground states director for Obama’s 2008 race.
“We have hard things to do, and with his leadership, we can do them together for the American people,” O’malley Dillon said in a tweet.
Steve Ricchetti, a longtime Biden adviser and lobbyist, will become counselor to the president. Ricchetti served as chief of staff to Biden during his second term as vice president and deputy chief of staff for operations for former President Bill Clinton. Before joining the campaign, Ricchetti was managing director of the Penn Biden Center.
Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, who was national co-chairman of Bi
den’s campaign, will become senior adviser to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Richmond announced Tuesday that he would leave Congress after 10 years.
Mike Donilon, chief strategist for the campaign, will become a senior adviser to the president. Donilon, who oversaw television advertising, speechwriting and polling for the campaign, was counselor to Biden when he was vice president.
Dana Remus, the campaign’s general counsel, will become counsel to the president. Remus had been general counsel to the Obama Foundation and the former president’s personal office. During the Obama and Biden administration, she served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel for ethics.
Julie Rodriguez will become director
of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She had been deputy campaign manager and worked as traveling chief of staff for Vice Presidentelect Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
Annie Tomasini will become director of Oval Office operations. She served as Biden’s traveling chief of staff during the campaign.
Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon will become chief of staff to first lady Jill Biden. Pantaleon is a former U.S. ambassador to Uruguay.
Anthony Bernal will become senior adviser to Jill Biden. He was her deputy campaign manager and chief of staff during the campaign.
The announcements followed Biden naming Ron Klain as chief of staff on Wednesday. Biden was expected to nominate Cabinet members in the coming days.