US Vice President Kamala Harris' Longtime Aide Rohini Kosoglu Bids Adieu

Sri Lankan-origin Rohini Kosoglu was the first South Asian woman to serve as chief of staff to a U.S. Senator.

Rohini Kosoglu, Senior Domestic Policy Advisor to US Vice President Kamala Harris

(Photo: Harvard Kennedy School)

Sri Lankan American Rohini Kosoglu is leaving her position as the Domestic Policy Adviser to Kamala Harris, the United States Vice President, in August 2022.

Kosoglu, who has been a longtime aide and advisor to Harris, will be leaving Harris' team after almost six years. With more than a decade of experience in advising elected officials and candidates, Kosoglu has fulfilled senior roles on national campaigns and Capitol Hill. She is an expert at managing large and complex companies.

According to The Washington Post, Kosoglu, the mother of three sons – ages nine, six, and almost three – said she wants to spend more time with her family. She said that her boss, Harris, understands that her family is looking forward to Kosoglu taking the time off.

"I will always be here should she (Vice President Kamala Harris) need any trusted information or counsel. Even through this time period, she's been an invaluable source of support and guidance to me to come to this decision."

Rohini Kosoglu, Domestic Policy Adviser to US Vice President Kamala Harris

When Harris first joined the Senate in 2016, Kosoglu became Harris's deputy chief of staff. Kosoglu progressed through the ranks of Harris' inner circle of trusted advisors. Since 2017, she has been serving as a senior advisor to Harris in her US Senate office and later on during Harris' presidential campaign.

Kosoglu became the first South Asian woman to serve as chief of staff to a US Senator and also the only Asian American to serve in that role during her tenure.

According to the Post, Kosoglu "managed and oversaw debate preparation, policy, communications, and operations for a team with over three-hundred staff with a $40 million budget" during Harris' presidential campaign.

In her statement on CNN, Harris heralded Kosoglu's work and said she would remain "a valued advisor and friend."

"Rohini Kosoglu is a brilliant and trusted leader who has been at my side for years from the US Senate to the campaign trail to the White House. She has brought vision, strategic judgment, and a depth of experience as our administration has addressed some of the most urgent challenges facing our nation. She is an exceptional public servant and I am enormously grateful for her service."

Kamala Harris, United States Vice President.

"Most Diverse" Office On Capitol Hill

Kosoglu created "a diverse and representative staff" by building a talent pipeline which resulted in the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies naming Harris' office as "the most diverse on Capitol Hill".

Her career on Capitol Hill also included positions with other leading Democratic Senators such as Sen. Michael Bennet from Colorado and Seno. Debbie Stabenow from Michigan. With a primary focus on economy and healthcare, Kosoglu was instrumental in negotiating several bipartisan legislations.

Moreover, she was a key advisor during the drafting and passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

(With inputs from The Washington Post, CNN, American Kahani)