For the first time in the history of United States of America, the top three positions in the office of the vice president will be held by women – and all serving under Kamala Harris, the first woman to hold the office.
“Together with the rest of my team, today’s appointees will work to get this virus under control, open our economy responsibly and make sure it lifts up all Americans, and restore and advance our country’s leadership around the world," the VP-elect said in a statement.
Tina Flournoy, an aide to former US President Bill Clinton, will be her chief of staff, while Sri Lankan-origin Rohini Kosoglu, a senior advisor on the Biden-Harris transition team, will serve as the Vice President-elect's domestic policy advisor. Nancy McEldowney, a diplomatic veteran, will be her national security advisor, according to the statement.
Who Are The Three Women?
Tina Flournoy
Flournoy is former President Bill Clinton’s chief of staff and has held several roles in the Clinton administration, beginning with his 1992 campaign. She has also served as assistant to the president for public policy at the American Federation of Teachers.
Ann Whitman under Vice President Nelson Rockefeller beginning in 1974 was the last woman to hold the position of chief of staff to the vice president, reported Bloomberg.
Rohini Kosoglu
Rohini Kosoglu who will serve as domestic policy adviser is currently a senior adviser to Harris. She was the first South Asian-American woman to serve as chief of staff in the US Senate, reported Bloomberg, adding that she worked for Harris’ Senate office as well for her primary presidential campaign.
Nancy McEldowney
A former US ambassador to Bulgaria, Nancy McEldowney will serve as Harris’ national security adviser. She was the director of European affairs on the National Security Council staff in the Clinton administrationand and has served as the principal deputy assistant secretary of State in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.
More Women to Hold Office
The additions to Harris' office come after Ashley Etienne was announced as her communications director and Symone Sanders was announced as her senior adviser and chief spokesperson.
The latest personnel moves mean that three more women will serve as some of the highest-ranking and most politically powerful aides in the next White House, Politico news reported.
President-elect Joe Biden announced earlier this week that he would have an all-female senior communications team, led by White House communications director Kate Bedingfield and press secretary Jen Psaki.
(With inputs from IANS, Bloomberg)
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