Rohini Kosoglu, a graduate of the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management and a seasoned adviser to elected officials and candidates, has been named to serve as the domestic policy adviser to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (D).
Ms. Kosoglu, M.P.S. ’08, will be part of a historic team of White House aides. Her appointment, alongside Tina Flournoy as the chief of staff and Nancy McEldowney as national security adviser, marks the first time in history that the top three positions in the U.S. vice president’s office will be held by women.
“Together with the rest of my team, [these] appointees will work to get [COVID-19] under control, open our economy responsibly and make sure it lifts up all America and restore and advance our country’s leadership around the world,” Ms. Harris said in a statement.
Currently, Ms. Kosoglu, who has a more than 15-year public service career, serves as senior adviser to Ms. Harris on the Biden-Harris transition team and previously served as senior adviser on the Biden-Harris campaign. She also served as Ms. Harris’ Senate chief of staff, making her the first South Asian American woman to hold that position in the U.S. Senate.
In addition to Ms. Kosoglu’s historic White House appointment, nearly two dozen GW alumni have been selected to join the Biden-Harris transition team, which will assist the incoming presidential administration in taking control of the federal executive branch.
The members on the transition team were chosen based on their deep backgrounds in critical policy areas to help the new administration understand the day-to-day operations of federal agencies.
The GW graduates are working as volunteers for agency review teams, which are responsible for understanding how each federal agency works as well as preparing President-elect Joe Biden, Ms. Harris and their cabinet to hit the ground running.
Here are the GW alumni who will work on the Biden-Harris transition team:
- Rumana Ahmed, B.A. ’11, will work on the U.S. Agency for Global Media team, which will review the federal agency that oversees public service media networks that provide unbiased news where the press is restricted.
- Cameron Alford, J.D. ’01, will join the transition’s international development group, which includes the Peace Corps, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
- Lisa Barclay, B.A. ’94, will work on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) team, which will also review the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- Susanna Blume, J.D. ’10, will work on the Department of Defense (DOD) transition team.
- Luciana Borio, B.S. ’92, M.D. ’96, will join the HHS transition group.
- Ken Choe, J.D. ’95, will serve on the HHS transition team.
- Jonathan Coppess, J.D. ’01, will join the Department of Agriculture group, which will also review Farm Credit Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.
- Bridget Dooling, B.B.A. ’01, will work on the Office of Management and Budget team.
- Anna Gomez, J.D. ’92, will join the Department of Commerce (DOC) group, which will also review the Export-Import Bank.
- Horst Greczmiel, LL.M. ’89, will work on the Council on Environmental Quality team.
- Tara Guelig, M.A. ’05, will also work on the transition’s international development group.
- Natalie Kates, B.A. ’09, will also assist the transition’s HHS team.
- Elizabeth Klein, B.A. ’97, will join the Department of the Interior group, which will also review the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Commission on Fine Arts.
- Kei Koizumi, M.A. ’95, will work on the arts and humanities group, which includes the Smithsonian Institution, the National Science Foundation and other agencies.
- Bhavya Lal, Ph.D. ’12, will also work on the transition’s DOD team.
- Jeff Marootian, B.A. ’01, M.P.A. ’03, will serve on the Department of Transportation transition group.
- Peggy McLeod, Ed.S. ’94, Ed.D. ’98, will work on the transition’s Department of Education team.
- Frank Mora, B.A. ’87, will also assist the transition’s DOD team.
- Nancy Potok, Ph.D. ’09, will also join the DOC transition group.
- Robin Runge, J.D. ’97, will join the Department of Labor transition team.
- Shital Shah, B.A. ’99, will also work on the transition’s DOE group.
- Todd Tucker, B.A. ’01, will also join the DOC transition team.
