President-elect Joe Biden has formed his all-female senior communications team.
Members of his staff include Elizabeth Alexander as communications director for Dr. Jill Biden, Kate Bedingfield as White House communications director, Ashley Etienne as communications director for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Karine Jean Pierre as principal deputy press secretary, and Jen Psaki as White House press secretary.
Biden has announced members of W.H. senior comms staff. They are:
— Madeleine Rivera (@madeleinerivera) November 29, 2020
-Elizabeth Alexander, Comms Dir. for @DrBiden
-Kate Bedingfield, W.H. Comms Dir.
– Ashley Etienne, Comms Dir. for Harris
-Karine Jean Pierre, Principal Deputy Press Sec.
-Jen Psaki, W.H. Press Sec.
Psaki issued a statement on Twitter on Sunday.
“Honored to work again for [Joe Biden], a man I worked on behalf of during the Obama-Biden Admin as he helped lead economic recovery, rebuilt our relationships with partners (turns out good practice) and injected empathy and humanity into nearly every meeting I sat in,” Psaki wrote.
Honored to work again for @JoeBiden, a man I worked on behalf of during the Obama-Biden Admin as he helped lead economic recovery, rebuilt our relationships with partners (turns out good practice) and injected empathy and humanity into nearly every meeting I sat in.
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) November 29, 2020
Bedingfield took to Twitter Sunday to express her appreciation for the role.
“I’m unspeakably proud to have the opportunity to serve as White House Communications Director for [Joe Biden]. Working for him as VP and on this campaign gave me insight into what kind of capable, compassionate, clear-eyed president he will be and it will be a profound honor to…be one small part of his work,” Bedingfield wrote.
be one small part of his work. It will also be an honor to work alongside the incredible women who are taking on these roles together. @symonesanders and I were battle buddies on this campaign and there’s no one I’m prouder to have been in the fight with. 2/
— Kate Bedingfield (@KBeds) November 29, 2020
with @ealexander332 @ashleyetienne09 and @pilitobar87 – creative, dedicated, hardworking women who are going to push our communications work in new and innovative ways. Excited and thrilled to get to work. /4
— Kate Bedingfield (@KBeds) November 29, 2020
Biden said in a statement about his picks, “Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a President, and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House.”
He continued, “I am proud to announce today the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women. These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better.”
Harris stressed communication is crucial in overcoming the challenges the nation is facing.
“Our country is facing unprecedented challenges–from the coronavirus pandemic to the economic crisis, to the climate crisis, and a long-overdue reckoning over racial injustice,” Harris said.
She went on, “To overcome these challenges, we need to communicate clearly, honestly, and transparently with the American people, and this experienced, talented, and barrier-shattering team will help us do that. These communications professionals express our commitment to building a White House that reflects the very best of our nation.”