Boston University ALUMNI IN POLITICS

 

Seven BU Alums Invited to Join Biden Administration

As President Biden’s administration assembles its growing team of directors, cabinet officials, and leaders of various offices and agencies, at least seven BU alums are either moving to Washington or extending their stay in the area. Jennifer Grodsky, BU vice president for federal relations, says she is not surprised: there has long been a strong group of BU alumni from across the political spectrum in public service in Washington. “It’s easy to see why the new administration moved quickly to snap up this group of Terriers,” she says. “They all have considerable expertise to share.”

Wendy Sherman (CAS’71) has been nominated as deputy secretary of the US Department of State, the second highest office in the department. Sherman, whose confirmation hearing is scheduled for March 3, brings her experience as under secretary of state for political affairs in the Obama administration, where she was the lead negotiator of the Iran nuclear agreement that was signed in 2015. If confirmed, she will be the first woman to be the deputy secretary of state. Sherman, who has a degree in sociology and began her career as a social worker, is the mother of Sarah Sherman-Stokes, a School of Law clinical associate professor and associate director of LAW’s Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program.

Annie Tomasini (CAS’02), a longtime aide to the Biden family, is the director of Oval Office operations at the White House. Tomasini, who was cocaptain of the BU women’s basketball team, was Biden’s traveling chief of staff during his recent campaign, and previously served the Biden family in several positions, including as deputy press secretary for Vice President Biden and press secretary for Biden when he was chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Her greatest skill, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) once said jokingly, is her ability to “gently persuade the vice president it was time to end the meeting.”

Kei Koizumi (UNI’91), an assistant director for federal research and development at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the Obama administration, has been named that office’s chief of staff. He also served as a senior advisor to the National Science and Technology Council and worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Koizumi, who won a gold medal in the 40 to 44 age group for the 110-meter hurdles at the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany, worked within the White House to advocate for the LGBT community in both the federal government and in science.

JoAnn Chase (COM’85), who was born and raised on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota and is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Indian Nation, is now director of the American Indian Environmental Office, Office of International and Tribal Affairs at the Environmental Protection Agency. Chase served previously as senior advisor to the administrator of the EPA for Native American affairs, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, and director of the National Network of Grantmakers. Chase, who earned her degree in film theory and criticism, helped launch SisterSMATR.org (Science, Math, Art, Technology, Robotics), which leverages art and community to provide opportunity for young women of color and help close the gender gap in science and technology.

Gina Lee (CGS’08, COM’10) is now director of scheduling for First Lady Jill Biden. Lee, who served most recently as deputy director of Jill Biden’s inauguration committee office, has been a senior policy associate at the Biden Foundation and worked in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs from 2014 to 2016.

Justin Maxson (GRS’96) has been named deputy under secretary for rural development at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Maxson, who earned a master’s degree in anthropology and development, served for 6 years as CEO of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, which works to relieve poverty and advance economic justice in southern states, and 13 years as the president of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development.

Sara Garcia (CAS’12) is a special assistant in the US Department of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. Garcia, who studied psychology at BU, worked most recently at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she was a program officer for the North America, Policy and Finance Team. She has also worked as a senior research and advocacy manager for the postsecondary education team at the Center for American Progress (CAP) and as a higher education fellow for Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute fellowship program.