Karen Kornbluh
Encyclopedia
Karen Kornbluh is an American government official, and expert on communications policy, international trade and issues affecting working families. A senior adviser to Barack Obama
from the beginning of his Senate tenure throughout his 2008 presidential campaign, she has been called "Obama's brain." She is now Obama's Ambassador
to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
, earned a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College
and a Master of Public Policy
degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
.
management consultant to Fortune 500 high-technology companies and an economist at Alan Greenspan
's economic forecasting firm, Townsend-Greenspan & Co. She worked for Senator John Kerry
(D-MA) on the staff of the Commerce Committee and its Telecommunications Subcommittee.
From 1994 to 1997, she filled several roles at the Federal Communications Commission
, starting in November 1994 as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Plans and Policy, working on educational technology and children's television. She next served as Assistant Chief of the Commission's International Bureau, helping to negotiate the World Trade Organization
Agreement on Basic Telecommunications and leading negotiations for the first satellite agreement between the United States and Mexico. She became Director of the FCC's Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in February 1997, while the agency was implementing key provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996
. She completed her FCC service as Deputy Chief of the Mass Media Bureau. In that role, she handled digital television matters as well as a variety of other issues before the Bureau. She went from the FCC to the Department of the Treasury
, where she was deputy chief of staff to Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin
, working on such issues as e-commerce and international trade.
Kornbluh founded the Work and Family Program at the New America Foundation
, having joined the think tank as a Markle Fellow. She has argued for a modernized social insurance system that would better meet the needs of "juggler families," which are dependent on the incomes of both parents or that of a single parent. Prominent conservative commentator David Brooks
cited Kornbluh's piece on juggler families as one of the notable magazine articles that characterized 2006 as a "year of losing ground," or a time of pronounced anxiety in the United States. Kornbluh has also published articles on economic policy in such periodicals as The Atlantic Monthly
, The New York Times
and The Washington Post
.
Obama hired her as policy director in 2004—a move that was seen as a sign of his determination to build an unusually strong staff for a freshman Senator. A 2007 New York Sun
article mentions Kornbluh as one of several former Clinton Administration officials who joined "the Obama camp," rather than Hillary Rodham Clinton's team, for the 2008 presidential election. She was primary drafter of the 2008 Democratic platform.
, on the television show The Office, is named. They have two children.http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/13/obama.adviser.kornbluh.qa/index.html
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
from the beginning of his Senate tenure throughout his 2008 presidential campaign, she has been called "Obama's brain." She is now Obama's Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Education
Kornbluh attended Hunter College High SchoolHunter College High School
Hunter College High School is a New York City secondary school for intellectually gifted students located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. It is administered by Hunter College, a senior college of the City University of New York. Although it is not operated by the New York City Department of...
, earned a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
and a Master of Public Policy
Master of Public Policy
The Master of Public Policy , one of several public policy degrees, is a master's level professional degree that provides training in policy analysis and program evaluation at public policy schools. The MPP program places a focus on the systematic analysis of issues related to public policy and the...
degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Career
Early in her career, Kornbluh was a TelesisTelesis
Telesis or "planned progress" was a concept and neologism coined by the American sociologist Lester Frank Ward , in the late 19th century to describe directed social advancement via education and the scientific method...
management consultant to Fortune 500 high-technology companies and an economist at Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan is an American economist who served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006. He currently works as a private advisor and provides consulting for firms through his company, Greenspan Associates LLC...
's economic forecasting firm, Townsend-Greenspan & Co. She worked for Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
(D-MA) on the staff of the Commerce Committee and its Telecommunications Subcommittee.
From 1994 to 1997, she filled several roles at the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, starting in November 1994 as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Plans and Policy, working on educational technology and children's television. She next served as Assistant Chief of the Commission's International Bureau, helping to negotiate the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
Agreement on Basic Telecommunications and leading negotiations for the first satellite agreement between the United States and Mexico. She became Director of the FCC's Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in February 1997, while the agency was implementing key provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996
Telecommunications Act of 1996
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was the first major overhaul of United States telecommunications law in nearly 62 years, amending the Communications Act of 1934. This Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, was a major stepping stone towards the future of telecommunications, since this was the...
. She completed her FCC service as Deputy Chief of the Mass Media Bureau. In that role, she handled digital television matters as well as a variety of other issues before the Bureau. She went from the FCC to the Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
, where she was deputy chief of staff to Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin
Robert Rubin
Robert Edward Rubin served as the 70th United States Secretary of the Treasury during both the first and second Clinton administrations. Before his government service, he spent 26 years at Goldman Sachs eventually serving as a member of the Board, and Co-Chairman from 1990-1992...
, working on such issues as e-commerce and international trade.
Kornbluh founded the Work and Family Program at the New America Foundation
New America Foundation
The New America Foundation is a non-profit public policy institute and think tank with offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, CA. It was founded in 1999 by Ted Halstead, Sherle Schwenninger, Michael Lind and Walter Russell Mead....
, having joined the think tank as a Markle Fellow. She has argued for a modernized social insurance system that would better meet the needs of "juggler families," which are dependent on the incomes of both parents or that of a single parent. Prominent conservative commentator David Brooks
David Brooks
David Brooks may refer to:* David Brooks , American actor and stage director and producer* David Brooks , Australian author of short stories and co-editor for Southerly...
cited Kornbluh's piece on juggler families as one of the notable magazine articles that characterized 2006 as a "year of losing ground," or a time of pronounced anxiety in the United States. Kornbluh has also published articles on economic policy in such periodicals as The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
.
Obama hired her as policy director in 2004—a move that was seen as a sign of his determination to build an unusually strong staff for a freshman Senator. A 2007 New York Sun
New York Sun
The New York Sun was a weekday daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 to 2008. When it debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of an otherwise unrelated earlier New York paper, The Sun , it became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started...
article mentions Kornbluh as one of several former Clinton Administration officials who joined "the Obama camp," rather than Hillary Rodham Clinton's team, for the 2008 presidential election. She was primary drafter of the 2008 Democratic platform.
Personal
In 1993, Kornbluh married lawyer James J. Halpert, for whom the character Jim HalpertJim Halpert
James Duncan "Jim" Halpert is a fictional character in the United States version of the television sitcom The Office, played by John Krasinski. The character is based on Tim Canterbury from the original version of The Office...
, on the television show The Office, is named. They have two children.http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/13/obama.adviser.kornbluh.qa/index.html