Katie Johnson (personal secretary)
Encyclopedia
Katherine B. "Katie" Johnson served as the personal secretary
to United States President
Barack Obama
from 2009 to 2011.
, and moved with her parents to Brookline, Massachusetts
, in 1999 before entering Wellesley College. She is the oldest of three children of Dr. Bruce E. Johnson, head of thoracic oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
, and Georgia M. Johnson, a management consultant and an elected Town Meeting member in Brookline.
Johnson's parents passed along their interest in Democratic politics to their daughter, who in high school served as an intern in the office of Maryland's then-governor Parris Glendening
. While at Wellesley she served as an intern on the 2000 senate campaign of Hillary Clinton, and as an intern for the Massachusetts Democratic Party
.
Johnson graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
in 2003. Prior to her post as personal secretary to the president, Johnson was Rahm Emanuel
's special assistant for two years when he led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
, and also served as Barack Obama campaign manager
David Plouffe
's assistant.
Johnson will be one of several junior staffers who will leave the White House in the fall of 2011 to attend Harvard Law School
. She left as of June 10, 2011
Secretary to the President of the United States
The Secretary to the President was an old 19th and early 20th century White House position that carried out all the tasks now spread throughout the modern White House Office...
to United States President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
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 2009 to 2011.
Personal life
Johnson (born March 26, 1981) grew up in Bethesda, MarylandBethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
, and moved with her parents to Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
, in 1999 before entering Wellesley College. She is the oldest of three children of Dr. Bruce E. Johnson, head of thoracic oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is part of a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute. It is a major affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts.-Overview:...
, and Georgia M. Johnson, a management consultant and an elected Town Meeting member in Brookline.
Johnson's parents passed along their interest in Democratic politics to their daughter, who in high school served as an intern in the office of Maryland's then-governor Parris Glendening
Parris Glendening
Parris Nelson Glendening , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 59th Governor of Maryland from January 18, 1995 to January 15, 2003...
. While at Wellesley she served as an intern on the 2000 senate campaign of Hillary Clinton, and as an intern for the Massachusetts Democratic Party
Massachusetts Democratic Party
The Massachusetts Democratic Party is the state affiliate of the United States Democratic Party in the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The state party chairman is John E...
.
Johnson graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 2003. Prior to her post as personal secretary to the president, Johnson was Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama...
's special assistant for two years when he led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
, and also served as Barack Obama campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
David Plouffe
David Plouffe
David Plouffe is an American political strategist best known as the chief campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign in the United States...
's assistant.
Johnson will be one of several junior staffers who will leave the White House in the fall of 2011 to attend Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. She left as of June 10, 2011
External links
- Mass. 20-something gets White House gig, Brian C. Mooney, Boston Globe, January 13, 2009
- From Wellesley to organizer in chief, Brian C. Mooney, Boston Globe, January 14, 2009