The Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. It was formerly known as the Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Under President Barack Obama, senior advisor Valerie Jarrett oversees the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs,^[1] with Christina Tchen as Director of Public Engagement^[2] and Cecilia Muñoz as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.^[3]

[edit] History

The Office of Public Liaison has been responsible for communicating and interacting with various interest groups. Under President Richard Nixon, Charles Colson performed public liaison work. President Gerald Ford first formalized the public liaison office after he took office in 1974, giving Nixon administration veteran William J. Baroody, Jr. a mandate for OPL to become "an instrument for projecting the image of a truly open administration (in contrast to Nixon’s) and to secure Ford’s reelection. Under Baroody’s direction, the office incorporated outreach efforts with consumers and women that had been located elsewhere in the White House, and the overall staff grew to approximately thirty. At the core of its activities was an aggressive campaign of regional conferences that enabled the nation’s first un-elected president to tour the country in a campaign-like atmosphere and prepare the way for an eventual reelection campaign."^[4]

Some OPL heads used the office to push their own agendas. Midge Costanza used her time at OPL to broaden the influence of gays and lesbians in White House policy".^[4] Faith Ryan Whittlesey used her time at OPL to increase the influence of the religious right^[5] and anti-communist groups, such as the Contras in Central America.^[6]

Future cabinet secretary and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole headed OPL under President Ronald Reagan from 1981-1983. Directors during Bill Clinton's administration included future cabinet secretary Alexis Herman, Maria Echaveste, Minyon Moore and future John Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill.^[7]

Under the Obama administration, the Office of Public Engagement has been referred to as "the front door to the White House, through which everyone can participate and inform the work of the President." In May 2009, Obama continued this theme and renamed the Office of Public Liaison the Office of Public Engagement.^[8]

In April 2009, actor Kal Penn was named an associate director in the Office of Public Engagement.^[9] His role was said to include outreach to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and the arts community.^[10] Prior to the appointment, he was a regular in the television series House, and his acceptance required him to be written out of the series.^[11]

[edit] Function

The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs works closely with state and local officials elected by the American people to ensure America's citizens and their elected officials have a government that works effectively for them and with them. Due to the importance of state and local governments are to the creation and implementation of national policy, it is especially important for the Office to provide a readily accessible method of direct communication for local officials to discuss and raise awareness of local concerns.

The Office of Public Engagement seeks to allow more readily the views of the ordinary American citizen to be heard within the administration. The Office also seeks to coordinate events that brings members of the administration in contact with members of the public. The "town-hall" style meetings held by President Barack Obama since being elected are an example of this policy at work. The Office also acts as a cheerleader for the administration and seeks to ensure, along with the Office of Communications the coordination of the administration message amongst different departments in order to ensure full and balanced exposure.

[edit] Key staff

Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs: Valerie Jarrett

• Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement: Michael Strautmanis

Office of Public Engagement

• Director of Public Engagement: Christina M. Tchen^[12]
  • Deputy Director of Public Engagement: Brian Bond^[8]
  • Deputy Director of Public Engagement: Buffy Wicks^[8]
    • Associate Director of Public Engagement (Youth, Arts and Asian American & Pacific Islander Communities): Kalpen Suresh Modi

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

• Director of Intergovernmental Affairs: Cecilia Muñoz^[3]
  • Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs (Mayors): David Agnew^[13]
  • Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs (Governor): Shaun McGrath^[13]
    • Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs (County Officials and Statewide Electeds): Michael Blake^[14]
    • Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs (State Legislators): Nick Rathod^[14]
    • Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs (Tribal Governments): Jodi Gillette^[14]
      • Staff Assistant (Lt. Governors): Michael Block^[15]
      • Staff Assistant (City Council Members): John Oxtoby^[15]

[edit] List of Assistants

The following have held the office of Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs (Public Liaison)

[edit] Barack Obama

• Valerie Jarrett

[edit] George W. Bush

• Julie E. Cram
• Rhonda Keenum
• Lezlee Westine

[edit] Bill Clinton

• Mary Beth Cahill
• Minyon Moore
• Maria Echaveste
• Alexis Herman

[edit] George H. W. Bush

• David Demarest
• Cecile B. Kremer
• Barbara (Bobbi) G. Kilberg

[edit] Ronald W. Reagan

• Rebecca Range
• Mari Maseng
• Linda Chavez
• Faith Ryan Whittlesey
• Elizabeth Hanford Dole

[edit] Jimmy Carter

• Anne Wexler
• Margaret (Midge) Costanza

[edit] Gerald R. Ford

• William J. Baroody, Jr.

[edit] Richard M. Nixon

• William J. Baroody, Jr.
• Charles M. Colson

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• White House Office of Public Engagement
• White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

v • d • e Assistant to the President for Public Liaison Special Counsel to the President, Special Assistant to the President, Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, Assistant to the President for Public Outreach, Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs Charles Colson  • William J. Baroody, Jr.  • Midge Costanza  • Anne Wexler  • Elizabeth Dole  • Faith Whittlesey  • Linda Chavez  • Mari Maseng  • Rebecca Range  • Bobbi Kilberg  • Cecile B. Kremer  • David Demarest  • Alexis Herman  • Maria Echaveste  • Minyon Moore  • Mary Beth Cahill  • Lezlee Westine  • Rhonda Keenum  • Julie E. Cram  • Valerie Jarrett

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