THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCES WHITE HOUSE APPOINTMENTS
The President today announced several appointments to the White House staff.
The President that Thurgood Marshall Jr. will assume the position of Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary. Currently, he is Deputy Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs in the Office of the Vice President. Mr. Marshall served as Senior Policy Advisor on the Clinton-Gore Transition Team and on the Gore traveling staff during the 1992 campaign. Prior to that, he was Senate Judiciary Committee Counsel. Previously, Mr. Marshall worked for then-Senator Gore as Deputy Campaign Manager for Issues in the 1988 Gore for President Campaign.
The President also announced that Maria Echaveste will become Assistant to the President and Director for Public Liaison. Ms. Echaveste joins the White House from the Department of Labor, where she was Wage and Hour Administrator. Before joining the Labor Department, Ms. Echaveste was Deputy Director of Personnel during the Clinton transition. Prior to that she worked for the law firm of Rosenman & Colin.
In addition, the President announced that Craig Smith will leave his position as Co-Executive Director of the 53rd Presidential Inaugural Committee to become Assistant to the President and Director for Political Affairs. Previously, Mr. Smith was Deputy Campaign Manager and Political Director of Clinton/Gore '96. He has worked in the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel and for Political Affairs.
Robert (Ben) Johnson will be promoted to Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Public Liaison. Mr. Johnson has been Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director in the Office of Public Liaison. Mr. Johnson served on the staff of the Mayor of the District of Columbia before joining the White House. He also served the District of Columbia government as Administrator of the Housing and Environmental Administration and as Administrator of the Business Regulation Foundation.
Minyon Moore, currently National Political Director for the Democratic National Committee, will serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Political Affairs. Prior to serving in her current position, Ms. Moore worked on various national voter registration/education campaigns, including the National Rainbow Coalition/DNC Voter Project. Ms. Moore also served as a senior official on the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Karen Skelton will also serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Political Affairs. She is currently Director of Political Affairs in the Office of the Vice President. Ms. Skelton joined the Vice President's Office from the Department of Justice, where she served as a trial attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division. Previously, she was field director of the Clinton-Gore 1992 Campaign in California.
Another recent addition to the White House staff is Beverly Barnes, who serves as senior advisor to Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles. Ms. Barnes handles media and communications for the Chief of Staff. Ms. Barnes comes to the White House from Podesta Associates, where she was Director of Public Affairs. Prior to that, she served as Chief of Staff for the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Labor.