They say behind every great man, is an even greater woman, or in this case, behind every great president is an amazing group of people who make up their administration. In President Obama’s administration, it was 29 incredible Black women who held significant roles and brought all kinds of Black girl magic to the White House. As originally profiled by Essence Magazine in its October 2015 issue, here’s a list of the Black, beautiful, and brilliant women who worked in the administration of the first African American President of the United States.
1. Valerie Jarrett, President Obama’s Senior Advisor and Assistant for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
2. Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney General (became the first to Black woman to serve in this position in 2015)
3. Deesha Dyer, White House Social Secretary and Special Assistant to President Obama
4. Susan Rice, National Security Advisor
5. Adrienne Harris, President Obama’s Special Assistant for Economic Policy
6. Jordan Metoyer, Assistant to the Deputy Director and Senior Advisor to the Office of Management and Budget Director
7. Katherine Branch, Director of Special Projects for the Office of Public Engagement and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
8. Angella Reid, Director of the Executive Residence and Chief Usher
9. Ashley Allison, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement
10. Kalisha Dessources, Staff Assistant for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
11. Kristina Broadie, Deputy Associate Director of the Social Office
12. Ashley Etienne, Cabinet Communications Director and Special Assistant to the President
13. Crystal Brown, Counselor and Senior Policy Advisor to the General Counsel
14. Dominique Mann, Press Assistant
15. Ashley Tate-Gilmore, Director of White House Travel Office
16. Kristin Jones, Special Assistant and Director of Special Projects for First Lady Michelle Obama
17. Monique Dorsainvil, Director of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
18. Adaeze Enekwechi, Associate Director for Health
19. Chynna Clayton, First Lady Obama’s Special Assistant and Trip Director
20. Stephanie Young, The Office of Pubic Engagement’s Director of African-American Outreach
21. Desiree Barnes, Senior Wrangler and Press Assistant
22. Kimberlyn Leary, Advisor to the White House Council on Women and Girls
23. Carri Twigg, Vice President Biden’s Director of Public Engagement
24. Ashleigh Axios, Digital Creative Director
25. Karen Evans, Assistant Director to the Office of Cabinet Affairs
26. Tonya Williams, Vice President Biden’s Office Director of Legislative Affairs
27. Addie Whisenant, Director of African American Media
28. Crystal Carson, Special Assistant to the White House Communications Director
29. Rochelle Boone Briscoe, President Obama’s Special Assistant in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel
Thank you all for showing little girls who look like you where big dreams and hard work can take you.
All photos taken by: Kwaku Alston