All across Washington, D.C., Brown alumni are busy working for the federal government. Some toil at less well-known agencies like the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, while others rub elbows regularly with President Obama. In one way or another, all are making major contributions.
Have we missed someone? If so, email us at alumni_magazine@brown.edu and we'll add them online.
Click on the image below for a larger version of the list of alums. You can also read the text alone below.
Alumni working at the White House:
• Jason Bordoff '94 Associate Director for Energy and Climate Change, Council on Environmental Quality, White House
• Nick Hagerty '10 Council of Economic Advisors, White House
• Nicole Isaac '00 Dep. Dir. of Legislative Affairs, Office of the Vice President, White House
How did your time at Brown prepare you for your current job?
I was an African-American studies and English major before starting law school. Brown exposed me to many groups of people with varying perspectives, and helped me to understand that while an individual may not share your perspective, their concerns are absolutely valid. I was also reminded of the importance of diversity of experience, as well as race, class, gender, and ethnicity.
• Divya Kumaraiah '07 Policy Asst. to the Domestic Policy Council's Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, White House
• Tobin Marcus '08 Deputy Economic Policy Advisor, Office of the Vice President, White House
Were you crazy to take this job in this economy?
I think I would have been crazy not to take this job. When I was offered an opportunity to serve the vice president and to help this administration put in place policies I believe are critical to millions of working men and women in this country, I jumped at it.
How did your time at Brown prepare you for your current job?
The most important piece of preparation from my time at Brown was practice learning new subjects quickly. With the pace at which things move in the White House, you don't have the leisure to selectively get involved in areas where you're already an expert; you have to be able to jump right into emerging policy areas and very rapidly become proficient.
• Steve Moilanen '08 Policy Analyst, Office of Energy and Climate Change, White House
• David Pressman '99 Director for War Crimes Atrocities and Civilian Protection, National Security Council, White House
• Kori Schulman '08 Dep. Director of Digital Content in the Office Of New Media, White House
What do you do?
I work on the new media team at the White House—the group responsible for WhiteHouse.gov and the administration's online programs.
What advice would you give students going into politics?
Work on a campaign.
• Katherine (Kate) Shaw '01 Associate Counsel, Office of the White House Counsel, White House
• Dana E. Singiser '92 Special Asst. to the President for Legislative Affairs, White House
Why take this job, given the mood in Congress?
I love this job! I get to work in the world's best office building–the White House–and work for one of the most inspiring people I've ever known.
What do you hope to achieve during your time in government?
I sometimes see my role here as akin to tossing little rocks into a river to move the river bit by bit in the right direction... If I can just move good policies slightly more in the right direction, then I will have served the President well.
Can you tell us something about President Obama we may not know?
He is a great boss. He expects a lot of everyone around him, which I believe is the hallmark of getting the best out of each of us.
• Jenny Urizar '03 Director for Global Engagement, National Security Council, White House
And alumni working elsewhere within the administration:
• Susie Andersen '90 White House Liaison, Dept. of Education
• Jenny Backus '90 Asst. Secretary for Public Affairs, Dept. of Health and Human Services
• William Bittinger '05 Special Assistant, Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs, Small Business Administration
• Cecillia Blye '76 Director Office of Global Risk, Security and Exchange Commission
• Matthew Bowen '00 Senior Advisor at the Office of Nuclear Energy, Dept. of Energy
• John Cross '77 Assoc. Tax Legislative Counsel, Office of Tax Policy, Dept. of the Treasury
• Robert Dreher '79 Principal Dep. Asst. Attorney General for Environment and Natural Resources Division, Dept. of Justice
• Peter Gosselin '76 Special Adviser to Offices of Health Reform and Health Policy, Dept. of Health and Human Services
• Scott Blake Harris '73 General Counsel, Dept. of Energy
Can you tell us something about President Obama we may not know?
In my thirty-five years in Washington, I have known many politicians and met several presidents. Without being critical of anyone, President Obama is simply the most genuine, straightforward political leader I have ever met. When you speak with the president, you know you are speaking with the man himself—not with a crafted political persona. That is far more rare than you can imagine.
• Christopher Havasy '10 Research Associate, Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Dept. of Health and Human Services
• Suzanne Immerman '94 Director of Philanthropic Outreach, Dept. of Education
• Roberta Steinfeld Jacobson '82 Principal Dep. Asst. Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, State Dept.
• Neal Kemkar '01 Special Assistant to the Counselor to the Secretary of the Interior
• Jonas Kieffer '05.5 Director of Speechwriting, Dept. of Transportation
• Gene Kimmelman '77 Chief Counsel for Competition Policy and Intergovernmental Relations, Dept. of Justice
• Mark Koumans '86 Dep. Asst. Secretary for International Affairs, Dept. of Homeland Security
• Arlen Leland '76 Assoc. General Counesl for Civil Rights, USDA
• Elizabeth Littlefield '82 CEO, Overseas Private Investment Corporation
• David Margolis '61 Dept. of Justice
• Mary Minow '80 Member, National Museum Library Services Board
• Jonathan Olin '99 Councel to the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, Dept. of Justice
• Steve Owens '78 Asst. Administrator for the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, EPA
• Maura Pally '98 Deputy Assistant Secretary, State Department
• Thomas Perez '83 Asst. Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Dept. of Justice
• Thomas Perrelli '88 Associate Attorney General, Dept. of Justice
• Laurel (Laurie) Robinson '68 Asst. Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, Dept. of Justice
• Griffin Rogers '76 Director of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases
• Megan Rooney '01 Speechwriter for Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton
• Kali Schellenberg '10 Paralegal Specialist, Dept. of Justice
• Joel D. Scheraga '79 AM, '81 Ph.D Senior Adviser for Climate Adaptation, EPA
• Kam Sripada '09 Presidential Mgmt. Fellow, Office of Child Care, Dept. of Health and Human Services
• J. Alexander Thier '92 Afpak Dep. Asst. Administrator, USAID
What do you do?
My job is to oversee all USAID assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan. These two countries are our two largest civilian assistance missions in the world.
Are you crazy? Why did you take this job?
Joseph Heller gets it exactly right in Catch 22. You can't have the job if you are crazy, but you have to be crazy to take the job.
• Emma Vadehra '02 Dep. Asst. Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Dept. of Education
• Eric Waldo '00 Deputy Chief of Staff, Dept. of Education
• Elisse B. Walter '71 Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
• Irving A. Williamson '65 Vice Chair, U.S. International Trade Commission
How did your time at Brown prepare you for your current job?
Majoring in history led to my interest in the U.S. Foreign Service and, while a foreign service officer, I developed an interest in international trade, law, and economic development. I have been focusing on these for the past 40 years.
• Melanie Wolfgang '07 Presidential Mgmt. Fellow, Office of HIV/AIDS Housing, Office of Community Planning and Development, Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
• Janet Yellen '67 Vice Chair, Federal Reserve Board
• Jill Zuckman '87 Director of Public Affairs, Dept. of Transportation
Illustration by John S. Dykes
