Martin O’Malley Hires (Openly Gay) Obama Official As His National Political Director
Martin O’Malley, the former Democratic governor of Maryland, is moving to solidify his team for his all-but-certain 2016 presidential campaign, bringing on a former aide to President Obama as his national political director.
Karine Jean-Pierre will be taking on that role, according to Mr. O’Malley’s aides. Mr. O’Malley is expected to announce his presidential candidacy in the coming weeks.
Ms. Jean-Pierre was the deputy battleground states director for Mr. Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012. Before that she worked as regional political director in the White House Office of Political Affairs.
Ms. Jean-Pierre has spent time immersed in a crucible of liberal primary politics — she was the campaign manager for Letitia James, the New York City public advocate, in her primary campaign runoff in 2013. She also was a senior adviser to Bill Thompson when he ran for mayor of New York that same year.
read: http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/05/07/martin-omalley-hires-political-director-before-likely-run/?_r=0
One of the highest-ranking out lesbians in American politics, Karine Jean-Pierre is a Regional Director in the White House Office of Political Affairs, and previously served as the White House Liaison to the U.S. Department of Labor.
“I am a part of multiple communities,” says this Haitian-American. “I fell into politics by accident while making a documentary on Haiti during grad school. Through that experience and counsel from mentors, including former NYC Mayor David Dinkins, I became inspired to make an impact in the world by getting involved in politics.”
Jean-Pierre also served as Southeast Political Director in the Chicago Headquarters for the Obama presidential campaign and in the Political Department of the 2009 Presidential Inauguration Committee. “It wasn’t until recently that I realized my impact in the gay community,” she adds. “I am currently mentoring two young queer women of color who have both said to me, individually, that they didn’t know someone like me existed: a black, Haitian lesbian working at the White House.”
read: http://www.gomag.com/article/100_women_we_love_class_o2/30
In her wallet, Karine Jean-Pierre keeps a yellowed snapshot of her as a child, posing with her family in front of the White House’s north fence. It’s one of those quintessentially idyllic images, and Jean-Pierre — both as the girl in the photo and the Obama administration staffer holding it during a recent interview nearly more than 25 years later — is positively beaming. Though she left her post as regional director in the White House Office of Political Affairs in March (a next move is yet to be announced), Jean-Pierre’s imprint as a Haitian-American and openly gay woman is a sign of broad diversity in the West Wing. “What’s been wonderful is that I was not the only; I was one of many. President Obama didn’t hire LGBT staffers, he hired experienced individuals who happen to be LGBT,” she says. “Serving and working for President Obama where you can be openly gay has been an amazing honor. It felt incredible to be a part of an administration that prioritizes LGBT issues.”
read: http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/powered-women/2011/06/09/women-verge-part-two
Karine Jean-Pierre @KarineJP2012
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