WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 President Joe Biden has chosen Annie Tomasini, a longtime aide and close adviser who runs his Oval Office, to be a deputy White House chief of staff.
Tomasini has served the Democratic president as an adviser and director of Oval Office operations since he took office in January 2021.
Her 鈥渦nparalleled knowledge鈥 of Biden made her the obvious choice to succeed , said chief of staff Jeff Zients.
鈥淪he knows how to get stuff done and works harder than anyone I know,鈥 Zients said in an interview.
As one of three deputy chiefs of staff, Tomasini will add a new portfolio of responsibilities, including oversight of the president's schedule, White House personnel and operations on the 18-acre campus, senior White House aides said.
Steve Ricchetti, counselor to the president, said Tomasini has insight into what Biden needs and how it can be delivered inside the White House.
鈥淪he's a huge talent,鈥 he said in an interview. 鈥淎mongst us all, I really do think she's indispensable here to how we function inside the White House.鈥
Others cited skills Tomasini learned in a different arena. The 2002 graduate of Boston University was co-captain of the women's basketball team.
"She's got the mentality of a female athlete: confidence, poise, command and competitiveness, but a team player,鈥 said , who served more than two years as Biden鈥檚 top domestic policy adviser.
NCAA President Charlie Baker, a former Massachusetts governor, recalled Tomasini working with his gubernatorial staff on a transportation and economic development project.
鈥淭here is no better human development program in America than college sports,鈥 said Baker, a Republican.
Tomasini worked for Biden when he was a senator and later vice president. She left the vice president's office in 2011 to join Harvard's public affairs team but returned in 2019.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, she was among a tight-knit group of aides who helped run the campaign from Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware.
