President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have announced members of the White House Office of Digital Strategy. In addition to amplifying and engaging users online through traditional measures, the White House Office of Digital Strategy will develop partnerships that are focused on extending the president-elect’s reach beyond his own social platforms.
“Communicating transparently and honestly with the American people is one of the most important responsibilities of a President,” said President-elect Joe Biden. “This team of diverse experts has a wide range of experience in digital strategy and will help connect the White House to the American people in new and innovative ways. They bring a shared commitment to building our nation back better, and I am thrilled to have them on our team.”
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said, “Digital communities and online spaces have taken on even more importance in the wake of the pandemic. We’re building a team to speak to the lived experiences of all Americans. With much of our lives online, it is critical for this administration’s digital efforts to be inclusive and extensive.”
Members of the digital team include:
- Brendan Cohen, Platform Manager: Cohen served as the deputy director of editorial on the Biden-Harris campaign. Prior to that, he was a senior platform strategist on the Biden for President primary campaign.
- Rob Flaherty, Director of Digital Strategy: Flaherty serves as the digital director for the Biden-Harris Transition and served as the digital director on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to his role on the Biden-Harris Campaign, he served as digital director for Beto for America, deputy digital communications director for Hillary for America in 2016, and director of digital media at the DNC.
- Maha Ghandour, Digital Partnerships Manager: Ghandour serves as the digital partnerships manager on the Biden-Harris presidential inaugural committee. Previously, Ghandour was a digital partnerships and influencer manager on the Biden-Harris campaign. Prior to her role on the campaign, Ghandour worked in entertainment in the Digital Media, Branded Lifestyle, and non-scripted television departments at the talent agency WME in Los Angeles.
- Jonathan Hebert, Video Director: Hebert served as deputy video director on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to the campaign, he worked as digital video director for Our Turn Action Network, an education advocacy organization. In 2018, he directed paid media for Reach The Summit, a committee supporting Jared Polis’ successful campaign for Colorado Governor.
- Jaime Lopez, Director of Platforms: Lopez serves as the social media and audience development director for the Biden-Harris Transition. Prior to joining the transition, Lopez was southern regional digital organizing director for the Biden-Harris Campaign. Lopez has previously worked for various Democratic campaigns and non-profits.
- Carahna Magwood, Creative Director: Magwood serves as the design director on the Biden-Harris Transition. Prior to joining the transition, Magwood held the position of deputy design director on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to her role on the campaign, she served as the lead graphic designer for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
- Abbey Pitzer, Designer: Pitzer served as a brand designer on the Biden-Harris Campaign. She served as the junior graphic designer for the Biden Campaign during the 2020 presidential primary election. Before joining the campaign, Pitzer was a freelance graphic designer and illustrator.
- Olivia Raisner, Traveling Content Director: Raisner serves as the traveling digital director for the Biden-Harris Transition, a position she held on the Biden-Harris Campaign since the primary. Prior to the campaign, Raisner served as the digital director for Tax March and as a producer at Putnam Partners.
- Rebecca Rinkevich, Deputy Director of Digital Strategy: Rinkevich was the director of digital rapid response for the Biden-Harris Campaign. Previously, Rinkevich was the director of political Programs at Bully Pulpit Interactive, where she ran the agency’s large electoral engagements and embedded with organizations as they scaled their digital operations.
- Aisha Shah, Partnerships Manager: Shah served as a digital partnerships manager on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Shah currently serves as an Advancement Specialist for the Smithsonian Institution. Prior to this role, Shah worked as an assistant manager on the Corporate Fund of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, supporting the first-ever expansion of a presidential memorial.
- Christian Tom, Deputy Director Of Digital Strategy: Tom is the digital director for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee. Previously, Tom served as director of digital partnerships for the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to his role on the campaign, he was the senior vice president at Group Nine Media and publisher at NowThis and The Dodo. Tom previously worked at Twitter and Google / YouTube in revenue roles.
- Cameron Trimble, Director of Digital Engagement: Trimble serves as the deputy digital director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. He served as the director of African American paid media for the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to his role on the campaign, Trimble was a principal on the communications team at Precision and served as senior public affairs specialist for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
