Katherine B. Johnson (born March 26, 1981) served as the

personal secretary ''Personal Secretary'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Otis Garrett and written by Betty Laidlaw, Robert Lively and Charles Grayson. The film stars William Gargan, Joy Hodges, Andy Devine, Ruth Donnelly, Samuel S. Hinds and Frances ...

to United States President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011.

Personal life

Johnson grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and moved with her parents to

Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Boston, Brighton, A ...

, in 1999 before entering

Wellesley College Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial g ...

. She is the oldest of three children of Dr. Bruce E. Johnson, head of thoracic oncology at Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, and Georgia M. Johnson, a management consultant and an elected Town Meeting member in Brookline. Johnson graduated from

in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Prior to her post as personal secretary to the president, Johnson was Rahm Emanuel's special assistant for two years when he led the

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is the United States Democratic Party, Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. The DCCC recruits candidates, raises ...

, and also served as Barack Obama

campaign manager {{Political campaigning A campaign manager, campaign chairman, or campaign director is a paid or volunteer individual whose role is to coordinate a political campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote ( ...

David Plouffe David Plouffe (; born May 27, 1967) is an American political and business strategist best known as the campaign manager for Barack Obama's successful 2008 presidential campaign. A long-time Democratic Party campaign consultant, he was a partner ...

's assistant. Johnson was one of several junior staffers who left the White House in 2011 to attend

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

. Her last day as secretary was June 10, 2011.

Post-secretarial career

Johnson returned to the White House as a Counselor in the Office of Management and Budget. She is currently a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block.

Gallery

File:Barack Obama, Eugene Kang, Katie Johnson and Reggie Love in the Oval Office.jpg, President Barack Obama jokes with Special Assistant Eugene Kang, Personal Secretary Katie Johnson and Personal Aide

Reggie Love Reginald L. Love (born April 29, 1981) is an American personal aide, former college basketball player, and media editor. Love served as the special assistant and personal aide, commonly referred to as body man, to U.S. President Barack Obama.

in the Oval Office. File:President Barack Obama listens to Senior Advisor David Axelrod in the outer Oval Office on June 26, 2009.jpg, President Barack Obama listens to Senior Advisor David Axelrod in the outer Oval Office on June 26, 2009. At left is Personal Secretary Katie Johnson. File:Barack_Obama_playing_football_in_secretary's_office.jpg, President Barack Obama tosses a football with Trip Director Marvin Nicholson in the outer Oval Office on June 26, 2009. Personal Secretary Katie Johnson watches from her desk. File:President Barack Obama bids farewell to Katie Johnson on her last day at the White House, June 10, 2011.jpg, President Barack Obama bids farewell to Personal Secretary Katie Johnson on her last day at the White House, June 10, 2011

References

External links

Mass. 20-something gets White House gig
Brian C. Mooney, '' Boston Globe'', January 13, 2009
From Wellesley to organizer in chief
Brian C. Mooney, '' Boston Globe'', January 14, 2009 {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Katie 1981 births Harvard Law School alumni Living people Massachusetts Democrats People from Bethesda, Maryland People from Brookline, Massachusetts Personal secretaries to the President of the United States Obama administration personnel Wellesley College alumni