Johanna Maska

Johanna Maska was a longstanding aide to American President Barack Obama.

Maska worked as Director of Press Advance for President Obama in the White House. Previously Maska worked for the Obama campaign from the start of the Iowa caucuses in 2007. In her role as director of press advance, Maska crafted the image displayed around the world of President Obama by working with hosts, news organizations and various government agencies and senior staff at the White House. She left the White House in 2015 moving from DC to LA, recruited by Austin Beutner to join the Los Angeles Times senior leadership team.

Maska resigned from The Times after Tribune Publishing fired Austin Beutner.

Maska grew up in Galesburg, Illinois. She went to the University of Kansas, which she credited at a commencement address for her optimism.

Maska has spoken about families balancing it all, as she had her son while working at the White House. She organized the President's Address to the Nation from Afghanistan seven weeks after she gave birth to her son. She continued to travel for work with a young son, and continued working at the White House until her son was 3.