Appointed by Barack Obama Role Presidential secretary Name Katie Johnson | Succeeded by Anita Decker Preceded by Karen E. Keller Political party Democratic Party | |
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Born March 26, 1981 (age 43) ( 1981-03-26 ) Alma mater Wellesley College (B.A.)
Harvard Law School (J.D.) Education Harvard Law School, Wellesley College | ||
Katherine B. Johnson (born March 26, 1981) served as the personal secretary to United States President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011.
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Personal life
Johnson grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and moved with her parents to Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1999 before entering Wellesley College. 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's parents passed along their interest in Democratic politics to their daughter, who in high school served as an intern in the office of Maryland's then-governor Parris Glendening. While at Wellesley she served as an intern on the 2000 senate campaign of Hillary Clinton, and as an intern for the Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Johnson graduated from Wellesley College 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, and also served as Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe's assistant.
Johnson was one of several junior staffers who left the White House in 2011 to attend Harvard Law School. Her last day was June 10, 2011.
Post-secretarial career
Johnson returned to the White House as a Counselor in the Office of Management and Budget.