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Joe Biden Picks Linda Thomas-Greenfield And Shuwanza Goff To Join Administration

The President-elect’s new appointees have an incredible amount of experience in foreign affairs and legislative affairs.

As President-Elect Joe Biden builds out his administration and appoints leaders to various roles, he is selecting some of the nation’s most respected diplomats and key experts on foreign policy to shape his team. Two of those individuals are Black women, reports CBS News. 

Linda Thomas-Greenfield is a current member of Biden’s transition team and has been nominated to his Cabinet as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. In this role, Thomas-Greenfield will restore a sense of dignity to the State Department. Thomas-Greenfield has worked in foreign affairs on four continents for 35-years including a stint from 2013-2017 as the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs. She also served as the ambassador to Liberia for four years and held posts in Switzerland (at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations), Pakistan, Kenya, The Gambia, Nigeria, and Jamaica.  

RELATED: In First Speech, Joe Biden Acknowledges The Black Vote And Calls For Unity

Biden’s choice as Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs is Shuwanza Goff, who made history as the first Black woman to serve as Floor Director for the House of Representatives under House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer. In that role, she decided which bills came to the House floor, set the legislative schedule, and helped craft the overall House Democratic agenda. 

“The American people are eager for our Administration to get to work, and today’s appointees will help advance our agenda and ensure every American has a fair shot. In a Biden administration, we will have an open door to the Hill and this team will make sure their views are always represented in the White House,” said President-elect Biden in a statement. 

“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris share a bold agenda that will build our nation back better than before,” incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said in agreement.. “Our team will work with the president-elect and vice president-elect to implement that agenda and deliver results for American families.” 

Additionally, Tony Blinken, who is expected to be named Secretary of State, said that the world can expect the new White House to reflect a complete opposite style of leadership both domestically and globally. Choosing Thomas-Greenfield and Goff is just the first step toward achieving this goal.

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