President-elect Joe Biden Announces Additional Members of White House Communications and Press Staff
WASHINGTON – Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced additional members of the White House communications and press staff. These diverse, experienced, and talented individuals demonstrate President-elect Biden’s continued commitment to building an administration that looks like America and is ready to deliver results for working families on day one.
“Restoring faith in government by speaking honestly and directly to the American people will be a hallmark of my administration. Our communications and press staff are integral to this effort and are committed to building this country back better for all Americans. I’m proud to have them serve the American people in the White House,” said President-elect Joe Biden.
“These appointees are among a diverse and experienced team that is dedicated to rebuilding the trust of the American people amidst a pandemic and a struggling economy. In times of crisis, clear communication can save lives and keep families safe. These staff members recognize the important role they play in communicating fact-based information to the public on behalf of the president and vice president-elect. They are respected and creative communicators ready to tackle the urgent challenges facing our nation,” said incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain.
Biographies of the appointees are listed below in alphabetical order:
Megan Apper, Director of Research
Megan Apper leads the Research Team on the Biden-Harris Transition and served as Research Director for the Biden-Harris Campaign. Apper has held prior research roles on the campaigns of Senator Tim Kaine and Senator Maggie Hassan. Apper also worked as a reporter for BuzzFeed News. Originally from New York, Apper is a graduate of Binghamton University.
Kate Berner, Deputy Communications Director
Kate Berner was the Deputy Communications Director for Messaging for the Biden-Harris campaign. Prior to her role on the campaign, Berner was a Vice President at SKDKnickerbocker, where she helped launch the Biden Foundation and worked in the firm’s Supreme Court practice, helping to protect the Affordable Care Act. In the Obama-Biden Administration, she served as Director of Outreach and Deputy Director of Administration in the Office of the Vice President and as a Special Advisor at the Department of Commerce. Berner previously worked for former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. A native of New York, Berner graduated from the University of Chicago.
Rosemary Boeglin, Assistant Press Secretary
Rosemary Boeglin currently serves as a Spokesperson for the Biden-Harris Transition and served as a Rapid Response Spokesperson for the Biden-Harris Campaign. She previously served as the Northeast Press Secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, as Communications Director for the New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and as a Deputy Press Secretary for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Born in Indiana, Boeglin holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and completed her undergraduate degree at Oberlin College.
Amanda Finney, Chief of Staff for the Press Office and Special Assistant to the Press Secretary
Amanda Finney was the Associate Director of Policy and Communications for Sidewalk Labs. Prior to joining Sidewalk, she served as the National Deputy Women’s Outreach Director for the Mike Bloomberg presidential campaign. Finney served as an organizer for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, and a Fellow for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. She also served as the Louisiana State Director and on the digital correspondence team for Hillary for America. She has previously worked in Marketing and Communications at Microsoft. Born in South Carolina, Finney is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University.
Mike Gwin, Director of Rapid Response
Mike Gwin served as the Deputy Rapid Response Director for the Biden-Harris Campaign, and was a spokesperson for the campaign during the post-election period. Prior to that, Gwin worked in a variety of roles, including as a Regional Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as the Press Secretary for Rich Cordray’s campaign for Governor in Ohio, and as a North Carolina spokesperson for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s campaign for President. Gwin started in politics as an organizer in Iowa for the Obama-Biden re-election in 2012, and later went on to serve in the administration as a Special Assistant in the U.S. Trade Representative’s office. A native of Northeast Ohio, Gwin is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Meghan Hays, Director of Message Planning
Meghan Hays was Deputy Communications Director for Strategic Planning for President-elect Joe Biden on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Hays previously served as the Deputy Communications Director for Vice President Joe Biden in the Obama-Biden White House. Hays has also served in various roles in the United States Senate, presidential campaigns, and for California Governor Gray Davis. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Campaign, she served as Executive Director for Enterprise Communications at MGM Resorts, International. Hays is a native of California and graduated from University of California, Davis.
Paige Hill, Senior Regional Communications Director
Paige Hill most recently served as Senior Advisor for Communications in Georgia for post-election litigation and recount for the Biden-Harris Campaign. She also served as Surrogate Communications Director, Regional Communications Director and South Carolina Communications Director for the Biden-Harris campaign. Before joining the campaign, Hill served as Communications Director to former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean for his 2018 bid for Governor in Tennessee. Prior to working on campaigns, Hill was an on-air reporter at Nashville’s ABC affiliate and Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate. Born in Oklahoma, Hill is a graduate of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.
Michael Kikukawa, Press Assistant
Michael Kikukawa is the Rapid Response Coordinator for the War Room at the Democratic National Committee. He previously served as Communications Associate and Director of LGBTQ Media for the DNC, and as assistant to DNC Chair Tom Perez, CEO Mary Beth Cahill, and Deputy CEO Sam Cornale. In the immediate run-up to the 2018 midterm elections, Kikukawa was Press Assistant for Finkeanuer for Congress. Born in Hawai‘i, Kikukawa is a graduate of Harvard University.
Jennifer Molina, Senior Director of Coalitions Media
Jennifer Molina serves as Spokesperson for the Biden-Harris Transition and served as Latino Media Director for the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to her role on the campaign, she was the Communications Director for the California League of Conservation Voters. Molina also served as Press Secretary for California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Before joining the California Attorney General's Office, Molina worked as the Constituency Media Director in Nevada for Hillary Clinton for President. Molina also held various roles managing ethnic and state media at the Center for American Progress (CAP) and its Action Fund. Born in Colombia and raised in Connecticut, Molina is a graduate of Hope College.
Kevin Munoz, Assistant Press Secretary
Kevin Munoz currently serves on the Biden-Harris Transition working on the Agency Review Team for the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to that, he was the Florida Press Secretary for the Biden-Harris campaign and a Regional Press Secretary and the Nevada Press Secretary for the Biden for President primary campaign. Before joining the campaign, Munoz was an Account Executive at SS+K, a political and non-profit advertising agency. Born in Florida, Munoz is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.
Vedant Patel, Assistant Press Secretary
Vedant Patel served as Regional Communications Director on the Biden-Harris Campaign. During President-elect Biden’s primary campaign, Patel served as the Nevada and Western Primary-States Communications Director. Previously, Patel worked as Communications Director to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Western Regional Press Secretary at the Democratic National Committee, and Communications Director to Congressman Mike Honda. Born in India and raised in California, Patel is a graduate of the University of California-Riverside and the University of Florida. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife.
Angela Dela Cruz Perez, Press Assistant
Angela Dela Cruz Perez serves as a Press Assistant on the Biden-Harris Transition, and served as National Communications Assistant and Communications Intern on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to her role on the campaign, she worked as an intern for the CBS News Political Unit, and also held internships at the Georgetown University Office of Communications and for Congresswoman Grace Meng. Born in New York, Perez is a graduate of Georgetown University.
Emma Riley, Chief of Staff for the Office of Communications
Emma Riley served as Deputy Communications Director for the Biden-Harris Campaign in Pennsylvania. During the 2020 presidential primary election, Riley served as Northeast Regional Communications Director and New Hampshire Press Secretary for the Biden Campaign. Prior to the campaign, Riley served as the Associate Press Secretary and Deputy Director of Advance for Mayor Martin J. Walsh in the City of Boston. She has also filled key roles on multiple campaigns, including Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Originally from Massachusetts, Riley is a graduate of High Point University.
Mariel Sáez, Director of Broadcast Media
Mariel Sáez is the Deputy Communications Director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee and served as Women's Media Director for the Biden-Harris Campaign. For over a decade, Sáez has worked for House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, most recently serving as his Deputy Communications Director. In that role, she communicates the House legislative schedule and helps craft and coordinate the messaging strategy for House Democrats’ agenda. Sáez has also served as National Press Secretary, Maryland Press Secretary, and Press and Research Assistant for Leader Hoyer. Sáez, who is Puerto Rican, was raised in Southern Maryland and is a graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
Amijah Townsend-Holmes, Press Assistant
Amijah Townsend-Holmes served as a Personnel Assistant on the Biden-Harris Transition. Prior to her role on the transition, she served as the Communications Assistant to Vice President-elect Harris. She previously worked as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director and Special Projects Coordinator for the Biden-Harris campaign. Originally from Pennsylvania, Townsend-Holmes is a graduate of Spelman College.
Remi Yamamoto, Senior Advisor for Communications to the Chief of Staff
Remi Yamamoto served as the traveling national press secretary on the Biden-Harris Campaign, a position she held in the primary and continues to serve in for the transition. Prior to the campaign, Yamamoto served on numerous Democratic campaigns across the country, from serving as a regional press secretary on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign to leading communications in the 2018 Iowa governor’s race and in the 2017 Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary. She began her career at Precision Strategies providing strategic communications advice to businesses, organizations, and political campaigns. Originally from Hawaii, Yamamoto is a graduate of the George Washington University.
