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(Top) 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External links

David Simas

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David Simas
Simas in 2021

White House Director of Political Affairs
In office January 24, 2014 – December 19, 2016
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Patrick Gaspard (2011)
Succeeded by	Bill Stepien

Personal details
Born	David Matos Simas (1970-01-05) January 5, 1970 (age 54) Taunton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Shauna
Children	2
Education	Stonehill College (BA) Boston College (JD)

David Matos Simas^[1]^[2] (born January 5, 1970)^[2]^[1] is an American lawyer, former government official, and a former politician. He was the President of the Obama Foundation from 2021 to 2023,^[3] having previously served as its CEO from 2016 to 2021^[4]^[5] and served in Barack Obama's administration as the White House Director of Political Affairs from 2014 to 2016.^[6]^[7]

Early life and education

[edit]

Simas was born and raised in Taunton, Massachusetts, the son of Portuguese American immigrant parents, António and Deolinda Simas.^[2] Deolinda lost two of her fingers in a faulty machine at the silver factory where she worked when David was a child. The Portuguese immigrant lawyer who worked on the case inspired David to become a lawyer.^[5] He attended Coyle and Cassidy High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill College.^[2] He later earned a Juris Doctor from the Boston College Law School in 1995.^[6]

Career

[edit]

Simas began his political career working as an intern in Senator Edward M. Kennedy's office in 1989.^[8] He was later elected to the Taunton School Board in 1993 and the Taunton City Council in 1997 and 1999.^[8]^[9] He later served as president of the council and worked as an advisor to the mayor of Taunton.^[9]

After leaving the city council he served as an assistant register of deeds for the Northern district office of the Bristol County Registry of Deeds.^[10] He was later elected as the new Register of Deeds of the Northern district of Bristol County in 2004.^[11] He won reelection in 2006 but later resigned to accept a position in Governor Deval Patrick's administration.^[11]

He formerly served as deputy general counsel to the Massachusetts House of Representatives Post Audit and Oversight Bureau and practiced law with the law firm of Gay & Gay Associates, PC.^[9]^[1]

He worked as deputy chief of staff to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick from 2007 until 2009. In 2009, he joined the Obama White House as a deputy assistant to the president, working under Senior Advisor David Axelrod.

He worked as director of opinion research for President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign and then served as a liaison between the president and Democratic officials for two and a half years.^[12]

Simas was appointed CEO of the Obama Foundation in December 2016.^[4]

Personal life

[edit]

Simas married his high school sweetheart, Shauna. They have two daughters and live in Hyde Park in Chicago.^[2]^[5]

References

[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c Morton, Paradise, Kenneth G., Papalinka (December 2007). The Massachusetts Political Almanac 2007. Center For Leadership Studies. ISBN 9780926766341.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Perl, Peter (Summer 2014). "Meet the unflappable, unrelentingly positive David Simas". BC Law School Magazine. Boston College Law School. Retrieved August 16, 2019.

^ "Obama Foundation President David Simas leaving | Crain's Chicago Business".

^ ^a ^b Eilperin, Juliet (December 19, 2016). "White House political director David Simas joins Obama Foundation as CEO". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2019.

Also available at: Grenzebach Glier and Associates

^ ^a ^b ^c Bertagnoli, Lisa (May 3, 2018). "Meet the CEO of the Obama Foundation". Crain's Chicago Business. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved August 16, 2019.

^ ^a ^b Shear, Michael D. (March 1, 2014). "Obama's new political chief tries to reassure Democrats". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2019.

^ Allen, Jonathan; Parnes, Amie (2017). ""I'm sorry"". Shattered: inside Hillary Clinton's doomed campaign. New York: Crown. ISBN 9780553447095.

^ ^a ^b American Journal, Portuguese (January 25, 2013). "Appointed: David Simas named Assistant to President Barack Obama – Washington, DC". Portuguese American Journal.

^ ^a ^b ^c Lowe, James F. (November 23, 2006). "Patrick picks 2 for team - Mayor, prof tapped". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Northampton, Massachusetts.

^ BRISTOL COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS NORTHERN DISTRICT Website (archived October 1, 2003)

^ ^a ^b "PD43+ » Candidate Profile..." PD43+.

^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac (January 24, 2014). "W.H. to launch new political office". Politico. Retrieved August 7, 2021.

External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to David Simas.

Letter from David Simas, CEO - The Obama Foundation

Government offices
Vacant Title last held by Patrick Gaspard 2011	White House Director of Political Affairs 2014–2016	Succeeded by Bill Stepien

Obama administration personnel

Cabinet and cabinet-level

Office	Name	Term	Office	Name	Term
Secretary of State	John Kerry	2013–2017	Secretary of Treasury	Jack Lew	2013–2017
Secretary of Defense	Ashton Carter	2015–2017	Attorney General	Loretta Lynch	2015–2017
Secretary of the Interior	Sally Jewell	2013–2017	Secretary of Agriculture	Tom Vilsack	2009–2017
Secretary of Commerce	Penny Pritzker	2013–2017	Secretary of Labor	Thomas Perez	2013–2017
Secretary of Health and Human Services	Sylvia Mathews Burwell	2014–2017	Secretary of Education Secretary of Transportation	John King Jr. Anthony Foxx	2016–2017 2013–2017
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development	Julian Castro	2014–2017	Secretary of Veterans Affairs	Robert A. McDonald	2014–2017
Secretary of Energy	Ernest Moniz	2013–2017	Secretary of Homeland Security	Jeh Johnson	2013–2017
Vice President	Joe Biden	2009–2017	White House Chief of Staff	Denis McDonough	2013–2017
Director of the Office of Management and Budget	Shaun Donovan	2014–2017	Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency	Gina McCarthy	2013–2017
Ambassador to the United Nations	Samantha Power	2013–2017	Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers	Jason Furman	2013–2017
Trade Representative	Michael Froman	2013–2017	Administrator of the Small Business Administration	Maria Contreras-Sweet	2014–2017

Below solid line: Granted Cabinet rank although not automatically part of the Cabinet. See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet

Executive Office of the President

Office	Name	Term	Office	Name	Term
White House Chief of Staff	Rahm Emanuel	2009–10	National Security Advisor	James L. Jones	2009–10
	Pete Rouse	2010–11		Thomas E. Donilon	2010–13
	William M. Daley	2011–12		Susan Rice	2013–17
	Jack Lew	2012–13	Deputy National Security Advisor	Thomas E. Donilon	2009–10
	Denis McDonough	2013–17		Denis McDonough	2010–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy	Mona Sutphen	2009–11		Antony Blinken	2013–14
	Nancy-Ann DeParle	2011–13		Avril Haines	2015–17
	Rob Nabors	2013–15	Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security	John O. Brennan	2009–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations	Jim Messina	2009–11		Lisa Monaco	2013–17
	Alyssa Mastromonaco	2011–14	Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan	Douglas Lute†	2009–13
	Anita Decker Breckenridge	2014–17	Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm.	Ben Rhodes	2009–17
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning	Mark B. Childress	2012–14	Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff	Mark Lippert	2009
	Kristie Canegallo	2014–17		Denis McDonough	2009–10
Counselor to the President	Pete Rouse	2011–13		Brooke D. Anderson	2011–12
	John Podesta	2014–15	White House Communications Director	Ellen Moran	2009
Senior Advisor to the President	David Axelrod	2009–11		Anita Dunn	2009
	David Plouffe	2011–13		Daniel Pfeiffer	2009–13
	Daniel Pfeiffer	2013–15		Jennifer Palmieri	2013–15
	Shailagh Murray	2015–17		Jen Psaki	2015–17
Senior Advisor to the President	Pete Rouse	2009–10	Deputy White House Communications Director	Jen Psaki	2009–11
	Brian Deese	2015–17		Jennifer Palmieri	2011–14
Senior Advisor to the President and	Valerie Jarrett	2009–17		Amy Brundage	2014–16
Assistant to the President for				Liz Allen	2016–17
Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs			White House Press Secretary	Robert Gibbs	2009–11
Director, Public Engagement	Tina Tchen	2009–11		Jay Carney	2011–13
	Jon Carson	2011–13		Josh Earnest	2013–17
	Paulette L. Aniskoff	2013–17	Deputy Press Secretary	Bill Burton	2009–11
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs	Cecilia Muñoz	2009–12		Josh Earnest	2011–13
	David Agnew	2012–14		Eric Schultz	2014–17
	Jerry Abramson	2014–17	Director of Special Projects	Stephanie Cutter	2010–11
Director, National Economic Council	Lawrence Summers	2009–10	Director, Speechwriting	Jon Favreau	2009–13
	Gene Sperling	2011–14		Cody Keenan	2013–17
	Jeff Zients	2014–17	Director, Digital Strategy	Macon Phillips	2009–13
Chair, Council of Economic Advisers	Christina Romer	2009–10	Chief Digital Officer	Jason Goldman	2015–17
	Austan Goolsbee	2010–13	Director, Legislative Affairs	Phil Schiliro	2009–11
	Jason Furman	2013–17		Rob Nabors	2011–13
Chair, Economic Recovery Advisory Board	Paul Volcker	2009–11		Katie Beirne Fallon	2013–16
Chair, Council on Jobs and Competitiveness	Jeff Immelt	2011–13		Miguel Rodriguez	2016
Director, Domestic Policy Council	Melody Barnes	2009–12		Amy Rosenbaum	2016–17
	Cecilia Muñoz	2012–17	Director, Political Affairs	Patrick Gaspard	2009–11
Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships	Joshua DuBois	2009–13		David Simas	2011–16
	Melissa Rogers	2013–17	Director, Presidential Personnel	Nancy Hogan	2009–13
Director, Office of Health Reform	Nancy-Ann DeParle	2009–11		Johnathan D. McBride	2013–14
Director, Office of National AIDS Policy	Jeffrey Crowley	2009–11		Valerie E. Green	2014–15
	Grant N. Colfax	2011–13		Rodin A. Mehrbani	2016–17
	Douglas M. Brooks	2013–17	White House Staff Secretary	Lisa Brown	2009–11
Director, Office of Urban Affairs	Adolfo Carrión Jr.	2009–10		Rajesh De	2011–12
	Racquel S. Russell	2010–14		Douglas Kramer	2012–13
	Roy Austin Jr.	2014–17		Joani Walsh	2014–17
Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy	Carol Browner	2009–11	Director, Management and Administration	Bradley J. Kiley	2009–11
White House Counsel	Greg Craig	2009–10		Katy A. Kale	2011–15
	Bob Bauer	2010–11		Maju Varghese	2015–17
	Kathryn Ruemmler	2011–14	Director, Scheduling and Advance	Alyssa Mastromonaco	2009–11
	Neil Eggleston	2014–17		Danielle Crutchfield	2011–14
White House Cabinet Secretary	Chris Lu	2009–13		Chase Cushman	2014–17
	Danielle C. Gray	2013–14	Director, White House Information Technology	David Recordon	2015–17
	Broderick D. Johnson	2014–17	Director, Office of Administration	Cameron Moody	2009–11
Personal Aide to the President	Reggie Love	2009–11		Beth Jones	2011–15
	Brian Mosteller	2011–12		Cathy Solomon	2015–17
	Marvin D. Nicholson	2012–17	Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy	John Holdren	2009–17
Director, Oval Office Operations	Brian Mosteller	2012–17	Chief Technology Officer	Aneesh Chopra	2009–12
Personal Secretary to the President	Katie Johnson	2009–11		Todd Park	2012–14
	Anita Decker Breckenridge	2011–14		Megan Smith	2014–17
	Ferial Govashiri	2014–17	Director, Office of Management and Budget	Peter R. Orszag	2009–10
Chief of Staff to the First Lady	Jackie Norris	2009		Jack Lew	2010–12
	Susan Sher	2009–11		Jeff Zients	2012–13
	Tina Tchen	2011–17		Sylvia Mathews Burwell	2013–14
White House Social Secretary	Desirée Rogers	2009–10		Brian Deese	2014
	Julianna Smoot	2010–11		Shaun Donovan	2014–17
	Jeremy Bernard	2011–15	Chief Information Officer	Vivek Kundra	2009–11
	Deesha Dyer	2015–17		Steven VanRoekel	2011–14
Chief of Staff to the Vice President	Ron Klain	2009–11		Tony Scott	2015–17
	Bruce Reed	2011–13	United States Trade Representative	Ron Kirk	2009–13
	Steve Ricchetti	2013–17		Michael Froman	2013–17
White House Chief Usher	Stephen W. Rochon†	2009–11	Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy	Gil Kerlikowske	2009–14
	Angella Reid	2011–17		Michael Botticelli	2014–17
Director, White House Military Office	George Mulligan	2009–13	Chair, Council on Environmental Quality	Nancy Sutley	2009–14
	Emmett Beliveau	2013–15		Michael Boots	2014–15
	Dabney Kern	2016–17		Christy Goldfuss	2015–17

† Remained from previous administration.

Office of the Vice President

Position	Appointee
Chief of Staff to the Vice President	Steve Ricchetti
Counsel to the Vice President	Cynthia Hogan
Counselor to the Vice President	Mike Donilon
Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison	Evan Ryan
Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications	Shailagh Murray
Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President	Shailagh Murray
Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President	Brian P. McKeon
Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the Vice President and Second Lady	Carlos Elizondo
National Security Adviser to the Vice President	Colin Kahl

Position	Appointee
Chief of Staff to the Second Lady	Catherine M. Russell
Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President	Moises Vela
Domestic Policy Adviser to the Vice President	Terrell McSweeny
Chief Economist and Economic Policy Adviser to the Vice President	Jared Bernstein
Press Secretary to the Vice President	Elizabeth Alexander
Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President	Annie Tomasini
Director of Legislative Affairs	Sudafi Henry
Director of Communications for the Second Lady	Courtney O’Donnell

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