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New Elis Inside the Beltway
March/April 2009
Sure, the Yale Alumni Magazine isn’t being delivered to 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue anymore, and the new administration seems to be a lot more
Crimson than Blue. But Yale hasn’t been completely shut out. In addition to
three new members of Congress with Yale degrees, a few well-placed members of
the Obama administration have called New Haven home.
In Congress
Democrat Michael Bennet '93JD was appointed U.S.
senator from Colorado after President Obama appointed Senator Kenneth Salazar
to be secretary of the interior.
Democrat Tom Perriello '96, '01JD, unseated six-term
Republican U.S. representative Virgil Goode in Virginia’s fifth district.
Republican state senator Brett Guthrie '97MPPM won
the open seat for U.S. representative from Kentucky’s second district.
In the administration
The highest-ranking Eli in the Obama administration
is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton '73JD. James Steinberg '78JD, deputy
secretary of state, is Clinton’s number two at the state department.
Greg Craig '72JD is the new White House counsel, the
president’s main legal adviser. Dawn Johnsen '83, '86JD, has been nominated to
be assistant attorney general and head of the justice department’s Office of
Legal Counsel. Marty Lederman '88JD has been appointed to serve under Johnsen
as an assistant attorney general.
Austan Goolsbee '91, '91MA, is staff director and
chief economist for the president’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. The board
also includes former School of Management dean William H. Donaldson '53 and
Yale’s chief investment officer, David Swensen '80PhD. (For Swensen’s thoughts
on the economy, see "David Swensen’s Guide to Sleeping Soundly.") For Donaldson's, see "What Now?" in the
January/February issue.)  |