Joe Kennedy
Current job: Staff assistant, Office of Public Engagement
Education: Northwestern (SESP07 — bachelor's in social policy and religion)
Previous jobs: Summer intern in Sen. Obama's Washington, D.C., office, 2006; Obama presidential campaign, April 2007–November 2008
Hometown: Glenview, Ill.
Elizabeth Sears Smith
Current job: Deputy Cabinet secretary
Education: University of California, Berkeley (bachelor's in political science, 1986), Northwestern (KSM97 — master of management)
Previous jobs: Chief of staff for then-Rep. Rahm Emanuel, 2003-09; deputy assistant secretary in Commerce Department's International Trade Administration, 1998–2001; co-founder of and consultant with Strategy Group, 1989–95; also worked on 1989 campaign of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (H08)
Hometown: Chicago
Samir Mayekar
Current job: National security director, Office of Presidential Personnel
Education: Northwestern (WCAS06 — bachelor's in political science and international studies)
Previous jobs: Budget manager with Obama for America, 2008; consultant with Marakon Associates in Chicago, 2006–07; volunteer in Iowa for the presidential campaign of then-Rep. Richard Gephardt (C62), 2004
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Madhuri Kommareddi
Current job: Director for international economic affairs, National Security Council
Education: Northwestern (WCAS04 — bachelor's in political science with a minor in Asian American studies)
Previous jobs: A member of Obama's policy team, 2008 campaign; worked on several local campaigns; worked on Obama's U.S. Senate campaign in 2004, then on his staff in Washington, D.C.; was a delegate at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
Hometown: Flint, Mich.
Michael Blake
Current job: Associate director, Office of Public Engagement; deputy associate director, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Education: Northwestern (J04 — bachelor's in journalism)
Previous jobs: Worked for Obama campaign starting in Iowa and ending in Michigan, 2007–08; managed three state representative campaigns in Michigan; assistant to Illinois state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, 2005
Hometown: The Bronx, N.Y.
Cody Keenan
Current job: Associate director, presidential speechwriting
Education: Northwestern (WCAS02 — bachelor's in political science); Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government (master's in public policy, 2008)
Previous jobs: Speechwriter, Obama campaign, 2008; intern with Obama campaign, 2007; intern and legislative assistant, office of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, 2004–07
Hometown: Chicago
Other Northwestern alumni who work at the White House, though this is by no means a comprehensive list:
Hilary Alley (WCAS08), Office of Management and Administration
Ebs Burnough (C02), Office of the Social Secretary
Tara Corrigan (C08), White House Operations
Vianca Monet Dyer (C07), Office of the First Lady
Mona Jabbour (L05), Office of Presidential Personnel
Anna Kim (WCAS05), Office of the Staff Secretary
Jenna Pilat (WCAS05), Presidential Correspondence
Bobby Schmuck (C07), Office of Political Affairs
Kate Shaw (L06), White House Counsel's Office
Christina Tchen (L84), director, Office of Public Engagement
Matt Tranchin (WCAS07), Office of Public Engagement
Lily Trienens (WCAS07), Office of Presidential Personnel
David Wade (WCAS04), White House Communications
Matthew Winters (WCAS01), Office of Presidential Personnel
Portraits by Paul Fetters