González served in the Obama-Biden administration as deputy secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs and in the White House as special adviser to Vice President Biden.
President-elect Joe Biden and vice-president-elect Kamala Harris announced new appointments to the White House National Security Council on Friday. Among them is Colombian Juan Sebastián González who was appointed senior director for the Western Hemisphere.
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González served in the Obama-Biden administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and in the White House as Special Adviser to Vice President Biden. In 2017, González was appointed by Senator Chuck Schumer as commissioner of the bipartisan commission on Western Hemisphere drug policy. He also represented the Biden Campaign in the Biden-Sanders Unit Task Force on Immigration.
Born in Colombia and raised in New York, González graduated from Georgetown University and served as a volunteer with the Peace Corps in Guatemala. “I am very honored and ready to work,” González said on his personal Twitter account. In his new role, he will work under the direction of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Other appointments
Yohannes Abraham, currently Executive Director of the Biden-Harris Transition, will become Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary. During the Obama-Biden administration, Abraham was a deputy assistant to the president and senior adviser to the National Economic Council.
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“The National Security Council plays a vital role in keeping our country safe. These highly experienced and crisis-tested officials will work tirelessly to protect the American people and restore America’s leadership in the world, ”said President-elect Joe Biden.
On the other hand, Sasha Baker recently served as Senator Elizabeth Warren’s national security adviser, serving as the deputy director of policy for her presidential campaign. Baker was appointed senior director of strategic planning. She also served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
Jon Finer was appointed as a Senior Deputy National Security Advisor. He is currently Deputy Director of Foreign and Homeland Security Policy on the Biden-Harris Transition team. He previously served in Obama’s White House and U.S. State Department, including as a Middle East adviser and foreign policy speech writer to then Vice President Biden, and as Secretary of State John’s Chief of Staff and Director of Policy Planning . Kerry.
“This outstanding team of dedicated public officials is ready to work from day one to address the transnational challenges facing the American people, from climate to cyber. They reflect the best of our country and have the knowledge and experience to help build our country better for all Americans, ”said Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.