By Darlene Superville | Related Press
WASHINGTON — A longtime aide to President Joe Biden who’s a senior adviser in Vice President Kamala Harris’ workplace is Biden’s option to symbolize america on the United Nations company dedicated to training, science and tradition.
The U.S. lately rejoined the U.N. Instructional, Scientific and Cultural Group after a five-year hiatus initiated by Biden’s rapid predecessor within the White Home, Donald Trump.
The Democratic president’s option to develop into the U.S. everlasting consultant to the Paris-based UNESCO, with the rank of ambassador, is longtime aide Courtney O’Donnell, in keeping with a White Home official, who spoke Monday on the situation of anonymity to debate the nomination earlier than a proper announcement.
O’Donnell presently wears two hats: She’s a senior adviser in Harris’ workplace and performing chief of workers for Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and lends her experience to a variety of nationwide and international points, together with gender fairness and countering prejudice towards Jews, a high situation for Emhoff, who’s Jewish.
O’Donnell additionally was communications director for Jill Biden, when she was second girl throughout Joe Biden’s vice presidency when Barack Obama was president. O’Donnell helped Jill Biden increase consciousness and help for U.S. army households and promote neighborhood schools.
She has intensive expertise in creating international partnerships, public affairs and strategic communications, having held senior roles in two presidential administrations, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, nationwide political campaigns and the non-public sector, in keeping with her official bio.
O’Donnell most lately oversaw international partnerships at Airbnb.
Former White Home chief of workers Ron Klain stated O’Donnell is trusted by colleagues worldwide.
“It is a incredible choose and she is going to do a incredible job at UNESCO,” he stated in a press release.
Cathy Russell labored with O’Donnell within the second girl’s workplace and stated she is expert at creating international partnerships, creating social affect campaigns and offering strategic counsel on a variety of points.
“Everybody who is aware of Courtney is aware of she is dedicated to the worth of worldwide engagement and strengthening American management around the globe,” Russell stated.
The Senate should vote on O’Donnell’s nomination.
The primary girl attended a ceremony in late July at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the place the U.S. flag was raised to mark Washington’s official reentry into the U.N. company after the absence initiated by Trump, a Republican. She spoke in regards to the significance of American management in preserving cultural heritage and empowering training and science throughout the globe.
The US introduced its intention to rejoin UNESCO in June, and the group’s 193 member states voted in July to approve the U.S. reentry. The ceremony formally signified the U.S. turning into the 194th member — and flag proprietor — on the company.
The U.S. resolution to return was based mostly primarily on issues that China has crammed a management hole since Washington withdrew, underscoring the broader geopolitical dynamics at play, significantly the rising affect of China in worldwide establishments.
The U.S. exit from UNESCO in 2017 cited an alleged anti-Israel bias throughout the group. The choice adopted a 2011 transfer by UNESCO to incorporate Palestine as a member state, which led the U.S. and Israel to stop financing the company. The U.S. withdrawal turned official in 2018.
