As President-elect Joe Biden continues to announce members of his White House senior staff, African American women are being appointed to high profile roles in the incoming Administration.
The latest is Shuwanza Goff, who has been named Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.
Goff, a native of Mechanicsville, Virginia, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and American University. A familiar face on Capitol Hill, she served as Floor Director since 2013 for the House of Representatives under House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD).
Making history as the first Black woman to hold the position, Goff determined which bills came to the House floor, set the legislative schedule, and helped craft the overall House Democratic agenda. Prior to that, she served as Director of Legislative Operations for Hoyer when he was minority whip, and as Floor Aide, Floor Assistant, and Staff Assistant.
In a statement, Hoyer called Goff “a highly experienced and talented individual.”
“In her twelve years as a member of my staff, Shuwanza has become an expert on the legislative process and built strong relationships with Committees, Members, and staff throughout the Democratic Caucus and with Members and staff on the Republican side of the aisle,” he said.
Article continues after video.
He added that Goff has been instrumental in turning House Democrats’ campaign promises into “a successful legislative agenda,” with nearly all appropriation bills passed before the end of July for the past two years in a row. When the pandemic hit, Hoyer said, Goff also worked hard to ensure this institution could continue to do its work on behalf of the American people safely and efficiently.
“While I deeply regret losing Shuwanza from my staff, I know that the Biden-Harris Administration and the Congress will be greatly advantaged by her service. … I look forward to continuing to work closely with Shuwanza in this new capacity.”
In addition to appointments, Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have begun meeting with elected officials and more.
“The American people are eager for our Administration to get to work, and today’s appointees will help advance our agenda and ensure every American has a fair shot,” said Biden in a statement. “In [my] administration, we will have an open door to [Capitol] Hill and this team will make sure their views are always represented in the White House.”
__
Shuwanza Goff photo courtesy of Biden Transition Team.