Karine Jean-Pierre’s journey to serving as the White House Press Secretary and Senior Advisor to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is one of hope, faith, and activism. Born in Martinque and raised in New York by Haitian immigrant parents whose belief that their hard work would lead to extraordinary opportunities for their family, Karine’s ascension to working alongside the President of the United States is a true reflection of what many might describe as the “American Dream.” Karine is the first Black person, the first openly queer person, as well as the longest serving female White House Press Secretary to date.

A few of Karine’s career highlights include being a longtime advisor to President Biden having served in senior communications and political roles in the Biden Administration, the Biden campaign, and in the Obama Administration; Deputy Campaign Manager for Martin O’Malley for President; Campaign Manager for the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Initiative; Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Legislative and Budget Affairs for two New York City Council members; as well as Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn.org.

Karine was first introduced to viewers around the world as an NBC and MSNBC Political Analyst, establishing her as a frequent go-to resource on public policy, democracy, community and social justice. Her ability as a media commentator to speak to the American people in an accessible, compassionate, and equitable way is what has made Karine someone who many people trust with information and perspectives that ultimately impact their daily lives.

Prior to her career as a public servant, Karine worked at the Center for Community and Corporate Ethics, pushing major companies to change their business practices. She is the author of her memoir titled Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America and her latest book, Independent. Karine earned her MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.