White House Social Secretary

White House Social Secretary
White House Social Secretary
	Incumbent; Carlos Elizondo; since January 20, 2021
	Executive Office of the President; White House Office
Appointer	Joe Biden; as President of the United States
Formation	October 2, 1901; 123 years ago
First holder	Belle Hagner
Website	The White House

The White House social secretary is responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of official social events at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States.

Function

The social secretary is head of the White House Social Office, located in the East Wing of the White House Complex. The social secretary plans events ranging from those as simple as a tea for the first lady and a single official guest to dinners for more than 200 guests. The social secretary works with the White House chief usher to coordinate domestic staff and with the chief of protocol of the United States, an official within the United States Department of State, to plan state visits and accompanying state dinners. The social secretary works with the White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office in the production of invitations to social events.

The social secretary works on both the political and non-political functions of the presidency, coordinating events for the president, the first lady, and senior political staff. The White House social secretary serves at the president's pleasure and is appointed by each administration.

Notable office-holders

On February 25, 2011, the White House appointed Jeremy Bernard, the first male, and first openly gay, social secretary in that position's history. "I have long admired the arts and education programs that have become hallmarks of the Obama White House and I am eager to continue these efforts in the years ahead," Bernard said during the announcing press conference.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Betty Ford with former Social Secretaries

List of White House social secretaries

No.	Social Secretary	Term of office	President
1	Belle Hagner^[4]	1901–1909	Theodore Roosevelt
2	Alice Blech^[5]	1909–1910	William Howard Taft
3	Mary Spiers^[6]	1910–1913	William Howard Taft
4	Belle Hagner^[7]	1913–1915	Woodrow Wilson
5	Edith Benham Helm^[8]	1915–1921	Woodrow Wilson
6	Laura Harlan^[9]	1921–1923	Warren G. Harding
6	Laura Harlan^[9]	1923–1929^[9]	Calvin Coolidge
7	Mary Randolph^[10]	1929–1931	Herbert Hoover
8	Doris Goss^[11]	1931–1933	Herbert Hoover
9	Edith Benham Helm^[8]	1933–1945	Franklin D. Roosevelt
9	Edith Benham Helm^[8]	1945–1953^[8]	Harry S. Truman
10	Mary Jane McCaffree^[12]	1955–1961	Dwight D. Eisenhower
11	Letitia Baldrige^[13]	1961–1963	John F. Kennedy
12	Nancy Tuckerman^[14]	1963–1963	John F. Kennedy
13	Bess Abell^[15]^[16]	1963–1969	Lyndon B. Johnson
14	Lucy Winchester^[17]	1969–1974	Richard Nixon
15	Nancy Lammerding Ruwe^[18]	1974–1975	Gerald Ford
16	Maria Downs^[19]	1975–1977	Gerald Ford
17	Gretchen Poston^[20]	1977–1981	Jimmy Carter
18	Mabel (Muffie) Brandon^[21]	1981–1983	Ronald Reagan
19	Gahl Hodges^[22]	1983–1985
20	Linda Faulkner^[23]	1985–1989
21	Laurie Firestone^[24]	1989–1993	George H. W. Bush
22	Ann Stock^[25]	1993–1997	Bill Clinton
23	Capricia Marshall^[26]	1997–2001	Bill Clinton
24	Catherine Fenton^[27]	2001–2004	George W. Bush
25	Lea Berman^[28]	2005–2007
26	Amy Zantzinger^[29]	2007–2009
27	Desirée Rogers^[30]	2009–2010	Barack Obama
28	Julianna Smoot^[31]	2010–2011
29	Jeremy Bernard^[32]	2011–2015
30	Deesha Dyer^[33]	2015–2017
31	Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd^[34]	2017–2021^[35]	Donald Trump
32	Carlos Elizondo^[36]	2021–present	Joe Biden

References

^ Brian Bolduc (2011-02-25). "White House Names First Male Social Secretary". NATIONAL REVIEW Online.
^ Dunham, Richard S. (February 25, 2011). "Texan makes history as Obama social secretary". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
^ Henderson, Nia-Malika; Bacon, Perry Jr. (February 25, 2011). "Obama makes history with social secretary pick". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
^ "TR Center - Isabella Hagner". Theodorerooseveltcenter.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Alice Blech | Social Secretary Alice Blech. October 22, 1909…". Flickr. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Walsenburg World March 17, 1910 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection". Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Social Secretary Quotes: Belle Hagner - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. 1903-10-24. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Social Secretary Quotes: Edith Benham Helm - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. 1903-10-24. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ ^a ^b "Social Secretary Quotes: Laura Harlan - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-31. Retrieved 2016-10-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ MaryAnne Borrelli (15 August 2011). The Politics of the President's Wife. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 62–. ISBN 978-1-60344-422-4.
^ "Oral History of HONORABLE FRANK Q. NEBEKER" (PDF). Dcchs.org. August 12, 2003. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ [1]^{[dead link]}
^ "ST-C186-1-63. First Lady's Social Secretary Nancy Tuckerman - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum". Jfklibrary.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Reliable Source - Quoted: LBJ social secretary Bess Abell on her one White House dinner crashing problem". Voices.washingtonpost.com. 2010-05-07. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ Katharine Q. Seelye (2020-10-18). "Bess Abell, Social Secretary in Johnson White House, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
^ "Lucy A. Winchester". Nixonlibrary.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-12-31. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Nancy Lammerding, Ford Aide, Is Married to L. Nicholas Ruwe". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Maria Downs". Gerald R. Ford Foundation. 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ Blau, Eleanor (1992-01-08). "Gretchen Householder Poston, 59, Ex-White House Social Secretary". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ Ginsburg, Ina (1981-05-17). "A Conversation With Muffie Brandon". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Social Secretary Quotes: Gahl Hodges Burt - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "FAULKNER, LINDA: Files, 1981-1989 – REAGAN LIBRARY COLLECTIONS". Archived from the original on 2016-10-31. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
^ "Social Secretary Quotes: Laurie Firestone - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "The Role of the White House Social Secretary". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Social Secretary Quotes: Capricia Marshall - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ Irvin Molotsky (2001-01-09). "Laura Bush Designates Keepers of Her Calendar". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "Social Secretary Quotes: Lea Berman - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "President Bush Names Amy Zantzinger as White House Social Secretary". whitehouse.gov. 2007-01-30. Retrieved 2017-03-01 – via National Archives.
^ "White House announces resignation of social secretary Desirée Rogers". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "White House social secretary Desiree Rogers resigns; Julianna Smoot named successor". Washingtonpost.com. 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ Perry, Mark. "Jeremy Bernard to step down as White House social secretary". Politico. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
^ "White House Announces Deesha Dyer as Social Secretary". whitehouse.gov. 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2017-03-01 – via National Archives.
^ Betsy Klein (February 8, 2017). "Melania Trump hires White House social secretary". CNN. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
^ FiveThirtyEight (2021-01-05). "Live Updates: Unrest In Washington And The Electoral Vote Certification". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
^ Michael Crowley (November 20, 2020). "Biden-Harris team announces additional staff appointments". New York Times. Retrieved November 20, 2020.

External links

[natreview-1] Brian Bolduc (2011-02-25). "White House Names First Male Social Secretary". NATIONAL REVIEW Online.

[houston_chron_20110225-2] Dunham, Richard S. (February 25, 2011). "Texan makes history as Obama social secretary". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 26, 2011.

[wapo44blog_20110225-3] Henderson, Nia-Malika; Bacon, Perry Jr. (February 25, 2011). "Obama makes history with social secretary pick". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2011.

[4] "TR Center - Isabella Hagner". Theodorerooseveltcenter.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[5] "Alice Blech | Social Secretary Alice Blech. October 22, 1909…". Flickr. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[6] "Walsenburg World March 17, 1910 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection". Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[7] "Social Secretary Quotes: Belle Hagner - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. 1903-10-24. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[whitehousehistory1-8] "Social Secretary Quotes: Edith Benham Helm - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. 1903-10-24. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[whitehousehistory2-9] "Social Secretary Quotes: Laura Harlan - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[10] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-31. Retrieved 2016-10-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[Borrelli2011-11] MaryAnne Borrelli (15 August 2011). The Politics of the President's Wife. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 62–. ISBN 978-1-60344-422-4.

[12] "Oral History of HONORABLE FRANK Q. NEBEKER" (PDF). Dcchs.org. August 12, 2003. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[13] [1]^{[dead link]}

[14] "ST-C186-1-63. First Lady's Social Secretary Nancy Tuckerman - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum". Jfklibrary.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[15] "Reliable Source - Quoted: LBJ social secretary Bess Abell on her one White House dinner crashing problem". Voices.washingtonpost.com. 2010-05-07. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[16] Katharine Q. Seelye (2020-10-18). "Bess Abell, Social Secretary in Johnson White House, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-10-20.

[17] "Lucy A. Winchester". Nixonlibrary.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-12-31. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[18] "Nancy Lammerding, Ford Aide, Is Married to L. Nicholas Ruwe". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[19] "Maria Downs". Gerald R. Ford Foundation. 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[20] Blau, Eleanor (1992-01-08). "Gretchen Householder Poston, 59, Ex-White House Social Secretary". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[21] Ginsburg, Ina (1981-05-17). "A Conversation With Muffie Brandon". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[22] "Social Secretary Quotes: Gahl Hodges Burt - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[23] "FAULKNER, LINDA: Files, 1981-1989 – REAGAN LIBRARY COLLECTIONS". Archived from the original on 2016-10-31. Retrieved 2016-10-30.

[24] "Social Secretary Quotes: Laurie Firestone - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[25] "The Role of the White House Social Secretary". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[26] "Social Secretary Quotes: Capricia Marshall - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[27] Irvin Molotsky (2001-01-09). "Laura Bush Designates Keepers of Her Calendar". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[28] "Social Secretary Quotes: Lea Berman - White House Historical Association". Whitehousehistory.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[29] "President Bush Names Amy Zantzinger as White House Social Secretary". whitehouse.gov. 2007-01-30. Retrieved 2017-03-01 – via National Archives.

[30] "White House announces resignation of social secretary Desirée Rogers". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[31] "White House social secretary Desiree Rogers resigns; Julianna Smoot named successor". Washingtonpost.com. 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[32] Perry, Mark. "Jeremy Bernard to step down as White House social secretary". Politico. Retrieved 2017-03-01.

[33] "White House Announces Deesha Dyer as Social Secretary". whitehouse.gov. 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2017-03-01 – via National Archives.

[34] Betsy Klein (February 8, 2017). "Melania Trump hires White House social secretary". CNN. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

[35] FiveThirtyEight (2021-01-05). "Live Updates: Unrest In Washington And The Electoral Vote Certification". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2021-01-07.

[36] Michael Crowley (November 20, 2020). "Biden-Harris team announces additional staff appointments". New York Times. Retrieved November 20, 2020.

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