Patrick Gaspard

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Patrick Gaspard
Patrick Gaspard aboard Marine One, Aug, 2010. (cropped).jpg
United States Ambassador to South Africa
In office
October 16, 2013 – December 16, 2016
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byDonald Gips
Succeeded byLana Marks
White House Director of Political Affairs
In office
January 20, 2009 – February 1, 2011
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJonathan Felts
Succeeded byDavid Simas (2014)
Personal details
Born1967 (age 53–54)
Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa
Political partyDemocratic
EducationColumbia University (BA)

Patrick Gaspard (born 1967) is an American community activist, a former American diplomat, and the current president of the Center for American Progress. Previously, Gaspard served as the president of the Open Society Foundations,[1] following the departure of Chris Stone in September 2017, and was followed by Mark Malloch Brown, a British Lord, Baron, and diplomat.[2]

A noted Democratic Party political leader and campaign strategist,[3] he previously served as United States Ambassador to South Africa from 2013 to 2016.[4]

Early life[]

Born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Haitian parents, Gaspard moved with his parents to the United States when he was three years old.[5][6]

Gaspard graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School[7] and attended Columbia University from 1994 to 1997.

Career[]

Gaspard's early career was spent in New York City, including working on the 1988 Jesse Jackson presidential bid and David Dinkins's successful 1989 mayoral campaign.[8]

He went on to serve as a special assistant in the Office of the Manhattan Borough President and special assistant in the Office of Mayor Dinkins, and later, from 1998-1999, chief of staff to the New York City Council.[9] In 2003-2004, he worked for Governor Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign as the National Deputy Field Director, and in 2004, was the National Field Director for America Coming Together.[9]

Gaspard spent nine years as the executive vice president for politics and legislation for the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East labor union,[10] the largest local union in America.[11][12]

Gaspard left the Open Society Foundation at the end of 2020. There was speculation that he was going to join the Biden admin as United States Secretary of Labor; that position was later filled by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.[13]

2008–2016: Work under Barack Obama[]

Gaspard initially rejected the opportunity to work on Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2007 but later got the SEIU to endorse him. He officially jointed the campaign as a political director in June 2008.[14] After Obama's election, he was named as Associate Personnel Director of President-elect Obama's transition team under Jim Messina.[15] He was the Director of the White House Office of Political Affairs for the Obama administration from January 2009–11.[5][16]

Gaspard served as the Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee from 2011–13, overseeing the party committee's efforts to re-elect President Obama.[16]

United States Ambassador to South Africa[]

It was leaked in March 2013 that President Obama was planning to nominate Gaspard to the post of United States Ambassador to South Africa.[14] His Senate confirmation hearing was held on July 24, 2013,[17] and he was sworn into the post on August 26, 2013.[18][19]

As the U.S. ambassador to South Africa from 2013–16, Gaspard worked to strengthen civil society and worked in partnership with the South African government to develop the country’s healthcare infrastructure and land ownership mitigation and to support innovations in local governance.[20]

He also worked to connect South African entrepreneurs to United States markets; develop clean, renewable, and efficient energy technologies; and to end wildlife trafficking.[1]

President and CEO of Center for American Progress[]

On June 30, 2021, the progressive think tank Center for American Progress (CAP) announced that Gaspard would become its President and CEO, replacing Neera Tanden who left to become an advisor to Joe Biden.[21] Politico described Gaspard's new role as "powerful," due to the Biden administration's close ties to CAP.[22]

Personal life[]

Gaspard is married and has two children.[10]

Gaspard is a close friend of Bill de Blasio, the 109th Mayor of New York City. The pair met while working on David Dinkin's 1989 mayoral campaign[23] and bonded over their shared progressive vision and familial ties to the Caribbean; de Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray is from Barbados.[24] Gaspard was an advisor on de Blasio's successful bid in the 2013 New York City mayoral election. de Blasio personally thanked him in his primary victory speech, one of the few non-family members mentioned.[24] In September 2013, he brokered peace between de Blasio and his primary rival Bill Thompson.[25][importance?]

Other activities[]

  • Central European University (CEU), Member of the Board of Trustees[26]
  • Paris Peace Forum, Member of the Steering Committee[27]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Patrick Gaspard to Step Down as Head of Open Society Foundations". Open Society Foundations. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
  2. ^ Financial Times (London), October 17, 2017 [1].
  3. ^ "Patrick Gaspard". The Washington Post Politics. Retrieved 2019-06-13.
  4. ^ Spector, J. Brooks. "US Ambassador Patrick Gaspard, up close and pretty personal". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2019-06-13.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Elliott, Stuart (January 18, 2009). "'Obama's People': A Who's Who". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  6. ^ "PATRICK GASPARD". Embassy of Haiti. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  7. ^ "The Buzz - April 13, 2018 - Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation". www.bthsalumni.org. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  8. ^ McLeod, Courtney (September 2006). "Rising Stars: 35 under 40; The next generation of political leaders in New York". City Hall News.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2018-08-18 – via National Archives.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Stein, Sam (2009-01-04). "Patrick Gaspard: Obama's Glue Man". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  11. ^ Sherman, Jake (June 28, 2010). "White House aide failed to disclose $40K payout". Politico. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  12. ^ McCallister, Jared (June 27, 2008). "Haitian American labor leader Patrick Gaspard in key job with Barack Obama". Daily News. Archived from the original on August 11, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  13. ^ Nichols, Hans (December 4, 2020). "President of Soros foundation leaves amid speculation of potential Biden role". Axios. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Bacon Jr., Perry (2013-03-04). "Patrick Gaspard, top Obama aide, headed to South Africa as ambassador - theGrio". theGrio. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  15. ^ "Obama Names Transition Team". U.S. News & World Report. November 5, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Smith, Ben (January 20, 2011). "Gaspard to DNC, Dillon to re-elect" Politico. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Congressional Testimony of Patrick H. Gaspard Ambassador Designate to the Republic of South Africa Before the Committee on Foreign Relations United States Senate" (PDF). www.foreign.senate.gov. July 24, 2013. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  18. ^ VP Biden (Archived) [@VP44] (26 August 2013). "Today at the @whitehouse, VP will ceremonially swear-in Patrick Gaspard as U.S. Amb. to South Africa. Stay tuned for a photo. @USEmbPretoria" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "Haitian-American Patrick Gaspard was sworn as US Ambassador to South Africa". 2013-10-24. Archived from the original on 2013-10-24. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  20. ^ Spector, J. Brooks (July 30, 2014). "US Ambassador Patrick Gaspard, up close and pretty personal". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  21. ^ Preiss, Allison (June 30, 2021). "RELEASE: Patrick Gaspard Named President and CEO of the Center for American Progress, CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund". AmericanProgress.org. Retrieved November 30, 2020. Patrick Gaspard has been named president and CEO of the Center for American Progress and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP Action), the organizations announced today. Gaspard will be the third president and CEO of CAP since the organization was founded in 2003, succeeding Neera Tanden and John Podesta.
  22. ^ Stein, Sam; Korecki, Natasha (June 30, 2021). "The most influential think tank of the Biden era has a new leader". Politico. Retrieved July 27, 2021. His [Patrick Gaspard's] hiring ends a monthslong process to find a replacement for Neera Tanden, who left the post to become a senior adviser to President Joe Biden. And it immediately makes the 53-year-old Haitian-American one of the most powerful players in progressive politics outside of elected office.
  23. ^ Smith, Chris (October 25, 2013). "The 99% Mayor". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b Fermino, Jennifer (September 14, 2013). "Bill de Blasio campaign driven by political mix of former Clinton and Obama aides, U.S. ambassador to South Africa, and local talent". New York Daily News.
  25. ^ Powell, Nick (September 18, 2013). "Ambassador Bridged Divide Between de Blasio and Thompson". City & State. Archived from the original on 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
  26. ^ Board of Trustees Central European University (CEU).
  27. ^ Governance Paris Peace Forum.
Political offices
Preceded by
Johnathan Felts 		White House Director of Political Affairs
2009–2011 		Vacant
Title next held by
David Simas
2014
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Donald Gips 		United States Ambassador to South Africa
2013–2016 		Succeeded by
Jessye Lapenn
Acting
Retrieved from ""