RE: FW: Talent for the Administration

From:Eryn_M_Sepp@who.eop.gov To: john.podesta@gmail.com Date: 2014-04-05 13:18 Subject: RE: FW: Talent for the Administration

In your reading file. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Hi John - It was great to see you for dinner on Tuesday. Glad you're enjoying what you're doing. Steve and I spoke about diverse candidates who could serve in the administration, reviewed the lists from 2009, and came up with three top-level candidates. I or Steve or both of us have worked with each of them and can personally vouch for them. Their resumes are attached. JULIE MARTINEZ ORTEGA - Julie has a J.D. and a Ph.D. in Social Policy. Ironically enough, her dissertation was on health insurance enrollment patterns of Mexican American children. She currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the Democracy Alliance's Latino Engagement Fund, and I have frequently called on her for advice on the work I'm doing at the Foundation. She also works with Steve in PowerPAC's DC office (she and Steve are college friends). HHS would probably be the best fit for her. Or Labor, as Julie has extensive experience doing research for the labor movement. ROSA MARIA CASTANEDA - Rosa currently works at the Pew Charitable Trust as Manager of Government Performance. She led Pew's 3-year strategic planning effort looking at their work in state budget and economic policy, youth workforce, and employment. She has a unique mix of fiscal, economic, and social policy. HHS or the Domestic Policy Counsel would be good fits for her. SMEETA RAMARATHNAM - Smeeta is South Asian, and we may have discussed her before as she was being considered for one of the SEC Commissioner openings. She is currently the Chief of Staff to Commissioner Aguilar and has worked at the SEC for almost nine years now (previously, she worked for Commissioner Campos). Prior to going to the SEC, Smeeta was a securities lawyer at Foley and Lardner. We think she'd make an excellent Assistant Secretary in Treasury. We've got a few more feelers out and will let you know what we come up with. So glad you're trying to move on these diversity issues! Best, Susan