Obama White House Alum Named Head of Washington Think Tank

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth appointed Shayna Strom as chief executive officer of the left-leaning think tank that’s provided a steady stream of personnel to the White House.

(Bloomberg) — The Washington Center for Equitable Growth appointed Shayna Strom as chief executive officer of the left-leaning think tank that’s provided a steady stream of personnel to the White House.

Strom begins the role effective immediately, according to a statement Tuesday. She’s served as interim head of the group since September, after Michelle Holder stepped down from the role to spend more time with family and write her third book. 

“I believe deeply in Equitable Growth’s mission to advance evidence-backed ideas and policies on how rising inequality affects economic growth and stability,” Strom said in the statement.

The decade-old organization focuses on research including the gender-pay gap, race and progressive economic policies. It’s provided a pipeline of policymakers to the White House, including former CEO Heather Boushey, now a member of President Joe Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers. 

Strom, a Yale and Oxford University graduate, previously held several roles in President Barack Obama’s administration, working on regulations including minimum wage and overtime protections for homecare workers and cracking down on for-profit colleges. She was also a part of the Biden-Harris transition team, with a focus on staffing the Office of Management and Budget.

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