Indian American named to key White House position
February 8th, 2009 - 11:37 am ICT by IANS
Washington, Feb 7 (IANS) President Barack Obama has named Indian American lawyer Nicholas Rathod as one of three Deputy Associate Directors of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, a key staff position.
“I am confident that Jodi, Michael and Nick will be valuable members of our team,” Obama said making the announcement Friday naming Rathod, Jodi Archambault Gillette and Michael Blake.
“These individuals bring diverse experiences and a deep passion for public service to my administration. As we work to serve the American people and make this White House as open and transparent as possible, it’s essential that we hear from citizens in all our communities,” he said.
Rathod served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Obama-Biden Transition Project. He has also worked as the Deputy Director of the Federal Affairs Office for New York Governor David Paterson and Senior Manager of State and Regional Affairs for the Centre for American Progress.
As a community organiser, Rathod organised Washington DC’s immigrant communities around language access issues and a civil rights attorney, representing minority communities who were discriminated against in lending, including a one billion dollar settlement on behalf of African American farmers.
Rathod is also active in the South Asian community, co-founding the South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) as well as South Asians for Obama (SAFO).
He is the recipient of the Frederick B. Abramson award recognising Washington DC’s top public interest attorneys and is the 2005 National South Asian Bar Association’s national public interest attorney of the year.
- South Asians seek rejection of tough US immigration law - Apr 26, 2012
- Fight terror without blame: rights groups on 9/11 anniversary - Sep 01, 2011
- Ten years after 9/11, Indian Americans have come a long way - Sep 10, 2011
- South Asian Americans seek return to diversity ideals - Sep 16, 2011
- A million strong Indian-American voters gain political clout - Mar 11, 2012
- Top Indians in the Obama administration - Mar 10, 2012
- President Obama nominates new Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance - Mar 02, 2010
- South Asians seek return to US ideals of fairness, inclusion - Sep 12, 2011
- 'Dirty' Asian shops? Former Washington mayor under fire - Apr 07, 2012
- Obama visit: All the president's desis - Oct 24, 2010
- Obama campaign reaches out to Indian Americans (Lead) - Feb 24, 2012
- Asian American bodies denounce hearings targeting Muslims - Mar 11, 2011
- Obama campaign reaches out to Indian Americans - Feb 24, 2012
- More South Asians making Washington DC their home - Jul 22, 2009
- Indian origin Kal Pen re-joins White House job after filming 'Harold & Kumar' sequel - Nov 16, 2010
Tags: african american farmers, american lawyer, associate directors, award recognising, barack obama, centre for american progress, david paterson, deep passion, dollar settlement, federal affairs, intergovernmental affairs, michael blake, national public interest, public interest attorneys, safo, south asian americans, south asian community, south asians, transition project, white house office