Vice President Kamala Harris’ office is getting some much-needed reinforcement in the coming weeks with the hiring of Erin Wilson as Harris’ deputy chief of staff.
A White House official confirmed the hire to The Post Monday. Wilson is joining Harris’ office from the White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach, where she currently works as deputy director.
Wilson will officially assume her new role on May 31. The Pennsylvania native previously served as national political director for President Biden’s campaign and has worked as a Senate and Democratic National Committee staffer.
In an email to her team, Wilson said she was “excited” to join the vice president’s office and looking “forward to continuing the work to build back better.”
White House deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillion described Wilson as a “key leader” of Biden’s political team since the beginning of his presidential bid in 2019.
Dillion added that Wilson’s “work to build a historic coalition of supporters helped make the first 15 months of this Administration a success.”
“Her leadership, dedication, and thoughtfulness will be an asset to the Vice President’s team.”
Wilson will be replacing Michael Fuchs, who announced in early April that he would be leaving the Harris team.
“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve in this administration, working for the Vice President and President on behalf of the American people,” Fuchs wrote in an internal email.
“Fifteen months later, it’s almost difficult to recall the magnitude of the challenges we faced when we came in, from an unprecedented pandemic to historically difficult economic circumstances. And it is thanks to the work of this administration — and all of you — that our country has had such success in tackling these challenges and turning things around.”
Harris’ office has been hamstrung by 12 major departures since last summer. Most recently, the vice president’s chief of staff Tina Flournoy announced last month that she would be leaving her post.
Previous staffers to leave include director of digital strategies Rajun Kaur, director of advance Karly Satkowiak, deputy director of advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi, communications director Ashley Etienne, chief spokesperson Symone Sanders, director of press operations Peter Velz, deputy director of public engagement Vince Evans, speechwriting director Kate Childs Graham, deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, and national security adviser Nancy McEldowney.
While it is not uncommon for staffers in the White House to shift positions during and after the first year of an administration and ahead of the midterm elections, questions have been raised as many of the departures from Harris’ office coincided with increased criticism over her reported treatment of her staff.
Still, the White House has defended the turnover, with press secretary Jen Psaki describing working in the first year of a White House as “exciting and rewarding but it’s also grueling and exhausting.”
“If you look at past precedent, it’s natural for staffers who have thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on to a new challenge after a few years and that is applicable to many of these individuals,” she said at the time of Sanders and Etienne’s departures late last year.
Psaki herself is also leaving her post at the White House later this week.
She will be replaced by current deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre — who will be the first black woman and openly LGBTQ person to serve as the chief White House spokesperson.
Psaki’s last day at the White House is May 13. She is expected to start a gig with MSNBC soon after.
