White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Senior Vice President and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at the White House Historical Association Dr. Colleen Shogan Named Next White House Archivist

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Today, The White House announced the nomination of Dr. Colleen Shogan, the White House Historical Association’s Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History, as the next Archivist of the United States.

Dr. Colleen Shogan (far left) with Abby Phillip, Bartlett Sher, Karen Knutson, and Cambra Overend

In a White House Historical Association Press Release, President of the Association, Stewart McLaurin said “Dr. Shogan is an extraordinary leader who has helped achieve our mission, begun more than 60 years ago, to promote the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the White House in a non-partisan and education-based manner. She is a terrific colleague with vision, integrity, and principal. She will be an incredible archivist of the United States.”

Click here to read more about Colleen.

Dr. Robert Montgomery, Chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Langone Health and Director of NYU Langone Transplant Institute Speaks at the Ukraine Journalist Fundraiser

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Famed transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Montgomery, chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Langone Health and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, who traveled to Ukraine in May to perform life-saving surgeries at the Lviv Transplant Center, and has since raised $280,000 for essential operating room equipment for the center, said of the Ukrainian people: “Their resilience is something I will never forget.”

Inaugural DC Power Index Prize Honors Six Outstanding Women Leaders

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(L to R) Hosts Joanna Coles and DeDe Lea, Honorees Sheila Johnson, Dr. Christine Grady, Officer Caroline Edwards, Denyce Graves, Melora Hardin, and Host Teresa Carlson 

In a city known for its power lunches, the new DC Power Index tops them all. Building on the incredibly successful Power 100 Lunch created by legendary magazine editor Joanna Coles, on Wednesday, July 20th, Coles was joined by Microsoft corporate vice president and cloud pioneer Teresa Carlson, and media powerhouse DeDe Lea, Paramount Global’s executive vice president for global public policy and government affairs, as hosts of the DC Power Index Prize and awards lunch at Cafe Milano in Georgetown.

“Women from D.C. have been traveling to New York for the last decade for the Power 100 lunch, but there are so many extraordinary women here in Washington, we wanted to broaden the scope of those we honor,” Coles told The Hill.

(L to R) CBS News EVP of Newsgathering Ingrid Ciprian Matthews, New CNN Global Communications Chief Kristine Coratti, and VP of Government Affairs at Chevron Karen Knutson 

“Washington is where women are running congressional committees, newsrooms, museums, embassies, and foundations. We’re breaking stories, creating public policy, interpreting the law, and enforcing it,” the former Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief said.

Host DeDe Lea with CBS Evening News Anchor Norah O’Donnell 

The DC Power Index celebrates women who exemplify resilience, foster innovation, exhibit flexibility in times of crisis and make a social and cultural impact. Recipients of the first DC Power Index Prize included: Ambassador Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Denyce Graves, the Emmy and Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano, director, and alumna of DC’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts; Sheila Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and a partner in Monumental Sports & Entertainment; Melora Hardin, the Emmy-nominated actress, director, singer, and activist, known for her roles on The Office, The Bold Type, Monk and Transparent; Dr. Christine Grady, chief of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health and wife of Dr. Tony Fauci; and Officer Caroline Edwards of the United States Capitol Police, for her bravery and sacrifice in defending the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection of January 6, 2021.

Joanna Coles presents the DC Power Index Prize to Dr. Christine Grady 

The 120 powerful women gathered at the red-carpeted event to mingle over champagne before taking their seats for the lunch. Joanna kickstarted the event by first presenting the Power Index Prize to Dr. Christine Grady for her contributions to the field of bioethics, particularly surrounding ethical challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Grady has been married to Dr. Anthony Fauci for the last 37 years, and in the wake of his recently announced retirement, we asked Dr. Grady what she and her husband’s plans were. Her response? “We have some plans, you know, going from a 16 to 18-hour workday to something else is going to be very different.” It certainly will be. 

Dr. Grady’s award acceptance was followed by Melora Hardin, for her authenticity in Hollywood, and for her groundbreaking and empowering performances; and then  Yaroslav Brisiuck, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Ukraine, who accepted the award for Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova for her tireless advocacy and representation of her country during this year of crisis and war in Ukraine.

Yaroslav Brisiuck Making Remarks on Behalf of Ambassador Markarova 

Brisiuck made a powerful and moving speech on the tumultuous year that Ukraine has had, and the importance of the US’s allyship with the struggling nation. “This means a lot. It shows recognition of her role as an advocate of Ukraine at these most challenging times in our history. We’re at war, we’re fighting, and she’s advocating for more support of the United States for Ukraine in this fight” Brisiuck said.   

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Presenting the DC Power Index Prize to Officer Caroline Edwards 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) then introduced and honored U.S. Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards for her bravery and sacrifice in defending the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection of January 6, 2021. 

Officer Edwards touched on the importance of women across all industries, especially within her experience with the January 6th Committee Hearings. “Women have also been an integral part of the hearings. I find myself in a sisterhood with Shaye Moss, Ruby Freeman, Cassidy Hutchinson and tomorrow, Sarah Matthews will take the stand. Among us are countless women in Congress like Sen. Klobuchar who are working tirelessly to make sure that justice will be served. It gives me hope and it gives me joy to see so many women finding their voice, so many women saying ‘I will not be silent in the face of injustice,’ so many women who have found the courage to continue despite threats, obstacles, and suffering. I don’t believe that the future is female. I believe the present is female.”

Sheila Johnson Making Remarks 

DeDe Lea awarded Sheila Johnson for leading the way for women entrepreneurs, championing women in sports, and her extensive philanthropic work. Finally, Teresa Carlson presented the prize to Denyce Graves for her more than three decades of contributions to the musical arts, and for her leadership of the Denyce Graves Foundation, which shares the untold stories of underrepresented musicians who helped shape what American classical music is today.

Host Teresa Carlson Presenting Denyce Graves with the DC Power Index Prize 

The audience of 120 women collaborated and connected together, while listening to the awe-inspiring speeches made by the six dynamic women who were honored. Other guests included Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Norah O’Donnell, Kristine Coratti Kelly, Kathleen Buhle, Karen Knutson, Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, Rima Al-Sabah, Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar, Nigerian Ambassador Uzoma Emenike, Amna Nawaz, Deborah Rutter, Julie Kent, Sali Christeson, Aya Kanai, Sophia Narrett, Sally Quinn, Carol Melton, and Kimberley Fritts.

Uber DC Hosts 2022 Midterm Election Preview feat. Jonathan Martin, Symone Sanders, and Liam Donovan 

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Symone Sanders, Jonathan Martin, and Liam Donovan

Uber’s federal affairs team hosted a conversation previewing the midterms at their D.C. office on Monday evening. The New York Times’s Jonathan Martin moderated the conversation with Symone Sanders, Host of MSNBC’s Symone, and Liam Donovan, NRSC veteran, and GOP commentator.

CR Wooters presenting Symone Sanders with a bottle of champagne

CR Wooters, Uber’s Head of Federal Affairs, presented recently married Symone Sanders with a bottle of champagne when she arrived to kick off the evening. Guests mingled over light appetizers and drinks, and Jonathan Martin signed copies of his new book, This Will Not Pass. 

CR Wooters making remarks

The panel touched on every aspect of politics today and the top issues facing voters in November. Symone, Jonathan, and Liam discussed President Biden’s dismal approval rating, hot states for the midterms like Georgia and Michigan, the January 6th committee hearings, and whether former President Trump will announce a run for 2024.

Jonathan Martin poses as he autographs books
Uber’s CR Wooters with Symone Sanders, Jonathan Martin, and Liam Donovan

SPOTTED: Paul Kane, Josh Dawsey, Adrienne Elrod, Steve Benjamin, Heather Podesta, Ali Rubin, Rachel Levitan, Dan Meyers, Daniel Strauss, David Schnittger, Alex Conant, Alice Stewart, CR Wooters, Meridith McGraw, Rebecca Buck and Bryan DeAngelis.

White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin Hosts Lunch Featuring Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher

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Bart Sher, Denyce Graves, and Stewart McLaurin

All rise! White House Historical Association President Stewart D. McLaurin hosted a lunch for Tony award-winning director of To Kill a Mockingbird (playing at Kennedy Center until July 10) Bartlett Sher and his producer Cambra Overend at Decatur House on Wednesday. 

Patricia Harrison and Sheila Burke

Sher also discussed the development of his new Broadway production of Camelot (debuting November 3rd) with Aaron Sorkin, his partner for To Kill a Mockingbird.

Anita McBride and Bartlett Sher

Sher and his producing partner Overend were last in Washington to screen the HBO Films version of their Broadway play, Oslo, which captured the story behind the historic 1993 South Lawn “Oslo handshake” between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, orchestrated by President Bill Clinton.

Cambra Overend, Stewart McLaurin, and Bartlett Sher

SPOTTED: Ambassador Rufus Gifford, opera singer Denyce Graves, Anita McBride, journalists Robert Costa, Abby Phillip, and Elisabeth Bumiller, and Sheila Burke, Patricia Harrison, Colleen Shogan, Karen Knutson, Senay Bulbul, Peggy Grande, Royce Dickerson and Tammy Haddad

White House Historical Association Bartlett Sher Lunch, July 6th, 2022

USA Today Names White House Historical Association President Stewart D. McLaurin to its Board of Contributors

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Stewart D. McLaurin, Photo Courtesy of the White House Historical Association

Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association (WHHA), launched a new monthly column with USA Today aimed at educating readers about White House history and its impact on Americans’ lives. USA Today named McLaurin to its Board of Contributors. 

“The White House stands as a symbol of freedom and democracy to billions of people around the world,” said McLaurin, “and this new column aims to inspire Americans and others across the globe to learn more about the rich history of the White House and its residents.”

First up: some clever insight and beautiful photos showing that when it comes to weddings, presidents and their families aren’t exactly like the rest of us. McLaurin addresses White House family weddings and receptions – and how presidential families throughout American history have balanced the intimacy of a family ceremony with the demands of living their lives in the public spotlight.

McLaurin points out that more than a dozen family weddings have been held at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Tricia Nixon was the first to have an outdoor wedding in the Rose Garden back in June 1971. President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will celebrate the wedding of their granddaughter at the White House this November.

“It’s hard to imagine any future White House family wedding being anything other than a national event,” McLaurin writes. “But it’s important to remember that at the center of each American presidency is a family, trying to fashion a life and find private moments on one of the world’s biggest stages.” 

Future USA Today columns will explore and connect White House history to current events and timeless themes in American life today.

Washington Women Technology Network Fêtes MSNBC’s Katy Tur on New Memoir, Co-Hosted by Jessica Nigro and Tammy Haddad

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L to R: Jessica Nigro of Lucid Motors with MSNBC’s Katy Tur

The Washington Women Technology Network gathered some of the most powerful women in media, politics, and tech this morning at the Jefferson Hotel in D.C. to celebrate the success of MSNBC anchor Katy Tur’s new bestselling memoir, Rough Draft. 

Jessica Nigro, Global Head of Public Policy at Lucid Motors, and Tammy Haddad, CEO of Haddad Media, joined forces to co-host the powerhouse breakfast and intimate conversation with the New York Times bestselling author.

Following welcome remarks from Jessica Nigro, Tur recounted some of the highs and lows highlighted in her memoir, including her 510 days on the road covering Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, as well as the hard challenges she faced in her personal life and the hopes and aspirations she held for the future.

In a deeply raw and personal way, Tur also opened up about her parents – legendary news journalists in their own right – and what it was like growing up exposed to their rocky marriage and often abusive relationship. Her father was a news helicopter pilot and journalist in Los Angeles, and her mother, the cameraman. Tur, who often took flight chasing news with her parents, writes, “I felt more comfortable [in the helicopter] than I felt in my own bed.”

The breakfast ended with guests asking the author questions, some serious, and some fun, such as:

“So was there a car-seat in the helicopter?”

“Of course…our dog was there too,” was Katy’s easy reply. 

View photos from the WWTN event here. To order a copy of Rough Draft, click here.

SPOTTED:  Katy Tur, Jessica Nigro, Tammy Haddad, Peggy Collins, Liz Hart, Alexa Verveer, Yasmeen Abutaleb, Heather Podesta, Amira Aly, Kris Coratti, Veronica Deleon, Susan Fox, Kimberley Fritts, Juleanna Glover, Anne Marie Lewis, Nat Lingo, Julissa Marenco, Kelley McCormick, Susan Page, Rachel Pearson, Elizabeth Ralph

Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino Previews the Molina Family Latino Gallery

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Washington, DC – Today, leaders from the Smithsonian Institution and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino previewed the Molina Family Latino Gallery with its first exhibition, “¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States.” 

The Molina Family Latino Gallery, which is located within the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, opens to the public on Saturday, June 18. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino was chartered by Congress on December 27, 2020, and the gallery marks the first physical presence of the National Museum of the American Latino, offering exhibitions and programs leading up to the opening of the museum’s building. 

“¡Buenos días! ¡Bienvenido! Thank you for coming to the Molina Family Latino Gallery, welcomed Julissa Marenco, Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs and CMO for the Smithsonian Institution. “Today is a special and historic day for the Smithsonian and for American Latinos.”

“Today we celebrate this gallery, and soon we will experience an entire museum,” said Jorge Zamanillo, founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino. “As I’ve said before, the Latino experience is American history, and this important initiative ensures our rich Latino history will be preserved for future generations.”

The gallery’s creation and design was led by Eduardo Díaz, acting deputy director of the National Museum of the American Latino. At the preview, Díaz said, “History is backward looking, but we are on the forefront of sharing our rich tapestry, and the American Latino community is going to go so much further.”

Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History where the gallery is located, remarked, “Our museum tells the story of our nation, empowering people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past. And today, we welcome a new and necessary chapter to that story with the history of American Latinos.”

The five children of the late Dr. C. David and Mrs. Mary Molina collectively donated $10 million to support this gallery to honor their parents’ legacy of giving back to the community. Dr. Molina was a healthcare leader in California who founded the publicly traded Fortune 500 company Molina Healthcare. 

“When I saw my father’s stethoscope, I choked up,” said John Molina, philanthropist and one of the Molina children, who saw the gallery for the first time today. “When he started out, he literally took care of people in our kitchen sink.” He continued, “We are proud to support this gallery and the new museum, and you will always have the support of the Molina family.”

According to the Smithsonian, “The 4,500-square-foot gallery…will present bilingual stories for multigenerational and cross-cultural audiences featuring multimedia, physical objects, and first-person voices.” The gallery is also one of the most accessible and inclusive of its kind, featuring exhibitions in English and Spanish, including 13 unique QR codes and cane-detectable edges and protrusions to access text in audio format. For more information, visit latino.si.edu.