Dina Powell is reportedly joining Donald Trump’s White House as a senior advisor.
Given that the Goldman Sachs (GS) partner has been acting as an informal advisor to Ivanka Trump for some time, the appointment, which Politico reported on Wednesday, does not come as a complete surprise. Powell’s role is expected to focus on “entrepreneurship, economic growth and the empowerment of women,” according to the publication.
Powell declined to confirm the report. Coins2Day has reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment and will update this story with any response.
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Powell currently heads Goldman Sach’s Impact Investing team and the Goldman Sachs Foundation—the bank’s charitable arm—as well as “10,000 Women,” one of Goldman’s major initiatives focused on helping female entrepreneurs around the world. She has made a name for herself as an expert on women’s economic empowerment, frequently speaking on the topic at industry gatherings (including Coins2Day‘s Most Powerful Women events).
While Powell has spent the past few years in the private sector, this appointment will not be her first stint in the White House.
In 2003, when she was just 29, she became the youngest person ever to direct the presidential personnel office, according to a 2005 American Thinker piece. At the time, White House political advisor Karl Rove described her to the publication as “very competent, an eloquent and confident speaker, and a vibrant personality who has the ability to get the job done.”
Powell was later nominated by George W. Bush to a position in the public diplomacy division of the state department. “She believes deeply in the American experience, in American values, and wants to share those values with people around the world,” said the former president at the time.
Powell isn’t the first woman to join the Trump White House. His former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, was named presidential counselor last month, while former The Apprentice contest Omarosa Manigault was been named director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison last week. The Senate confirmation hearing for Elaine Chao, Trump’s pick for transportation secretary, began earlier Wednesday.
The appointment comes in the wake of news that Ivanka Trump will not be formally joining the White House at this time, as some pundits previously predicted. Instead, her husband, Jared Kushner has also been appointed to a senior advisory role. However, she may eventually begin taking high-profile stands on policies related to women’s economic issues, Axios reported Wednesday.
