Kirsten Allen to become Kamala Harris’ new press secretary

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The national COVID-19 response spokesperson at the Department of Health and Human Services has been tapped to serve as the new press secretary for Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Kirsten Allen previously worked as Harris’ deputy national press secretary and African American media director during her 2020 presidential campaign, New York Post reports. She is expected to start her new high-profile position in the next few days, focusing on national news outlets. 

“Kirsten brings a unique blend of talents as a communicator, as well as a history with the vice president,” Communications Director Jamal Simmons told CNN. “So, we feel very fortunate that we’re going to be able to bring together two people, both Ernie (Apreza) and Kirsten, who’ve worked for the vice president before. They will bring that history as well as loyalty and ability to this job.”

At the height of the coronavirus crisis, Allen worked as the communications director for the US House Select Subcommittee as well as deputy communications director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. She is replacing Symone Sanders as VP Harris’ new press secretary. Sanders is among the growing list of people who have departed Harris’ office since last summer. 

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Sanders joined Vice President Harris’s communications team after serving as a senior advisor for then-candidate Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign, theGrio reported. She departed Harris’ office in December and is now an MSNBC host. 

In a letter to staff announcing her exit, reported by Politico, Sanders wrote: “I’m so grateful to the VP for her vote of confidence from the very beginning and the opportunity to see what can be unburdened by what has been. I’m grateful for [Harris chief of staff] Tina [Flournoy] and her leadership and her confidence as well. Every day, I arrived to the White House complex knowing our work made a tangible difference for Americans. I am immensely grateful and will miss working for her and with all of you.”

Most recently, Harris’ longest-serving press staffer, Sabrina Singh, announced she is leaving her role as deputy press secretary to join the Department of Defense. Ernesto Apreza, a senior adviser in the White House Office of Public Engagement, will reportedly fill the vacancy.

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Per the New York Post, in addition to Sanders and Singh, the following have parted ways with Harris since she took office — Director of Digital Strategies Rajun Kaur, Director of Advance Karly Satkowiak, Deputy Director of Advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi, Communications Director Ashley Etienne, Director of Press Operations Peter Velz, Deputy Director of Public Engagement Vince Evans, Speechwriting Director Kate Childs Graham, and National Security Adviser Nancy McEldowney.

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