Opinion: Desiree Rogers named Obamas’ White House social secretary

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The life of a president-elect may not be especially thrilling right now. See The Ticket’s report from this morning on the president-elect’s briefly humdrum life.

But Desiree Rogers, a prominent Chicago businesswoman, is receiving loads of attention today. Barack Obama named the 49-year-old Rogers as his White House social secretary this morning, making her the first African American to hold that position, like her boss.

Rogers happens to be a friend of Michelle and a major fundraiser for the Obama campaign.

She’ll leave her position managing social networking at Allstate Financial to join the cabinet.

Before that, Rogers managed the Illinois lottery in the 1990s, appearing on TV as a show host and becoming a local celebrity of sorts.

As social secretary, she’ll use her Rolodex of social and professional contacts to organize White House events. The job encompasses everything from arranging parties for the First Lady and president to staging state dinners.

And while all the Cabinet members are celebrating their swearing-in the day after Obama’s inauguration, they’ll have Rogers to thank for the event, which will be one of her first official projects.

Ann Stock, a social secretary in the Clinton administration, briefed Rogers on the job last week. Amy Zantzinger is the current social secretary for the Bush Administration.

-- Mark Milian

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