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Kirsten Allen, the national press secretary for the COVID-19 response at the Department of Health and Human Services, has reportedly been hired as Vice President Kamala Harris’ chief spokesperson following a myriad of staffing changes in the veep’s office.
Communications director Jamal Simmons confirmed the hire to CNN, saying Allen “brings a unique blend of talents as a communicator, as well as a history with the vice president.”
“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,” he added.
Allen is expected to start within the next few days and will be focusing on national news outlets.
She first worked for Harris as the deputy national press secretary and African-American media director for the then-Senator’s abortive 2020 presidential campaign.
Allen has also worked as the communications director for the House Select Subcommittee on the COVID-19 crisis and deputy communications director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Allen’s hire was teased last week in a memo sent out by Simmons announcing the departure of deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh – who has been replaced by Apreza – for a role at the Pentagon.
A source familiar with the office told CNN that Allen’s background with Harris will be beneficial.
“With Sabrina leaving, it will be helpful to have people who have a longer history with [Harris] because Sabrina brought that to the office,” the source said.
In addition to Singh, at least nine other officials have departed Harris’ office since this past summer — 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, and national security adviser Nancy McEldowney.
Allen will be replacing Sanders, who left in December and was later hired as a host by MSNBC.
While it is not uncommon for staffers in the White House to shift positions around one year into a new administration, the steady stream of departures has raised eyebrows as they coincided with growing criticism over the vice president’s reported ill-treatment of staff.
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