Ronald Reagan Building, Washington DC
ADMINISTRATOR POWER: Thank you, Paloma, for kicking us off. And welcome to everyone who is joining us here in person, and those tuning in virtually from around the world. I am so excited to be here to swear in Jodi Herman as our new Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs.
I also want to start by thanking Margaret. We’ve all been waiting for this day to come, but it’s fair to say Margaret may have had an incentive to help spearhead this confirmation process.
Imagine what it takes to do the job just of General Counsel and then throw in not just the legislative leading job, but the legislative and public affairs, and all the communications—internal and external for this Agency. As we entered this administration, with all of the challenges that always accompany transition and shifts in direction but particularly in light of some of the very particular challenges that awaited newcomers to this administration, Margaret, I don’t have any idea how you’ve done it.
You might say, “well, but you’re the Administrator of the Agency!” Yeah, but I have Margaret Taylor! Margaret Taylor doesn’t have Margaret Taylor. I had it very easy.
So, again, thanks to you, Margaret. And thanks to your family. I think the thing that gives is rarely the work, because you found a way to get everything done, but what gives is the extra space in one’s life, and we know that was a family sacrifice. Thank you, thank you for doing it.
Welcome to Jodi’s family—her husband Nate and her three children: Olivia, age 18; Eli, age 16; and Sam, age 14; who are here with us today as well as her mother Jan Christiansen and her sister Jill Mironer, tuning in virtually from Minnesota.
Finally, I want to take a moment to acknowledge two very important figures in Jodi’s life who couldn’t make it here today. The first is Mitzie, Jodi’s Boston terrier and the baby of the Herman household. Mitzie is also one in a long line of Boston terriers in the family, stretching all the way back to Jodi’s mother’s childhood.
The second is Jodi’s father, George Christiansen. I’ve been told that if George were still with us, he would have been thrilled to watch his daughter be sworn in. I would have known just how thrilled he actually was, because he would have told me—repeatedly. And it wouldn’t have been just me—everyone from his friends to his neighbors to the person delivering his mail would have known that his daughter was an Assistant Administrator at USAID. And he would have had every right to brag. Because in many ways, George was the inspiration for Jodi’s career in politics, and the person she is today.
Jodi grew up in a family steeped in local Minnesota politics. When she was in elementary school, her father ran for a seat on the school board, and his campaign operated from the family’s dinner table. Jodi was handing out campaign literature before she was old enough to read it. At dinner, George would lead rousing political discussions about the events of the day. He often played devil’s advocate, challenging Jodi to refine her opinions on everything from tax reform to affordable healthcare—a practice Jodi continues as a mom herself, to the annoyance of her three kids.
From her father, Jodi inherited a passion for politics. But she also inherited his determination, perseverance, and refusal to give up—qualities that have powered every step of her career. And I do mean every step—all the way back to elementary school.
When Jodi was in fourth grade, her sister Jill enrolled in a two-week summer language immersion camp in Minnesota, staffed by native speakers and language students. From the moment Jodi saw the camp, she was in love with the idea of one day attending herself. After a year of nagging, her parents agreed to sign her up for the two-week Spanish program the following summer. Her sister, Jill, was skeptical. On the drive up to camp, she asked Jodi what Spanish words she already knew.
Confidently, Jodi hit back with adios… agua… and that classic Spanish word: bonjour. But rather than let her ignorance silence her, she dove into the language, picking up more Spanish in just two short weeks than many of her classmates. Year after year, she returned to the camp—first for two-week sessions, then for month-long language credits, and finally as a counselor. By the time she was a junior in high school, her Spanish was so good that she decided to do a language exchange in Argentina.
That was Jodi—determined, adventurous, eager to visit new places. And it was a decision that set the course for her entire career. Her semester in Argentina led to college semesters in Poland and Hungary, along with travels to Eastern Europe just after the Wall came down. At a time of intense regional transition, she lived side by side with those fighting for economic transformation and political reforms.
Her time in Europe cemented her focus on democracy and human rights, and she returned to the United States with a deep appreciation for our democratic principles. But she was also restless. As her mother said, “She wanted to be somewhere else, see other places, meet other people.” After traveling in the world, Jodi was ready to be a part of it.
Jodi’s first foreign policy job was with then-Representative Bob Menendez. Quickly, she fell in love with the legislative process—building the relationships, writing the bills, winning over opposition support. She earned a reputation as a fierce, famously relentless advocate for the causes she cared about—securing, for example, the recognition of the Armenian genocide, long awaited, something she pushed for back in 2014 on the Hill, and that we finally saw bear fruit here in the Executive Branch a year ago. And over her years on the Hill, Jodi mastered the ins and outs of the legislative process and built relationships, and trust, on both sides of the aisle.
Besides her career on the Hill, Jodi holds a law degree from George Washington University—a degree she earned while working full time, and having two children—Olivia while she was in school, and Eli while studying for the bar. No big deal, right?
Eventually, she began working at the National Endowment for Democracy. NED awards grants to what Jodi calls “people-driven organizations”: identifying local leaders listening to the insights of their communities… and then funding those ideas. When some in Washington called to cut NED’s funding by almost 80 percent, Jodi worked around the clock, reaching out to partner organizations and supporters, making NED’s case—making democracy’s case—to both sides of the aisle. In the end, the endowment’s budget almost doubled—thanks in large part to Jodi’s advocacy. We’re certainly hoping she brings some of that magic to USAID!
Despite her relentless advocacy, Jodi was also well-respected and well-loved on both sides of the aisle. On a walk through Capitol Hill, coworkers remember her being stopped, and warmly embraced, by Senator Marco Rubio. Let’s just say I haven’t gotten that same treatment.
And it isn’t just Senators. Her employees admired her, as well. A former coworker said, “Jodi was a rock for me during two pregnancies and multiple job changes. She made herself vulnerable and shared her challenges so I could learn from her experiences.” Part of that openness may stem from Jodi’s commitment to her own family. Despite her schedule, she has always been there for her children—taking them camping and hiking, rain or shine; baking breads and her famous “man-catcher brownies” (which may be more for Nate’s benefit); and leading her children’s Girl Scout troops. To this day, she remains on the Advisory Board of the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital. As her brother-in-law said, “She’s a super mom and a super public servant. And she always puts family first.”
As head of the Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs, Jodi has a tough job—making USAID’s case to Congress, and to the American people. We all know that famous stat: that while we spend just a fraction of one percent of our total budget on foreign aid, most Americans think that number is over ten times higher. But it’s not just about correcting America’s math. For this agency to be successful, we have to convince Congress, and the public, that investing in other countries is an investment in our own. That America benefits from efforts to prevent conflict, cure diseases, and save lives beyond our shores. And that Americans should be proud of the good we do in the world.
We also know, here at USAID, that investing in turning public opinion is an investment in ourselves. It’s an investment in smoother Senate confirmations, friendlier budget negotiations, and a clearer path to achieving our most urgent priorities. Priorities like additional funding for the humanitarian response in Ukraine, right now, support for distributing COVID-19 vaccines around the world, supplemental funding for the global food crisis that is like nothing we have seen in our lifetimes.
Today, it’s more important than ever for us to bring our Mission to the American people. To show our fellow citizens that America cares. To show that America is competent, that we are great at what we do. And that what America does on the world stage unquestionably matters here at home.
So, there couldn’t be a better time to bring Jodi on board. We need her unrelenting drive, her empathy, her ability to connect with just about anyone. Jodi has spent her entire career—on the Hill, at State, at NED—working to preserve human dignity and promote democracy around the world.
Here at USAID, she’ll be helping us resource and communicate that effort. She’ll help secure support for anti-corruption and anti-poverty programs, economic resources for countries transitioning to democracy, funding for women’s empowerment and press freedoms. Her former coworker says it best: “When you’re with Jodi, you sense a drive from within to make the world better.”
We’re incredibly lucky to have her as a leader in our own fight to better the world. With that, it’s my pleasure to administer the oath of office.