As the Biden-Harris administration pledges diverse staffing to reflect the country, several individuals of Filipino descent have been named to key roles to help shape policies across the federal government.
The latest Filipino American to join the new leadership is Michael George, who has dedicated his career examining how policy can improve social mobility and reduce inequalities.
George, whose parents are originally from the Philippines and India, announced that he will be joining Vice President Kamala Harris’ team as a policy advisor.
1/ As the son of Indian and Filipino immigrants, I’m honored and humbled to share some personal news: I’ve started a new job as a Policy Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, our first Asian American VP.
— Michael C. George (@byMichaelGeorge) February 4, 2021
“As the son of Indian and Filipino immigrants, I’m honored and humbled to share some personal news: I’ve started a new job as a Policy Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, our first Asian American VP,” George, who served on the Biden-Harris transition for economic policy, wrote on Twitter.
Before joining the administration, George was a program officer on economic mobility and opportunity for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“Our economy has been broken for too many people for too long — long before COVID-19 and even before the Great Recession. I would know: my own family lost our nest egg in the Enron scandal in 2001,” he added in another tweet.
He continued, “That experience taught me that big problems need policy solutions that meet the moment. I’ve devoted my career to combating inequality and to ensuring that all of us, not just the powerful, can succeed in our economy. Time to get to work!”
George previously worked at the White House National Economic Council during the Obama administration.
He studied government and economics at Harvard University, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He received his master’s degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar.
