President Obama Appoints Four Arts Leaders to Administration Posts

Today, President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Stephanie Cutter - Member, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
• Caroline "Kim" Taylor - Member, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
• Margaret Russell - General Trustee, Board of Trustees of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Mary Menell Zients - Chair, President's Commission on White House Fellowships

President Obama said, "I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to join this Administration and serve our country. I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come."

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Stephanie Cutter, Appointee for Member, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

Stephanie Cutter is a Partner and co-founder of Precision Strategies and a host of CNN's Crossfire. Previously, she was Deputy Campaign Manager for Obama for America. Ms. Cutter worked at the White House from 2010 to 2012, first as Assistant to the President for Special Projects and then as Assistant to the President and Deputy Senior Advisor. She was Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama during the 2008 Obama for America campaign. Ms. Cutter founded the Cutter Media Group in 2006, and previously served as a senior advisor to Senators Harry Reid and Edward M. Kennedy, and as Communications Director for Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign. She serves on the boards of Organizing for Action, the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. Ms. Cutter received a B.A. from Smith College and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Caroline "Kim" Taylor, Appointee for Member, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

Caroline "Kim" Taylor is currently a Trustee of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which encompasses the Tanglewood Music Center and the Boston Pops. During her 30-year tenure with the organization, she has held various positions including Senior Manager and Director of Public Relations and Marketing. She has performed as a singer with her husband, James Taylor, at venues around the world and acted in regional theater, television, and film. Earlier in her career, she was a freelance writer for the Boston Globe and Boston Magazine. Ms. Taylor received a B.A. in English Literature from Smith College.

Margaret Russell, Appointee for General Trustee, Board of Trustees of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Margaret Russell is Editor in Chief of Architectural Digest magazine, a position she has held since 2010. Prior to joiningArchitectural Digest, she served as Vice President and Editor in Chief of Elle Decor, a publication that she helped launch in 1989. Ms. Russell is a frequent lecturer on architecture and interior design, and has been featured on numerous television shows including Bravo's Top Design. She is a Trustee of God's Love We Deliver and the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club. She also serves on the Advisory Council of the Philip Johnson Glass House. Ms. Russell received a B.A. from Brown University.

Mary Menell Zients, Appointee for Chair, President's Commission on White House Fellowships

Mary Menell Zients is a founder and Board Chair of the Urban Alliance Foundation in Washington, D.C. Previously, Ms. Zients was Chair of the Women for Women International board from 2005 to 2012, and currently serves on the board's Executive Committee. Earlier in her career, she spent four years in strategic management consulting for Fortune 500 companies at Bain & Company. She is currently President of the Board of Trustees of the Maret School in Washington, D.C., was a founding board member of City Year South Africa, and serves as Chair of the U.S. Committee supporting the establishment of the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital. Ms. Zients received a B.A. from Harvard College and an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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