United States’ President-elect Joe Biden has appointed Nigerian-American Osaremen Okolo as a member of his COVID-19 Response Team.
Okolo, daughter of Nigerian immigrants, was named Mr Biden’s COVID policy advisor, according to a statement by the transition team.
“Prior to joining the transition, Okolo served as Senior Health Policy Advisor to US Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. Okolo drafted, negotiated, and managed the Congresswoman’s legislation, oversight, and policy across a comprehensive health care and public health agenda, most recently focusing almost exclusively on the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement reads.
She is among the first 100 White House appointees named on Wednesday.
Okolo had also served as legislative aide for health policy on the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour, and Pensions for Ranking Member Patty Murray of Washington, the team added.
The new appointee, whose parents are reportedly from Edo State, was born and raised in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College.
According to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the COVID-19 Response Team will “work to quickly implement a comprehensive, whole-of-government COVID-19 response strategy to contain the pandemic, restore public trust, and protect all Americans.”
Nigerian-born Adewale Adeyemo has already been named deputy treasury secretary.
