People in the news

Christina Reynolds

Managing Director in Public Affairs, Glover Park Group (since March 2010)

Why She Matters

In some senses, Reynolds was the keeper of Barack Obama's message. Though dozens of people work in the White House communications shop, Reynolds served during the first year of the Illinois Democrat's presidency as the director of media affairs, meaning it is her job to make sure members of the media know the opinion of the White House.

Reynolds has spent most of her career on political campaigns - with the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, along with the Senate campaigns of Tim Johnson, Tom Daschle and John Edwards.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: White House Director of Media Affairs (since January 2009-March 2010); Rapid response director for Obama for America (June 2008-November 2008); Deputy campaign manager for Progressive Media USA (March 2008 to June 2008); Research director for John Edwards for President (Jan. 2007 to Feb. 2008); Research and issues director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (Jan. 2005 to Nov. 2006); Adviser to Sen. Tom Daschle 's re-election campaign (March 2004 to Nov. 2004); Research director for Edwards for President (Jan. 2003 to March 2004); Research director for Tim Johnson for South Dakota (March 2002 to Nov. 2002); Deputy research director for the Democratic National Committee (Jan. 2001 to March 2002); Senior research analyst for the DNC (Jan. 1999 to Jan. 2001); Research analyst for Edwards for Senate (May 1998 to Nov. 1998); Public education coordinator and administrative assistant for ACLU-North Carolina (May 1997 to April 1998)
Birthday: April 27, 1975
Hometown: Born in Fredericksburg and grew up in Virginia, Florida, California and North Carolina. Considers North Carolina home.

Alma Mater: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A. (journalism and political science), 1997
Religion: Presbyterian
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Path to Power

A self-described Marine brat, Reynolds was born in Fredericksburg, Va., and moved 10 times before heading off to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her father was in the marines and was a pilot on Marine One when Reynolds was a young child. For much of Reynolds' youth, including during the First Gulf War, her father was deployed. Her mother was a teacher and raised two children while her husband was overseas.

Reynolds studied journalism and political science at UNC. "I went to journalism school thinking that I'd either be a journalist or in public relations - and ended up loving my PR classes," Reynolds said. She graduated in 1997 and immediately took a job as the public education coordinator and administrative assistant for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in North Carolina.

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The Issues

"For media affairs, our goal is to ensure that no matter how you get your news, you get the White House's message and policies," Reynolds said. That means that her office is constantly in contact with media outlets, big and small, around the country. She supervised a group that included regional communications directors, an African-American media director, a Hispanic media director, a specialty media director, two press assistants, a response director and a deputy response director. Together, they scheduled conference calls with reporters and administration officials, responded to media inquiries and coordinated outreach to media outlets.

As the director of media affairs, Reynolds didn't have a policy portfolio. Instead, "one of my favorite parts of my job [was] getting to learn a little something about many issues," she says. Early in Obama's term, she focused on the economy, including the stimulus package, the bailout of the automobile industry and the budget.

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The Network

The Office of Media Affairs is in the White House communications department, so Reynolds reported to former Communications Director Anita Dunn and her deputy Daniel Pfeiffer, both of whom she worked with on the 2002 and 2004 Daschle and Johnson campaigns. She spent a large chunk of her career on campaigns for former Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards, and also worked on the campaigns of Sen. Tim Johnson and former Sen. Tom Daschle.

Other top players in Obama's network came from Daschle's campaign or office, including: senior adviser Pete Rouse, DNC Executive Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, and White House Deputy Director of Political Affairs Patrick Dillon. Reynolds worked with Assistant Press Secretary Tommy Vietor and both Patrick and Jennifer Dillon on Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign.

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Additional Resources