People in the news

Gabriella Gomez

Assistant Secretary for the Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs at the Department of Education (since May 2009)

(Department of Ed)

Why She Matters

Gomez has the most important qualification for being the Education Department's assistant secretary for the Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs: a strong relationship with key members of Congress.

Before becoming part of Barack Obama's administration, Gomez worked for three years as the senior education policy adviser to Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. She also spent five years at the American Federation of Teachers, where she lobbied Congress on education policy.

Read more

Background

At a Glance

Career History: Senior education policy advisor for the House Committee on Education and Labor (2006 to 2009; Assistant director for the department of legislation at American Federation of Teachers (2001 to 2006); Legislative assistant for Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez (D-Texas) (1997 to 2000); Legislative fellow for the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources (1997); Special assistant for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans at the Department of Education (1996)