New Faith Connections at the White House

President Biden signed an executive order re-establishing the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, reverting from the Trump administration’s Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives to the name used under the Obama administration. The office collaborates with church and local ministry leaders throughout the country to expand and advocate for their initiatives at the federal level.

Melissa Rogers has now been appointed to serve as the Executive Director. She held this same role during President Obama’s second term. Some of you who attended the 2015 DC Forum might remember her meeting with us in the White House complex. Melissa will simultaneously serve as Senior Director for Faith and Public Policy in the White House Domestic Policy Council.

Josh Dickson, who served as President Biden’s White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement and as the National Faith Engagement Director during the presidential campaign, will fill a newly created Deputy Director position, necessitated by the larger staff that comes from combining the Office of Public Engagement and the Domestic Policy Office. Trey Baker will serve as the Liaison to Black Communities for the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Together, they will reach across ten federal agencies.

Originally published in the March 1 issue of Street Smart.