Daniel Koh

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Dan Koh | image = Daniel Koh, White House Deputy Cabinet Secretary.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2021 | birth_name = Daniel Arrigg Koh | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|1|1}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = {{marriage|Amy Sennett|June 23, 2016}} | children = 2 | relatives = Howard Koh (father)<br>Harold Koh (uncle) | education = Harvard University (BA, MBA) }} '''Daniel Arrigg Koh''' (born January 1, 1985)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/20/wunderkind-but-chief-staff-for-mayor-martin-walsh-has-public-service-his-dna/LAlTNRCosPU66GgqG4hpAN/story.html |title=Chief of staff hits a chord with Mayor Walsh - the Boston Globe |work=The Boston Globe }}</ref> is an American politician. Koh was Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden and deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.<ref name="whop">{{Cite web |title=Daniel Arrigg Koh {{!}} IGA |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/iga/meet-the-team/dan-koh/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Koh was born to doctors Howard K. Koh and Claudia A. Arrigg, the middle of three children. His father later served as United States Assistant Secretary for Health for President Barack Obama. Koh's mother is the granddaughter of Lebanese emigrants who arrived in Lawrence, Massachusetts in the 1890s.<ref>{{cite web |last=Burnley |first=Malcolm |date=March 6, 2018 |title=Koh, What a Life |url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2018/03/06/dan-koh-congress/ |access-date=November 27, 2024 |website=Boston Magazine}}</ref> His uncle, Harold Hongju Koh, was Dean of Yale Law School and a Legal Adviser of the Department of State.

Koh and his two siblings graduated from Phillips Academy,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Claudia A. Arrigg, MD, MEd {{!}} Ophthalmologist |url=https://www.bostonvision.com/doctor/claudia-a-arrigg-md-med/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=Boston Vision |language=en-US}}</ref> where their mother attended and serves as an Alumni Trustee.<ref>{{Cite web |title=For Legacy Family, Andover Is 'Always Home' |url=https://www.andover.edu/news/2017/for-legacy-family-andover-is-always-home |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=Andover {{!}} An independent and inclusive coed boarding high school |language=en-US}}</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daniel Arrigg Koh {{!}} IGA |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/iga/meet-the-team/dan-koh/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Career == At the age of 29, Koh became chief of staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh after a stint as chief of staff for Arianna Huffington. Koh was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 and the Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daniel Koh |url=https://councilka.org/cka_member/daniel-koh/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Council Korean Americans (CKA) |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Biden Administration === In 2021, Koh was named Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tauscher |first=Teddy |date=2022-07-20 |title=Andover native Dan Koh to move to position in White House |url=https://www.eagletribune.com/news/merrimack_valley/andover-native-dan-koh-to-move-to-position-in-white-house/article_e313d0c6-0785-11ed-918e-c397039a85af.html |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Eagle-Tribune |language=en}}</ref> Later, he served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Cabinet Secretary at the White House. He concluded his service as Deputy Assistant to the President and deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daniel Arrigg Koh {{!}} IGA |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/iga/meet-the-team/dan-koh/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Political campaigns ==

=== 2018 congressional campaign === Koh ran in the 2018 election for Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district, in which he lost the Democratic primary to Lori Trahan by 145 votes, receiving 18,435 votes to Trahan's 18,580 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-17 |title=Trahan takes Dem nomination in third after district-wide recount |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/09/17/trahan-takes-dem-nomination-in-third-after-district-wide-recount/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Boston Herald |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Local government === In 2019, Koh was elected to the Board of Selectmen in Andover, Massachusetts. As the top vote getter, Koh received 2,733 votes<ref>{{Cite web |title=2019 Andover Local Election Results |url=https://andoverma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1193}}</ref> He resigned from the Board of Selectmen in February 2021 to join the Biden Administration.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-23 |title=Dan Koh Resigns From Andover Select Board To Join Biden Admin |url=https://patch.com/massachusetts/andover/dan-koh-resigns-andover-select-board-join-biden-admin |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Andover, MA Patch |language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, Koh was seen as a potential candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in the 2022 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-05 |title=Lucas: Never mind Marty Walsh, keep an eye on Dan Koh |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/12/05/lucas-never-mind-marty-walsh-keep-an-eye-on-dan-koh/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Boston Herald |language=en-US}}</ref> Koh did not run and Kim Driscoll was ultimately elected lieutenant governor.

=== 2026 congressional campaign === Koh announced in October 2025 he would be running in the 2026 election for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reilly |first=Adam |date=October 16, 2025 |title=As field to replace Moulton grows, disappointment in Democrats a common theme |url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2025-10-16/as-field-to-replace-moulton-grows-disappointment-in-democrats-a-common-theme |work=GBH}}</ref>

== Personal life == Koh is married to Amy Sennett, a lecturer in law at Columbia Law School and General Counsel at micro1. They met at Harvard, where Koh was pursuing an MBA and Sennett a JD/MBA. The couple eloped in 2016 at Boston City Hall, where Koh's boss, Mayor Marty Walsh officiated. A religious ceremony was held the following month.<ref name="nytma">{{cite web |date=26 June 2016 |title=Amy Sennett, Daniel Koh |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/fashion/weddings/amy-sennett-daniel-koh.html |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

Koh has ADHD.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matchan |first=Linda |date=2015-11-06 |title=ADHD Comes to City Hall: Boston Mayoral Aide Shares His Struggle with ADHD |url=https://www.additudemag.com/successful-people-with-adhd/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=ADDitude |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Electoral history == {{Election box begin no change|title=Massachusetts' 3rd congressional district Democratic primary, 2018}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Lori Trahan|votes=18,527|percentage=21.6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Daniel Koh|votes=18,405|percentage=21.5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara L'Italien|votes=13,029|percentage=15.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Juana Matias|votes=12,982|percentage=15.1}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Rufus Gifford|votes=12,856|percentage=15.1}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Alexandra Chandler|votes=4,848|percentage=5.7}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Beej Das|votes=1,496|percentage=1.7}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Jeffrey Ballinger|votes=1,388|percentage=1.6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Bopha Malone|votes=1,344|percentage=1.6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Leonard Golder|votes=585|percentage=0.7}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=write-ins|votes=131|percentage=0.2}} {{Election box total no change|votes=88,818|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box end}}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:American city council members of Korean descent Category:American politicians of Lebanese descent Category:Biden administration personnel Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Harvard College alumni Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:Living people Category:Marty Walsh Category:Massachusetts Democrats Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Category:Politicians from Andover, Massachusetts Category:Politicians from Boston Category:Massachusetts select board members

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koh, Daniel}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people