{{Short description|American government official and diplomat}} {{Use American English|date=January 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Yohannes Abraham |image = Yohannes Abraham, U.S. Ambassador.png |office = [[List of United States ambassadors to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations|United States Ambassador to Association of Southeast Asian Nations]] |president = [[Joe Biden]] |term_start = October 5, 2022 |term_end = August 27, 2024 |predecessor = [[Nina Hachigian]] |successor = Kate Rebholz (acting) |birth_date = |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |education = [[Yale University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Harvard University]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]]) }} '''Yohannes Abraham''' is an American diplomat, government official, and executive who served as [[List of United States ambassadors to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations|United States Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations]] from 2022 to 2024. Prior to being Ambassador to ASEAN, Abraham served as chief of staff and executive secretary of the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=House |first=The White |date=2022-05-13 |title=President Biden Announces Key Nominees |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/13/president-biden-announces-key-nominees-15/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref> He was previously a longtime aide to [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]], including serving as senior advisor and chief operating officer of the [[Obama Foundation]],<ref name=":5" /> before serving as executive director of [[Joe Biden|Joseph R. Biden]]'s [[Presidential transition of Joe Biden|presidential transition]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Partnership for Public |title=Yohannes Abraham on Leading the Biden Transition |url=https://ourpublicservice.org/podcast/yohannes-abraham-on-leading-the-biden-transition/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Partnership for Public Service |language=en-US}}</ref> and being selected to lead the [[Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign#Transition planning|planned presidential transition]] for Democratic presidential nominee [[Kamala Harris]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url= https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/19/politics/president-transition-kamala-harris/index.html |title= Kamala Harris begins standard planning for presidential transition |first= Edward-Isaac |last= Dovere |work= [[CNN]] |date= August 19, 2024 |access-date= August 22, 2024 }}</ref>
==Early life and education== Abraham was born in Virginia to immigrant Ethiopian parents<ref name="Tadias Transition">{{cite news |title=Biden Selects Yohannes Abraham as Member of Transition Team |url=http://www.tadias.com/06/24/2020/biden-selects-yohannes-abraham-as-member-of-transition-team-u-s-election-update/ |access-date=January 20, 2024 |work=Tadias Magazine |date=June 24, 2020}}</ref> and raised in [[Springfield, Virginia]].<ref name="WHBio" /> He graduated from [[Westminster School (Annandale, Virginia)|Westminster School]] in [[Annandale, Virginia]],<ref name="Westminster Alumni">{{cite web |title=Alumni Profiles - Yohannes Abraham, Class of 1999 |url=https://www.westminsterschool.com/about-us/staff/alumni/alumni-profiles/ |publisher=Westminster School |access-date=January 20, 2024}}</ref> and graduated from [[Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology]] in Fairfax County, Virginia.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |last1=Woolsey |first1=Angela |title=White House staffer from Springfield reflects on working for Obama | newspaper=Fairfax County Times |url=https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/white-house-staffer-from-springfield-reflects-on-working-for-obama/article_9a4c2e92-d44b-11e6-99ca-8770cf4f15d5.html |access-date=August 20, 2022 |date=January 6, 2017}}</ref> He received a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in political science from [[Yale College]] in 2007 and an [[MBA]] from [[Harvard Business School]], where he graduated with high distinction as a Baker Scholar in 2019.<ref name="WHBio" /> While in business school, Abraham was also selected as a residential fellow at the [[Harvard Institute of Politics]].<ref name="IOP">{{Cite web |title=Yohannes Abraham |url=https://iop.harvard.edu/fellows/yohannes-abraham |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=The Institute of Politics at Harvard University |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== ===Obama campaigns and administration=== Immediately after graduating from college in 2007, Abraham went to work for the [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential primary campaign|Obama '08 campaign]] in Iowa. After the [[2008 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses|Obama's victory in the Iowa caucuses]], Abraham worked for the campaign in other states, eventually being named field director for his home state of Virginia.<ref name="Root Olopade">{{cite news |last1=Olopade |first1=Dayo |title=The Root's Talented Ten: Yohannes Abraham |url=https://www.theroot.com/the-roots-talented-ten-yohannes-abraham-1790869113 |access-date=January 21, 2024 |work=The Root |date=March 22, 2009}}</ref> During [[Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign|Obama's 2012 run for reelection]], Abraham served as the campaign's deputy national political director.<ref name="Politico Allen">{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=Mike |title=Obama 2012 launches Project Vote |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/08/obama-2012-launches-project-vote-062049 |access-date=January 22, 2024 |work=Politico |date=August 25, 2011}}</ref>
During the Obama administration, Abraham served as deputy assistant to the president for the [[Office of Public Engagement]], and senior advisor to the [[National Economic Council (United States)|National Economic Council]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2013-04-11 |title=Yohannes Abraham |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/yohannes-abraham |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=[[White House]] |language=en}}</ref> He served as chief of staff for the [[Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs]], reporting to [[Valerie Jarrett]].
=== Post-Obama administration === Immediately following the Obama administration, Abraham joined the [[Obama Foundation]] as Senior Advisor and Chief Operating Officer.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Dovere |first=Edward-Isaac |date=2017-03-06 |title=Obama adds former W.H. staffer Abraham as foundation adviser |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/obama-foundation-abraham-235704 |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> Abraham also worked with [[Vanguard Group]]'s global investment unit, and taught at the [[Harvard Kennedy School of Government]].<ref name="IOP" /> In October 2017, Abraham was elected as an at-large member of the [[Democratic National Committee]] and appointed to the rules and bylaws committee.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2017-11-18 |title=New DNC - Fall 2017 Meeting |url=https://demrulz.org/news/new-dnc-fall-2017-meeting |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=DemRulz |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Biden administration === Abraham was executive director of the [[Presidential transition of Joe Biden|Biden-Harris transition]], where he oversaw day-to-day operations as well as the national security, economic, and domestic policy and personnel teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mpruce |date=2021-01-19 |title=Yohannes Abraham on Leading the Biden Transition |url=https://presidentialtransition.org/yohannes-abraham-on-leading-the-biden-transition/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Center for Presidential Transition |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="WHBio" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mucha |first1=Sarah |title=Biden officially forms transition team {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/20/politics/joe-biden-transition-team/index.html |website=CNN |access-date=17 June 2022 |language=en |date=20 June 2020}}</ref> Abraham was noted for his management<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download Article {{!}} German Marshall Fund of the United States |url=https://www.gmfus.org/download/article/14932 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.gmfus.org}}</ref> of the transition, which received bipartisan praise<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pager |first=Tyler |date=May 13, 2022 |title=Biden nominates top national security staffer as ASEAN ambassador |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/13/biden-yohannes-abraham-asean-ambassador/ |access-date=February 9, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> and which the non-partisan [[Partnership for Public Service]] called "one of the most well-planned presidential transitions in history."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yohannes Abraham {{!}} The Institute of Politics at Harvard University |url=https://iop.harvard.edu/fellows/yohannes-abraham |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=iop.harvard.edu |language=en}}</ref> At the start of the Biden administration, Abraham served as chief of staff and executive secretary of the National Security Council, where he oversaw the White House Situation Room and the NSC’s budget, personnel, legislative, and public diplomacy teams.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Crowley |first1=Michael |last2=Sanger |first2=David E. |date=2021-01-06 |title=Biden to Tap More Former Obama Officials for Top National Security Jobs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/us/politics/biden-national-security-state-officials.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Debenedetti |first=Gabriel |date=2022-09-19 |title=How Barack Obama Helped Joe Biden Become the 46th President of the United States |url=https://lithub.com/how-barack-obama-helped-joe-biden-become-the-46th-president-of-the-united-states/ |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=Literary Hub |language=en}}</ref>
====Ambassador to Association of Southeast Asian Nations==== {{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?520248-1/president-biden-addresses-asean-summit Announcement by Biden of Abraham's nomination, May 13, 2022], [[C-SPAN]]}} On May 13, 2022, President [[Joe Biden]] announced his intent to nominate Abraham to be the representative to the [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations]].<ref name="WHBio">{{cite web |title=President Biden Announces Key Nominees |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/13/president-biden-announces-key-nominees-15/ |website=The White House |date=13 May 2022 |access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref> Hearings on his nomination were held before the [[Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] on July 13, 2022. The committee favorably reported his nomination to the Senate floor on August 3, 2022. Abraham was confirmed on August 4, 2022 via [[voice vote]].<ref>{{cite web |title=PN2135 — Yohannes Abraham — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/2135 |website=US Congress |access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref> He presented his credentials to the [[Secretary-General of ASEAN|secretary-general of ASEAN]] [[Lim Jock Hoi]] on October 5, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ambassador of the United States of America presents credentials |url=https://asean.org/ambassador-of-the-united-states-of-america-presents-credentials/ |date=5 October 2022 |access-date=10 October 2022 |website=asean.org}}</ref> During his tenure, the U.S. and ASEAN negotiated a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership<ref>{{Cite web |last=ASEAN |first=U. S. Mission to |date=2024-07-29 |title=The United States-ASEAN Relationship |url=https://asean.usmission.gov/the-united-states-asean-relationship-3/ |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=U.S. Mission to ASEAN |language=en-US}}</ref> and then-Secretary of State [[Antony Blinken]] referred to Abraham as "one of our best" ambassadors in July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary Antony J. Blinken At the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with the United States |url=https://2021-2025.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-the-asean-post-ministerial-conference-with-the-united-states/ |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=United States Department of State |language=en}}</ref>
=== Post-Biden administration === In August 2024, it was reported that Abraham would lead [[Kamala Harris]]’s planned presidential transition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dovere |first=Edward-Isaac |date=2024-08-19 |title=Kamala Harris begins standard planning for presidential transition {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/19/politics/president-transition-kamala-harris/index.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> The organization was described as a "tight ship"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Jasmine |date=2024-10-17 |title=Inside Kamala Harris’ Small, Quiet Transition Team |url=https://www.notus.org/harris-2024/kamala-harris-transition-team |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=NOTUS |language=en-US}}</ref> and a "meticulous operation".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Zeke |last2=Colvin |first2=Jill |date=2024-10-16 |title=Harris and Trump transition efforts reflect their different approaches to governing |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transition-security-e9b282a5861c67573d19ad3667580448 |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
In October 2025, [[Yale University]]’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy announced Abraham as a Distinguished Policy Fellow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yale’s Tobin Center Welcomes Yohannes Abraham as Distinguished Policy Fellow {{!}} Tobin Center for Economic Policy |url=https://tobin.yale.edu/news/251020/yales-tobin-center-welcomes-yohannes-abraham-distinguished-policy-fellow |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=tobin.yale.edu |language=en}}</ref> As of 2025, he was also the Compton Visiting Professor in World Politics at the [[University of Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-22 |title=Yohannes Abraham {{!}} Miller Center |url=https://millercenter.org/experts/yohannes-abraham |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=millercenter.org |language=en}}</ref>
In November 2025, Abraham was appointed co-chair of [[Abigail Spanberger|Abigail Spanberger's]] gubernatorial transition team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olinger |first=Heather |date=2025-11-05 |title=Governor-Elect Spanberger assembles leadership team ahead of inauguration |url=https://www.wvva.com/2025/11/05/governor-elect-spanberger-assembles-leadership-team-ahead-inauguration/ |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=WVVA |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://asean.usmission.gov/ambassador/ U.S. Mission to ASEAN biography] *{{C-SPAN|135215}} *[https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/yohannes-abraham Obama White House blogposts by Abraham]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham, Yohannes}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:American people of Ethiopian descent]] [[Category:People from Springfield, Virginia]] [[Category:Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology alumni]] [[Category:Yale College alumni]] [[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]] [[Category:Obama administration personnel]] [[Category:Biden administration personnel]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to ASEAN]]