Ben LaBolt—a native of La Grange, Illinois and an alumnus of Middlebury College—is making history as the first openly gay White House communications director, according to an official press release.
Kate Bedingfield, who has served as White House communications director since President Joe Biden's inauguration, will leave the White House at the end of this month.
LaBolt has worked with President Biden in this administration and during the Obama-Biden years. He was the head of communications for the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and also served during the Biden-Harris transition as an advisor on nominations.
According to his LinkedIn profile, LaBolt is currently the partner of the D.C.-based Bully Pulpit Interactive, described as "an outcomes agency at the intersection of business, politics, and policy."
Biden said of LaBolt, "I look forward to welcoming him back as a first-rate communicator who's shown his commitment to public service again and again, and who has a cutting-edge understanding of how Americans consume information. I saw him fight for Justice Jackson, and he put his all into helping us make history confirming our cabinet and subcabinet nominees. I'm proud to have him rejoin this team."
