A Philadelphia native and former City Paper music writer has taken the reigns as the White House social secretary.
Deesha Dyer, 37, has served as deputy director and deputy social secretary of the White House for two years. She got her start in the White House as a 31-year-old intern in the office of scheduling and advance.
Dyer was born in Philadelphia and raised in Philadelphia and Hershey, Pa., where she attended the Milton Hershey School. She attended the University of Cincinnati, and returned to college in 2009 to earn an associate’s degree in women’s studies from the Community College of Philadelphia. Between 2001 and 2010 she served as an assistant to the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust.
She wrote about hip hop for City Paper, and other outlets.
“From the day Deesha started in the Social Office nearly two years ago, she impressed me with her passion, creativity, public-mindedness and relentless competence,” said First Lady Michelle Obama in a statement. “Since then, whether helping flawlessly execute state dinners, or going the extra mile to open the White House to people who never dreamed they would walk through these doors, Deesha has worked tirelessly to truly make the White House the “People’s House.” I am thrilled that she has agreed to continue her service as our Social Secretary.”
The New York Times reports that Dyer will manage a state dinner for President Xi Jinping of China this year.
Dyer also has helped create a hip hop AIDS program and worked with young adults at the Youth Health Empowerment Project.
