Department of Education Announces More Biden-Harris Appointees
WASHINGTON Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced more political appointees that will lead various parts of the agency. These diverse and accomplished individuals will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the agency, and work to quickly advance key education priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration.
Joanna Darcus, Senior Counsel, Office of General Counsel
Joanna Darcus was most recently a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center where she did consumer protection litigation and was a member of the Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project, focusing on higher education finance issues facing low-income people and communities of color. Prior to that, Joanna was a supervising attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia where she represented hundreds of low-income consumers sued by debt collectors or struggling with student loans.
Michelle Asha Cooper
The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a slew of appointments to the Education Department, including well-known higher ed advocates, people who have worked on behalf of student loan borrowers, and several former aides to progressive Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Among those named was Michelle Asha Cooper, a longtime advocate for education equity. She was formally appointed as deputy assistant secretary for postsecondary education, and will serve as acting assistant secretary, as reported by
Inside Higher Ed Wednesday. She was most recently president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, which advocates for colleges and universities to do more to help students succeed. In her new role at the department, she will be responsible for running day-to-day higher education operations but could have more influence on policy issues than prior officials in the role.