Chris Slevin has been named the new U.S. Department of Commerce Chief of Staff, replacing Mike Harney, the DOC announced Monday.
“I am proud to announce Chris Slevin as my new chief of staff here at the Department of Commerce,” said DOC Secretary Gina Raimondo. “Chris’s record speaks for itself.
"Between his decade of experience on Capitol Hill and his recent work at the White House Office of Legislative Affairs," Raimondo said in the announcement, "Chris has helped shepherd several historic pieces of legislation into law, including the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. Chris’ experience and leadership will be critical as the Department moves forward to implement these consequential pieces of legislation.”
Slevin recently served as the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA). Prior to his role in the Biden-Harris Administration, he served on President Joe Biden's transition team in the OLA. He has also served as the vice president of the Economic Innovation Group, a research and advocacy organization aimed at addressing geographic inequality.
Slevin also served in the U.S. Senate for over a decade, recently acting as the legislative director for U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and as a trade and labor policy advisor to Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Previously, Slevin also served as a deputy director for the national consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen.
Slevin will be replacing Mike Harney, who is retiring from the position after two years.
“Mike’s tireless leadership was instrumental to the major successes of the Commerce Department these past two years,” Raimondo said.
“With his work, the department accomplished more than ever before," Raimondo said. "From overseeing investments in high-speed internet for all Americans through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to helping get the CHIPs and Science Act across the finish line and ready for implementation, we could not have accomplished any of this without Mike Harney.”
