White House announces new director of presidential personnel

The White House announced on July 9 that Director of Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan will be leaving by the end of the month, and will be replaced by Jonathan McBride. McBride currently serves as the Office of Presidential Personnel's deputy director, and is a deputy assistant to the president. A Wharton Business School graduate and former chief strategy for the "employer branding" firm Universum, McBride has been with the administration since 2009.

The Office of Presidential Personnel plays a critical role for agency hiring: Its staff must review and approve all "Schedule C" hires -- political appointments that involve shaping policy or working very closely with key political officials. There are roughly 1,400 such jobs scattered across the executive branch.

"I’m grateful to Nancy for her service, and to Jonathan McBride for agreeing to take her place," President Obama said in the statement announcing the change. "Jonathan has the judgment and the experience to help us continue to move this country forward, and I look forward to working with him in his new role."