John Podesta

John David Podesta Jr., born on January 15, 1949, is a prominent American political consultant and lawyer known for his extensive service in various high-profile roles within the U.S. government. He has made significant contributions to climate policy, serving as Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy from 2024 to 2025, and previously as Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation from 2022 to 2025.

Podesta's political career includes a notable tenure as White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2001, and as Counselor to President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2015. His earlier roles in the Clinton administration included serving as White House Staff Secretary from 1993 to 1995 and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations from 1997 to 1998.

In addition to his government service, Podesta is the former president and current chair and counselor of the Center for American Progress, a leading think tank in Washington, D.C. He has also held an academic position as a visiting professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center. Notably, he was the chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and co-chaired the Obama transition team.

As a senior advisor to President Joe Biden, Podesta played a crucial role in overseeing the disbursement of clean energy tax credits and incentives, amounting to between three hundred seventy billion and seven hundred eighty-three billion dollars, authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. On January 31, 2024, it was announced that he would succeed John Kerry as the top U.S. climate diplomat.