Brian Deese facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brian Deese
Director of the National Economic Council
In office January 20, 2021 – February 21, 2023
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Larry Kudlow
Succeeded by	Lael Brainard
Senior Advisor to the President
In office February 23, 2015 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Pete Rouse
Succeeded by	Jared Kushner Stephen Miller
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Acting
In office June 9, 2014 – July 28, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Sylvia Mathews Burwell
Succeeded by	Shaun Donovan
Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget
In office June 27, 2013 – February 13, 2015
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Heather Higginbottom
Succeeded by	Russell Vought
Personal details
Born	Brian Christopher Deese (1978-02-17) February 17, 1978 (age 47) Belmont, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Kara Arsenault ​ (m. 2007)​
Education	Middlebury College (BA) Yale University (JD)

Brian Christopher Deese (born February 17, 1978) is an American expert in economics and politics. He has advised two U.S. Presidents. From 2021 to 2023, he was the main economic advisor to President Joe Biden.

Before that, he worked for President Barack Obama. He was a senior advisor and helped with the country's money plans. Deese also led a team at BlackRock that focused on investing in a way that helps the environment and society.

Brian Deese's Early Life and School

Brian Deese was born in Belmont, Massachusetts. He studied political science at Middlebury College and graduated in 2000. Later, he earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 2009.

Brian Deese's Career Journey

Brian Deese started his career helping with economic research. He worked at places like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He also helped write a book about reducing debt for countries.

Working on Presidential Campaigns

In 2008, Deese joined Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. He was her economic policy director. After that, he became an economic advisor for Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

After Obama won, Deese helped with the team that prepared for the new president.

Brian Deese speaks at the White House in January 2021.

Roles in the Obama Administration

Helping with the Economy

When President Obama first took office, Brian Deese joined the National Economic Council (NEC). This group advises the president on money matters. Deese became very important in helping the American car industry during a tough time. He helped decide how the government would support companies like Chrysler and General Motors.

In 2011, he became the deputy director of the NEC. He helped create policies on taxes, banking rules, and clean energy.

Managing the Government's Budget

In 2013, Deese became the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. This office helps the president plan the government's spending. For a short time in 2014, he was the acting director.

Advising the President on Big Issues

Later, Deese became a Senior Advisor to President Obama. In this role, he focused on climate change and energy. He played a key part in creating the Paris Agreement in 2015. This was a big global agreement to fight climate change. He also helped get other countries to agree to reduce certain harmful gases.

Deese also helped protect more land and water than any other president before. President Obama even said Deese "may have helped save the planet" because of his work on climate agreements.

He also helped negotiate a budget deal in 2015. This deal increased government spending for two years. In 2016, he helped with the process of choosing a new Supreme Court judge.

Working at BlackRock

From 2017 to 2020, Brian Deese worked at BlackRock. This is a very large investment company. He led their team focused on "sustainable investing." This means finding ways to invest money that also help the environment and society. He explained that BlackRock helps clients choose investments that are good for the future.

Roles in the Biden Administration

In 2020, President-elect Biden chose Brian Deese to lead the National Economic Council. In this job, Deese helped shape President Biden's economic plans. He was a key person behind important laws like:

• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which helped people and businesses during the pandemic.
• The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which improved roads, bridges, and other public works.
• The CHIPS and Science Act, which supports making computer chips in the U.S.
• The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which deals with climate change, healthcare costs, and taxes.

President Biden said that Brian Deese could "translate complex policy challenges into concrete actions." Deese also worked to make the council's staff more diverse.

He was very involved in getting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed. He worked with members of Congress to get support for the bill.

Deese also pushed for a modern "industrial strategy" for America. This means the government helps certain important industries grow. He worked on the CHIPS and Science Act as part of this plan.

He was also a main negotiator for the climate parts of the Inflation Reduction Act. He visited West Virginia to talk about energy communities. He helped with the final secret talks for the bill. An environmental leader called him "indispensable" for this climate law.

Deese also focused on making the economy more competitive. He helped create the White House Competition Council. This group works to reduce barriers for new businesses.

In February 2023, it was announced that Deese would leave his position. Lael Brainard took over his role.

At Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In July 2023, Brian Deese joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He became an Institute Innovation Fellow. In this role, he researches ways to fight climate change and help the economy grow in a sustainable way. His experience in government helps connect policy ideas with new technologies.

Images for kids

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  Brian Deese speaks at the White House in January 2021.