Stephen K. Benjamin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Benjamin
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Benjamin in August 2023
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| Senior Advisor to the President for Public Engagement | |
| In office April 1, 2023 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Keisha Lance Bottoms |
| Succeeded by | Jim Goyer (as Director of the Office of Public Liaison) |
| Director of the Office of Public Engagement | |
| In office April 1, 2023 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Principal Deputy | Jamie Citron |
| Preceded by | Keisha Lance Bottoms |
| Succeeded by | Jim Goyer |
| 70th Mayor of Columbia | |
| In office July 1, 2010 – January 4, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Coble |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Rickenmann |
| 76th President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office May 7, 2018 – July 1, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Mitch Landrieu |
| Succeeded by | Bryan Barnett |
| Director of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services | |
| In office January 13, 1999 – January 15, 2003 |
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| Governor | Jim Hodges |
| Preceded by | Stephen Bernie |
| Succeeded by | Joan Meacham |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Stephen Keith Benjamin
December 1, 1969 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | DeAndrea Gist |
| Education | University of South Carolina (BA, JD) |
Stephen Keith Benjamin (born December 1, 1969) is an American politician and businessman. He works with a company that helps improve local communities.
From April 2023 to January 2025, Benjamin was a senior advisor to President Joe Biden. He also led the White House Office of Public Engagement, which connects the White House with different groups of people. Before this, he was the 70th mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, from July 2010 to January 2022. He was the first African American mayor in Columbia's history.
Benjamin was also the president of the United States Conference of Mayors from 2018 to 2019. This group brings together mayors from across the country.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Benjamin's parents moved from Orangeburg, South Carolina, to Queens, New York, in the 1960s. Benjamin later moved to Columbia for college. He studied political science at the University of South Carolina, earning his first degree in 1991. He then earned a law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1994.
While in college, Benjamin was very active. He was president of the student chapter of the NAACP, a group that works for civil rights. He was also elected as the student body president for the whole university. Later, in law school, he led the student bar association. He is a member of two fraternities, Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Pi Phi.
After law school, Benjamin started his own law firm in Columbia. His work focused on helping governments and businesses with legal plans and rules.
Political Career
In 1999, Governor Jim Hodges chose Benjamin to lead the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services. This department helps people who have been in trouble with the law. Benjamin held this job until 2003.
In 2002, Benjamin ran to become the Attorney General of South Carolina, the state's top lawyer. He was a Democratic candidate but lost to Republican Henry McMaster.
During the 2000 presidential election, Benjamin helped the Al Gore campaign in South Carolina. He was part of a group called GoreNet, which focused on getting people involved locally and online.
Serving as Mayor
In 2010, Benjamin won a special election to become the mayor of Columbia. He won after a second round of voting against Kirkman Finlay III. In November 2017, Benjamin was the only person who signed up to run for mayor. Because of this, he was automatically re-elected without needing any votes. On February 4, 2021, Benjamin announced he would not run for mayor again in 2021.
Working for the President
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After being mayor, Benjamin took on several important roles. He was the Board Chair of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), which helps emergency responders communicate. He also taught a leadership class at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Benjamin is also a co-chair for the Center for US Global Leadership, which works with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. He was part of the Advisory Board of the BGR Group. He also leads the Flex Association, a group that represents companies that use "gig workers," like Lyft and DoorDash.
In February 2023, Benjamin was chosen to be a senior advisor to President Joe Biden. He also became the director of the Office of Public Engagement. He took over from former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Personal Life
Steve Benjamin is married to DeAndrea G. Benjamin. She is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. They have two daughters.
Awards and Recognition
- The Root's 100 Influential Black Americans (2011 & 2013)
- The Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Public Official (2017)
