US President-elect Joe-Biden has appointed Nigerian – American Osaremen Okolo as a member of his Covid- 19 Response Team.
Okolo, the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, will serve as Biden’s Covid-19 Policy Advisor.
The 26-year-old was among 100 names announced as additional members of the White House staff by the Biden transition team on Wednesday.
According to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the Covid-19 Response Team go “work to quickly implement a comprehensive, whole-of-government COVID-19 response strategy to contain di pandemic, restore public trust, and protect all Americans”.
Okolo parents come from Edo state in Southern Nigeria. She was born and raised in Massachusetts.
She currently serves as a Senior Health Policy Advisor at the US House of Representatives.
She graduated with honours from Harvard University in 2017 with degrees in medicine and African-American studies.
Okolo previously served as Legislative Aide for Health Policy on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour, and Pensions (HELP) for Ranking Member Patty Murray of Washington.
She also worked for US Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois as a legislative aide for the health policy advisor.
Her work consisted of drafting, negotiating and managing the Congresswoman’s legislation, oversight and policy concerning the comprehensive health care and public health agenda.