American lawyer and political advisor (born 1964)
Melody C. Barnes (born April 29, 1964) is an American lawyer and political advisor. Formerly an aide and chief counsel toSenator Ted Kennedy on theSenate Judiciary Committee , Barnes later worked at theCenter for American Progress , athink tank , before joining SenatorBarack Obama 's 2008 presidential campaign. When Obama became president, Barnes was appointed director of theDomestic Policy Council , serving from January 2009 to January 2012. Barnes then assumed roles at theAspen Institute andNew York University . Since 2016, she has been at theUniversity of Virginia (UVA), where she teaches law and is the co-director of the UVADemocracy Initiative .
Early life and education [ edit ] Barnes was born on April 29, 1964, and grew up inRichmond, Virginia .[ 1] U.S. Army , and her mother Mary Frances Rogers Barnes (1934–2014) was a teacher.[ 1] [ 2]
Barnes earned herBA with honors in history from theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1986 and herJD from theUniversity of Michigan Law School in 1989.[ 3] [ 4] Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[ 5]
In 1989, Barnes began her career as an attorney with the law firm ofShearman & Sterling in New York City as an associate in corporate finance andfinancial institutions .[ 3] [ 4]
Barnes then worked at the Raben Group, where she lobbied for theAmerican Civil Liberties Union ,Leadership Conference on Civil Rights ,American Constitution Society , andCenter for Reproductive Rights .[ 1] Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and as assistant counsel of the Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights of theHouse Judiciary Committee .[ 1] [ 6] [ 1] [ 6]
Barnes was general counsel toSenator Edward M. Kennedy on theSenate Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 1998, and chief counsel from 1998 to 2003.[ 1] [ 7]
From 2003 to July 2008, Barnes was at theCenter for American Progress , athink tank . She was executive vice president for policy at the center from 2005 to 2008.[ 3] [ 8] John D. Podesta , who later served as co-chairman of theObama-Biden transition team .[ 1]
Barnes was senior domestic policy advisor to SenatorBarack Obama during his2008 presidential campaign .[ 3] [ 3] [ 8]
Prior to joining the White House, Barnes served on the board of a Washington, D.C.charter school , as well as the boards ofEMILY's List and thePlanned Parenthood Action Fund .[ 1]
After Obama took office in January 2009, Barnes becameassistant to the president and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.[ 3]
In October 2009, Barnes playedgolf with Obama atFort Belvoir , becoming the first woman to play golf with the president during Obama's presidency. (Obama had previously been criticized for playing golf and basketball only with male staffers).[ 9] [ 10]
Barnes was one of severalAfrican-American women in important Obama administration positions, along withValerie Jarrett ,Mona Sutphen ,Susan Rice andCassandra Butts .[ 11]
As a former staffer for Ted Kennedy, Barnes was also one of a number of former congressional staffers in the Obama White House, alongsideJim Messina (formerly aide to SenatorMax Baucus ),Pete Rouse andJeanne Lambrew (SenatorTom Daschle ),Phil Schiliro (formerly aide to RepresentativeHenry Waxman ), and Lisa Konwinski (former aide to SenatorKent Conrad ).Paul Starr writes that Obama's choice to surround himself with these former senior aides to key congressional leaders on health care was instrumental in passing thehealth-care reform legislation through Congress.[ 12]
Barnes chaired the White HouseTask Force on Childhood Obesity , which in May 2010 released a 124-page report with 70 recommendations to combat thechildhood obesity epidemic in the United States.[ 13]
In November 2011, the White House announced that Barnes would be leaving.[ 14] [ 3]
After leaving the White House, Barnes became chief executive officer of Melody Barnes Solutions LLC, a strategy firm advising major financial institutions and other clients. She joined the boards of directors ofVentas, Inc. in 2014,[ 4] Booz Allen Hamilton in 2015,[ 7] Hewlett Foundation in 2023.[ 15]
Barnes is chair of theAspen Institute 's Forum for Community Solutions.[ 3] [ 16]
In 2013,[ 4] New York University , and senior fellow at NYU'sRobert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service .[ 3]
Since 2018, Barnes has been a co-director of UVA'sDemocracy Initiative , a broad research, teaching and public affairs initiative tackling the most pressing issues facing democracies around the world. She is a professor of practice at UVA's Miller Center, after having served since 2016 as a visiting professor and senior fellow there and a distinguished fellow at the School of Law.[ 17]
In 2016, Barnes received the "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" award from theLibrary of Virginia andDominion Power .[ 18]
On June 13, 2009, Barnes married Marland Buckner Jr., a formerchief of staff to U.S. RepresentativeHarold Ford Jr. , in Washington.[ 19] [ 20]
In 2007, Barnes was featured in aWashingtonian [ 1] [ 21]
^a b c d e f g h i Pear, Robert (November 25, 2008)."Melody C. Barnes" .The New York Times ^ "Mary Frances Rogers Barnes, 80, educator" .Richmond Free Press . December 2, 2014. RetrievedNovember 17, 2025 .^a b c d e f g h i Melody C. Barnes, Vice Provost for Global Student Leadership Initiatives , New York University.^a b c d Ventas Elects Former White House Domestic Policy Director Melody Barnes to Board of Directors (press release),Business Wire (September 17, 2014).^ The Receiving Lineup: Melody Barnes and Marland Buckner ,Washington Post (April 3, 2016).^a b Melody Barnes: Former Domestic Policy Advisor , White House.^a b Melody C. Barnes, Director , Booz Allen Hamilton.^a b Fletcher, Michael A. (November 25, 2008)."Domestic Adviser May Play Greater Role Under Obama" .Washington Post . ^ Shear, Michael D. (October 26, 2009)."A first for Obama: Woman joins presidential golf outing" .Washington Post . ^ Leibovich, Mark (October 25, 2009)."A First for President Obama: Female Aide Joins Round of Golf]," .The New York Times . ^ Lee, Trymaine (February 24, 2012)."Melody Barnes, Former Obama Adviser, Talks Life After The White House" .Huffington Post . RetrievedNovember 17, 2025 . ^ Starr, Paul (2010),Remedy and Reaction: The Peculiar American Struggle over Health Care Reform (Yale University Press), p. 200. ^ Givhan, Robin (May 12, 2010)."White House task force issues report on fighting childhood obesity" .Washington Post . ^ Allen, Mike (November 24, 2011)."Melody Barnes leaving White House" .Politico ^ "Melody Barnes" .Hewlett Foundation . RetrievedDecember 5, 2025 .^ Salass, Nader (July 2, 2013)."WATCH: Former Obama Cabinet Member Shares Youth Job Tips" .Huffington Post . ^ Newman, Caroline (September 24, 2018)."Melody Barnes on the White House, UVA, Monticello and Jefferson" .UVA Today . RetrievedNovember 13, 2018 . ^ Melody C. Barnes (1964–), Richmond, Attorney and Government Official , "2016 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History",Library of Virginia .^ Swarns, Rachel L. (June 20, 2009)."Vows: Melody Barnes and Marland Buckner Jr" .The New York Times . ^ McCarthy, Ellen (June 21, 2009)."OnLove: After Years of Friendship, Melody Barnes and Marland Buckner Said 'I Do' .Washington Post . ^ Leslie Milk,Ten Well Dressed Women: Melody Barnes ,Washingtonian (October 1, 2007).
Office Name Term Office Name Term White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10 Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13 William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17 Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10 Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for PolicyMona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14 Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17 Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17 Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute † 2009–13 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009 Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10 Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12 John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009 Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009 David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15 Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17 Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11 Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14 Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16 Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17 Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11 Director,Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13 Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17 Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11 Director,Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13 David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17 Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11 Director,National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13 Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17 Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13 Chair,Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17 Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11 Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13 Chair,Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16 Chair,Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016 Director,Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17 Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11 Director,Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16 Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13 Director,Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14 Director,Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15 Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17 Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11 Director,Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12 Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13 Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17 Director,Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11 White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15 Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17 Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11 Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14 White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17 Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17 Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director,Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11 Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15 Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17 Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director,Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17 Director,Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12 Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17 Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director,Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10 Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12 Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13 Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14 White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014 Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17 Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11 Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14 Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17 Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13 Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17 White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon † 2009–11 Director,Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14 Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17 Director,White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair,Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14 Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15 Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17
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