The
‘woman of this post’ after working in
the Chicago headquarters of Obama’s re-election campaign, moved to Washington, D.C., and was hired as
an assistant in the first lady’s office.
That was her first week on the job for -
Katz-Hernandez. In her new job as ROTUS, Katz-Hernandez gets
to welcome all of the president’s guests to the West Wing. “I make sure
that everyone is happy, and everyone feels welcome and has a nice experience
when they come into the West Wing lobby,” Hernandez said.
After studying
government at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., Katz-Hernandez’s
passion for public service led her to join Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.
It was at campaign headquarters in Chicago that she first met her future
boss. Anyone wanting to speak to the
president must stop by her desk first. Leah Katz-Hernandez, 27, is the new
White House receptionist. With a desk
just steps away from the Oval Office, Katz-Hernandez is usually the first to
greet anyone — from world leaders to White House staff members — who has an
appointment with the president or his top-level aides. She also oversees the
White House guest book and the Roosevelt Room, the West Wing meeting room, and
is responsible for collecting cell phones before meetings with the president.
At
the White House, Katz-Hernandez has access to an interpreter to help her do her
job. ~and she is deaf !! "It's a fantastic opportunity and also
to show that deaf people can do anything," she said through an
interpreter, who is provided for her at work. “The White House is really a model for
accessibility for people with disabilities – and especially for deaf people,”
she said. “I believe my story sends a good message about the abilities of
people who are deaf and Latino to be successful anywhere." Katz-Hernandez
is defined by her accomplishments, not her disability, said Josh Earnest, the
White House press secretary. "She represents us very well," he
told NBC's Peter Alexander. The Connecticut native was born deaf to two deaf
parents — a Jewish, social worker mother and a Mexican-American father who put
himself through college and earned a PhD.
Katz-Hernandez puts
her father at the top of the list of people who inspire her. “My father was
born in California, in the Los Angeles area. He grew up on horse ranches. He
worked hard, put himself through college, and earned his PhD. He’s always
taught me it’s very important to give back to your community,” she said.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
12th May
2015.
Source : www.today.com
