John Podesta

**John David Podesta Jr.** (born January 8, 1949) is an American political consultant. He was White House Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton from October 20, 1998, until January 20, 2001, and as Counselor to President Barack Obama from January 1, 2014, until February 13, 2015. He is the former president, and now Chair and Counselor, of the Center for American Progress (CAP), a think tank in Washington, D.C. He is a  Visiting Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center.

Podesta was chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. On September 2, 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Podesta as senior advisor to the president for clean energy innovation and implementation. On January 31, 2024, it was announced that Podesta would replace John Kerry as top U.S. climate diplomat.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: John Podesta
- **image**: John Podesta February 2024 (1).jpg
- **caption**: Podesta in 2024
- **office**: U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy
- **president**: Joe Biden
- **alongside**: Stephen K. Benjamin, Steve Benjamin, Tom Perez, Annie Tomasini, Karine Jean-Pierre
and Ben LaBolt
- **term start**: March 6, 2024
- **term end**: January 20, 2025
- **office1**: Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, Senior Advisor to the President for White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation
- **president1**: Joe Biden
- **alongside1**: Stephen K. Benjamin, Steve Benjamin, Tom Perez, Annie Tomasini, Karine Jean-Pierre
and Ben LaBolt
and
Mike Donilon, Anita Dunn, Gene Sperling, Mitch Landrieu, Neera Tanden, Julie Chávez Rodriguez, Julie Rodriguez & Keisha Lance Bottoms
- **deputy1**: Kristina Costa
- **term start1**: September 2, 2022
- **term end1**: January 20, 2025
- **predecessor1**: _Office established_
- **office2**: Counselor to the President
- **president2**: Barack Obama
- **term start2**: January 1, 2014
- **term end2**: February 13, 2015
- **predecessor2**: Pete Rouse
- **successor2**: Kellyanne Conway
- **order3**: 20th
- **office3**: White House Chief of Staff
- **president3**: Bill Clinton
- **deputy3**: Steve Ricchetti
Maria Echaveste
- **term start3**: October 20, 1998
- **term end3**: January 20, 2001
- **predecessor3**: Erskine Bowles
- **successor3**: Andrew Card, Andy Card
- **office4**: White House Deputy Chief of Staff
 for Operations
- **president4**: Bill Clinton
- **1blankname4**: White House Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff
- **1namedata4**: Erskine Bowles
- **term start4**: January 20, 1997
- **term end4**: October 20, 1998
- **predecessor4**: Evelyn S. Lieberman, Evelyn Lieberman
- **successor4**: Steve Ricchetti
- **office5**: White House Office of the Staff Secretary, White House Staff Secretary
- **president5**: Bill Clinton
- **term start5**: January 20, 1993
- **term end5**: June 30, 1995
- **predecessor5**: Phillip D. Brady, Phillip Brady
- **successor5**: Todd Stern
- **birth name**: John David Podesta Jr.
- **birth place**: Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **relatives**: Tony Podesta (brother)
- **children**: 3
- **education**: Knox College (Illinois), Knox College (Bachelor of Arts, BA)
 Georgetown University (Juris Doctor, JD)
- **predecessor**: John Kerry (U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate)