Heather Higginbottom

Heather Anne Higginbottom (born July 15, 1972) is the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. She previously served as Counselor of the United States Department of State and prior to that had served as Deputy Director of the federal Office of Management and Budget from 2011 until 2013. On October 20, 2011, the United States Senate voted 64–36 to confirm her nomination to be Deputy Director of the OMB. She had previously served as the Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2010 after serving as Policy Director of the Obama for America campaign.

Higginbottom attended Chenango Valley High School in Binghamton, New York. She received her Master of Public Policy degree from the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester.

Higginbottom began her government service in 1999, when she joined the office of then Senator John Kerry as Legislative Assistant. During her years in Senator Kerry’s staff, she handled a wide array of domestic and foreign policy issues, and eventually served as his Legislative Director, overseeing all policy matters. She also served as the Deputy National Policy Director for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential Campaign. After the 2004 election, Higginbottom founded and served as Executive Director of the American Security Project, a national security think tank. She began her career with the national non-profit organization Communities In Schools. On November 24, 2008, it was announced that Higginbottom was appointed the Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council in the administration of President Barack Obama.

On January 7, 2011, President Obama nominated Higginbottom to the position of Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Some Senate Republicans united in opposing Higginbottom's nomination, citing her "lack of business and accounting experience"; however she was confirmed in the Senate in a 64–36 vote on October 20, 2011.

After John Kerry was confirmed to be United States Secretary of State in 2013, he hired Higginbottom as Counselor. In 2013, Obama nominated Higginbottom to serve as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. On November 14, 2013, her nomination was reported to the full U.S. Senate by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. On December 13, 2013, the Senate confirmed her in a 74–17 vote.