Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Strautmanis (born March 24, 1969) is an American lawyer. President-Elect Barack Obama announced on December 5, 2008, that Strautmanis would serve as Chief of Staff to Valerie Jarrett who is to be the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement. He served as Chief Counsel and the Director of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs on Obama's presidential transition team.
In March, 2013, he announced his resignation from the White House staff in order to accept a post with the Walt Disney Corporation specializing in corporate citizenship.
Previously Strautmanis served the Clinton administration as Chief of Staff to the general counsel at the United States Agency for International Development, and then-U.S. Congressman Rod Blagojevich as legislative director. He worked for the American Association for Justice.
A Chicago, Illinois native, Strautmanis was educated at the law school of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He started his legal career as a paralegal at the Sidley, Austin law firm, where he met the Obamas.