Ben LaBolt

White House Communications Director[15]

What is Ben LaBolt known for?

Ben LaBolt, born in La Grange, Illinois, is an American political advisor who has held prestigious roles throughout various governmental campaigns and administrations. A product of Lyons Township High School, LaBolt's political career began to take shape during his time at Middlebury College, where he served as the president of the College Democrats and even volunteered for Howard Dean's 2000 re-election campaign for the governorship of Vermont.

Upon completion of his college education, LaBolt found his footing in the realm of politics, starting with Dean's 2004 presidential campaign. He subsequently gained experience as the press secretary for U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, Sherrod Brown's 2006 Senate campaign, Barack Obama's Senate office, and Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. In recognition of his work, he was appointed deputy White House Press Secretary during Obama's presidency, where he notably contributed to the communications for Sonia Sotomayor's and Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nominations.

LaBolt's career continued to flourish as he became the communications director for Rahm Emanuel's 2011 Chicago mayoral election. Following the campaign, he served as the national press secretary for Obama's 2012 presidential campaign. Along with Robert Gibbs, he co-founded a strategic communications practice The Incite Agency, which later merged with Bully Pulpit Interactive (BPI). LaBolt eventually became a partner at BPI.

He has also been instrumental in the presidential transition of Joe Biden following the 2020 United States presidential election and headed the communications for Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court nomination in 2022. Carving out a remarkable career in political communications, LaBolt succeeded Kate Bedingfield as the White House Communications Director on March 1, 2023.

LaBolt is known not only for his professional achievements but also for his personal life, as he is the first openly gay White House Communications Director.

For more information on his work and contributions, you can visit Middlebury College Alumni Profile or take a look at this feature on him in Chicago Magazine.