John Podesta is the Senior Advisor to President Biden for International Climate Policy at the White House. He initially joined the White House in September 2022 as the Senior Advisor to President Biden for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation (OCEII) to lead the rollout of clean energy provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act. John manages both an international and domestic portfolio through his new role from the White House. He works in coordination with the strong team in the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate office at State Department and the National Security Council to represent the U.S. as a fierce champion of bold climate action, as well as continuing to oversee the team implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. In this role, John engages with international, domestic, and private sector partners to harness the clean energy transition to create more prosperous, equitable, and resilient communities across the world.

Podesta served as counselor to President Barack Obama, where he was responsible for coordinating the administration’s climate policy and initiatives. In 2008, he served as co-chair of President Obama’s transition team. He was a member of the U.N. Secretary General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Podesta notably served as White House chief of staff to President William J. Clinton during the second administration. He chaired Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president in 2016.
Outside of his roles in several White House administrations, he is the Founder and former Chair for the Washington, D.C- based think tank Center for American Progress and a Founder and former Chair of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

A Chicago native, Podesta is a graduate of Knox College and the Georgetown University Law Center, where he is currently a visiting professor of law.