WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Neera Tanden, a veteran Democratic policy advisor, has been named the Center for American Progress’s new president and CEO, the group announced Thursday. Tanden comes back to CAP after serving as President Joe Biden’s domestic policy adviser, having managed the White House Domestic Policy Council, as well as coordinating efforts across economic, social, and governance policy issues.
“This is a time when the Center for American Progress is needed more than ever,” CAP founder John Podesta said. “There is a battle of ideas in the country, and this moment requires both a robust critique of the policies of the Trump administration and the creation of an alternative agenda to address the country’s challenges.
Tanden, who served as CAP’s president from 2011 to 2021, stressed the importance of being proactive in policy-making. “It’s our responsibility not to be defenders of the status quo, but to offer an alternative,” she said in an interview. She pointed to the necessity of responding to economic struggles and pushing back against policies that harm Americans, like proposed Medicaid cuts.
Throughout her time working in the Biden administration, Tanden was instrumental in the crafting of significant domestic policies such as the Affordable Care Act. Her long career has seen her work in the Clinton, Obama, and Biden administrations, in addition to senior capacities in Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns. Tanden is a Yale University law graduate with a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. presidency.ucsb.edu
CAP has experienced difficulties in recent years, such as restructuring and donor pressure. Tanden’s return is viewed as a strategic decision to reinvigorate the think tank’s direction and influence. “CAP was kind of born for moments like this, where you need both the critique and developing the alternative,” Tanden said.
