For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
March 4, 2005

Personnel Announcement from the First Lady's Office

Mrs. Laura Bush announced that she has named Mrs. Susan Dryden Whitson as Press Secretary in the Office of the First Lady. Mrs. Whitson most recently served as the Deputy Communications Director for the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign, where she was the spokesperson to Miss Barbara Bush and Miss Jenna Bush. Prior to joining the Bush-Cheney campaign, Mrs. Whitson was the Chief of the FBI's National Press Office and was the key spokesperson for the FBI Director. From 2001-2002, Mrs. Whitson was the Deputy Director of the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she served as the deputy spokesperson for the Attorney General and national breaking news, including the Sept. 11th attacks. From 1997-2001, Mrs. Whitson served as a Press Secretary on Capitol Hill to Rep. Bill McCollum (R-FL) and then Rep. Bob Riley (R-AL), the current governor of Alabama. From 1991-1997, Mrs. Whitson taught ninth and tenth grade English at Hoover High School in Birmingham, Alabama. Mrs. Whitson holds a bachelor's degree from Auburn University.

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