WASHINGTON, DC — US President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris have named seven women to form their senior communications team, including comms director Kate Bedingfield and press secretary Jen Psaki.

Bedingfield previously served as deputy campaign manager and communications director for the Biden/Harris campaign, while Psaki was formerly communications director in the Obama White House.

Pili Tobar, who was communications director for coalitions on the campaign, has been named deputy White House communications director, while four other senior advisors on the Biden/Harris campaign are also added to the team.

Karine Jean-Pierre, who also served as chief of staff to Harris, will serve as principal deputy press secretary.

Symone Sanders has been tapped as senior advisor and chief spokesperson for Kamala Harris, while Ashley Etienne will serve as communications director for the vice president.

Elizabeth Alexander takes on the role of communications director for first lady Jill Biden.

Harris, who will become the country's first female vice president, described the newly-announced team as "experienced, talented, and barrier-shattering."

"Our country is facing unprecedented challenges — from the coronavirus pandemic to the economic crisis, to the climate crisis, and a long-overdue reckoning over racial injustice," said Harris in a statement. "To overcome these challenges, we need to communicate clearly, honestly, and transparently with the American people, and this experienced, talented, and barrier-shattering team will help us do that. These communications professionals express our commitment to building a White House that reflects the very best of our nation."

During the Obama-Biden administration, Psaki also served as State Department spokesperson, deputy White House communications director and deputy White House press secretary during the financial crisis. 

Bedingfield also worked at the White House under the Obama administration as Biden's communications director. She previously worked at the Motion Picture Association of America as VP of corporate communications, after serving as spokeswoman for John Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign, and communications director for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's 2008 Senate campaign in New Hampshire.

Tobar was formerly deputy director for America's Voice, a group working for immigrant rights, and also served as the Hispanic media director for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the national director of Hispanic media and western regional press secretary for the Democratic National Committee, the communications director for Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and communications director for the Latino Victory Project.

Jean-Pierre previously worked for Obama's and Martin O'Malley's presidential campaigns and served as a political analyst for NBC and MSNBC. She was chief public affairs officer at MoveOn.org and managed the campaign for the American Civil Liberties Union's Reproductive Freedom Initiative.

Sanders served as national press secretary for Sen. Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign, before joining CNN as a political commentator. She is also the former chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee.

Etienne previously worked as communications director and senior adviser to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and was the first woman and person of color to hold the position. She was also a special assistant to the President and director of communications for the Cabinet under the Obama administration, and also led communications on Obama's My Brother's Keeper initiative.

Alexander formerly served in the Obama administration too as Biden's press secretary, after working as Biden's communications director when he was a senator. Alexander worked as a federal prosecutor in the US Attorneys' offices in Washington, DC, and Alexandria, Virginia. Alexander also served as press secretary for the United Nations Foundation, press secretary to then-Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, communications director for California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, and deputy press secretary for Schumer.