Josh Pitcock Explained

Josh Pitcock
Office:Chief of Staff to the Vice President
Vicepresident:Mike Pence
Term Start:January 20, 2017
Term End:July 28, 2017
Predecessor:Steve Ricchetti
Successor:Nick Ayers
Party:Republican
Education:DePauw University (BA)
Wake Forest University (JD)

Joshua Matthew Pitcock is an American political operative who served as chief of staff to Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, from January 2017 to July 2017. Pitcock has also been Assistant to the President. He was a member of Donald Trump's presidential transition team.[1]

Early life and education

In 1994, Pitcock graduated from Anderson High School in Anderson, Indiana. Pitcock was a political science major and Asian Studies minor at DePauw University, where he was a diver. He graduated from there in 1998. He went on to earn a J.D. degree from Wake Forest University.[2] [3]

Career

Pitcock served as an aide to Mike Pence during his time in the United States House of Representatives and eventually became his chief of staff there. After Pence was elected governor of Indiana in 2012, Pitcock stayed in Washington, D.C. during Pence's governorship, serving as the state's lobbyist. Pitcock served as a senior policy adviser to Pence throughout the campaign and the transition. Having navigated the Hill with Pence before, he was seen as the natural choice to help Pence in his expected role as liaison between Congressional Republicans and the president.[4]

Trump presidential transition team

Pitcock was a member of Donald Trump's presidential transition team. The transition team was a group of around 100 aides, policy experts, government affairs officials, and former government officials who were tasked with vetting, interviewing, and recommending individuals for top cabinet and staff roles in Trump's administration. He was part of the leadership staff.

Chief of Staff to the Vice President

In January 2017, Pitcock was appointed as Pence's chief of staff.[5] Pitcock's tenure in the White House was always meant to be temporary, as he stayed on through the transition period and the first few months of the Trump administration, before stepping down during the summer.[6] He was succeeded in the position by Nick Ayers, another longtime Pence advisor.[7] In October 2017, Pitcock was appointed vice president of government affairs at Oracle, a multinational computer technology corporation based in California.[8]

Personal life

Pitcock married Katherine A. Seaman on June 30, 2007, in Washington, D.C.[9] [10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nussbaum. Matthew. Pence expected to name Josh Pitcock as chief of staff. Politico. January 3, 2017. February 4, 2017.
  2. Web site: Josh Pitcock '98 is Chief of Staff to VP-Elect Mike Pence . January 6, 2017 . February 4, 2017 . depauw.edu . November 6, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211106214102/https://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/32801/ . dead .
  3. Web site: De La Bastide . Ken . Anderson native Josh Pitcock, right, has been named Vice President-elect Mike Pence's chief of staff . January 6, 2017 . February 4, 2017 . heraldbulletin.com.
  4. Web site: Weller . Mark . The man behind the man behind the man: Pence chief Josh Pitcock . January 10, 2017 . February 4, 2017. policysoapbox.com.
  5. Web site: Pence tapping former aides, and some lobbyists, for VP office staff. Indianapolis Star. Maureen. Groppe. January 25, 2017. February 7, 2017.
  6. Web site: Pence to Replace His Chief of Staff. New York Times. Maggie. Haberman. June 29, 2017. May 25, 2018.
  7. Web site: Mike Pence's first major staff shakeup: Josh Pitcock out, Nick Ayers in as chief of staff. USA Today. Maureen. Groppe. June 29, 2017. May 25, 2018.
  8. Web site: Former Pence aide Pitcock joining Oracle. Politico. Nancy. Cook. Anna. Palmer. October 10, 2017. May 25, 2018.
  9. News: Depauw Magazine Spring 2008 . DePauw University Publications . November 15, 2011.
  10. News: Seaman Certificate of Divestiture . United States Office of Government Ethics . April 25, 2019.