Building Back Together Announces Staffing Changes And Departure Of Executive Director Danielle Melfi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 28, 2023
PRESS CONTACT: [email protected]

BUILDING BACK TOGETHER ANNOUNCES STAFFING CHANGES AND DEPARTURE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIELLE MELFI

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Building Back Together Executive Director Danielle Melfi announced that after launching BBT and leading the organization for two years, she will step down from her role at the end of March. Mayra Macías, currently Building Back Together’s Chief Strategy Officer, will serve as Interim Executive Director, and Paulette Aniskoff, a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive, will join as Senior Advisor.

Under Melfi’s leadership, Building Back Together has worked to deliver on the Biden-Harris legislative agenda – including historic laws like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – to improve the lives of working people. Building Back Together serves as a messaging and organizing hub for national and in-state administration allies, and has built and mobilized a robust network of more than 200 partners across issue areas to help deliver and champion these wins. 

Building Back Together will continue to work alongside our partners moving forward, turning our focus to the implementation of the Biden-Harris legislative agenda. Through this work, we will educate communities across the country about the ways the administration’s policies are improving their lives. 

“I could not be more proud of what our team has built over the past two years to play a role in passing President Biden’s historic legislative agenda – an agenda that is changing lives for the better,” said Building Back Together Executive Director Danielle Melfi. “Since BBT’s founding, we’ve created an unprecedented outside partner network, organizing allies to help make this agenda a reality. Under President Biden’s leadership, we’ve brought our economy back from the pandemic, created millions of good-paying union jobs, confirmed a historically diverse cabinet and court including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, delivered historic action on climate and health care, and so much more. Building Back Together is full of talented and kind people who are ready to continue the work we’ve started in this next phase. It has been a privilege to serve in this role alongside such a stellar team and committed partners.” 

As Interim Executive Director, Mayra Macías will lead Building Back Together’s work to educate Americans across the country on the positive impact of the Biden-Harris legislative agenda, including coordination with partners and allies on implementation — specifically on projects created as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and more. Prior to her time at Building Back Together, she served as the Executive Director for the Latino Victory Project and as Political Director for the Florida Democratic Party.

Paulette Aniskoff will support Building Back Together as Senior Advisor. Aniskoff is a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive (BPI), where she leads stakeholder engagement, coalition management, and grassroots campaigns. Prior to BPI, she was the Director of the Office of Public Engagement in the Obama-Biden Administration. She remained a Senior Advisor to President Obama after the conclusion of his term in office to create the political strategy for his post presidency and oversee his engagement with candidates, campaign committees and progressive organizations.

Today’s announcement follows recent Building Back Together hires, including Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee alum Susana Parra as BBT’s new Special Projects and Operations Manager and former Data for Progress Communications Director McKenzie Wilson as BBT’s new Communications Director.

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