David Simas

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David Simas
Simas in 2021
White House Director of Political Affairs
In office
January 24, 2014 – December 19, 2016
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byPatrick Gaspard (2011)
Succeeded byBill Stepien
Personal details
BornDavid Matos Simas
(1970-01-05) January 5, 1970 (age 56)
PartyDemocratic
SpouseShauna
Children2
EducationStonehill College (BA)
Boston College (JD)

David Matos Simas[1][2] (born January 5, 1970)[2][1] is an American lawyer, former government official, and a former politician. He was the President of the Obama Foundation from 2021 to 2023,[3] having previously served as its CEO from 2016 to 2021[4][5] and served in Barack Obama's administration as the White House Director of Political Affairs from 2014 to 2016.[6][7]

Early life and education

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Simas was born and raised in Taunton, Massachusetts, the son of Portuguese American immigrant parents, António and Deolinda Simas.[2] Deolinda lost two of her fingers in a faulty machine at the silver factory where she worked when David was a child. The Portuguese immigrant lawyer who worked on the case inspired David to become a lawyer.[5] He attended Coyle and Cassidy High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill College.[2] He later earned a Juris Doctor from the Boston College Law School in 1995.[6]

Career

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Simas began his political career working as an intern in Senator Edward M. Kennedy's office in 1989.[8] He was later elected to the Taunton School Board in 1993 and the Taunton City Council in 1997 and 1999.[8][9] He later served as president of the council and worked as an advisor to the mayor of Taunton.[9]

After leaving the city council he served as an assistant register of deeds for the Northern district office of the Bristol County Registry of Deeds.[10] He was later elected as the new Register of Deeds of the Northern district of Bristol County in 2004.[11] He won reelection in 2006 but later resigned to accept a position in Governor Deval Patrick's administration.[11]

He formerly served as deputy general counsel to the Massachusetts House of Representatives Post Audit and Oversight Bureau and practiced law with the law firm of Gay & Gay Associates, PC.[9][1]

He worked as deputy chief of staff to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick from 2007 until 2009. In 2009, he joined the Obama White House as a deputy assistant to the president, working under Senior Advisor David Axelrod.

He worked as director of opinion research for President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign and then served as a liaison between the president and Democratic officials for two and a half years.[12]

Simas was appointed CEO of the Obama Foundation in December 2016.[4] In 2025, Simas was a fellow at the USC Center for the Political Future. [13]

Personal life

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Simas married his high school sweetheart, Shauna. They have two daughters and live in Los Angeles, CA.[2][5]

References

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  2. ^ a b c d e Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  4. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ BRISTOL COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS NORTHERN DISTRICT Website (archived October 1, 2003)
  11. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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