Alum named director of White House faith-based office

When President Barack Obama went looking for a new director for the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, it seems only natural that he would find a Baylor Bear.

Melissa Rogers, BA ’88, was named earlier this month to replace one of President Obama’s longest-serving aides as the top White House official on religious issues. Rogers joins the Executive Branch from Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity, where she has led the Center for Religion and Public Affairs since 2004; prior to that, she served as executive director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and as general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

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An expert on church-state relations and lifelong Baptist, Rogers earned Phi Beta Kappa honors and a bachelor’s degree in history from Baylor before graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Sic ’em, Melissa!