Today, the President’s Commission on White House Fellows announced the appointment of 11 exceptional Americans who will serve as White House Fellows for a one-year term. The 2026-2027 Class of White House Fellows represents a cross-section of professions including law enforcement, business, academia, and five branches of the military.

The White House Fellows program was created in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson because “freedom, in its deepest sense, requires participation – full, zestful, knowledgeable participation”. Through high-level work experience, an educational program, and community service, the program provides gifted and highly motivated young Americans with first-hand experience in the process of governing the Nation and a sense of personal involvement in the leadership of society. Each White House Fellow serves to remind the nation that government exists of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Through a vigorous and highly competitive selection process, the Commission selects patriotic Americans who demonstrate unusual ability, high moral character, outstanding motivation, broad capacity for leadership, and exceptional promise of future development. Selected individuals spend one year working as full-time, paid fellows to senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking government officials.

The application for the 2027-2028 class of White House Fellows will open on November 2, 2026. For more information on how to apply, please visit whitehousefellows.gov.   

2026-2027 Class of White House Fellows:

Manuel Barrantes is from Bentonville, Arkansas, and is placed at the Department of Labor. Born in Nicaragua, he received a scholarship to attend Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. He spent nine years at Walmart and Sam’s Club, beginning as an hourly associate and advancing through leadership roles spanning store operations, merchandising, product, and e-commerce. Most recently, he served as a director in Walmart U.S. Last Mile Delivery, leading efforts across operations and technology to support independent drivers who shop for and deliver customer orders. His work has centered on the customer experience, a key part of Walmart’s goal to be America’s favorite place to shop. Beyond work, Manuel has mentored entrepreneurs through nonprofits, helping them take practical steps toward launching businesses. He participated in Leadership Benton County and the Workmatters Institute. His leadership and service have been recognized by Arkansas Business 20 in Their 20s, the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Fast 15 and Forty Under 40, and the Spirit of Bentonville Award. Manuel earned dual B.B.A. degrees in Business Management and Global Economic Development from Harding University and is nearing completion of an M.S. in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Steven D. Christopher is from Fort Myers, Florida, and is placed at the Department of Agriculture. A Lieutenant Colonel, Steve was commissioned in 2007 with academic and athletic distinction from the U.S. Air Force Academy as an Electrical Engineering major and Wings of Blue Parachute Team Cadet Commander. He has served in reconnaissance, flight test, formal training, and remote-piloted aircraft units and has commanded at the Detachment and Squadron levels. Steve also graduated with distinction from the Defense Language Institute’s Chinese-Mandarin course, was an Olmsted Scholar in Asia, and was a National War Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. As a Foreign Area Officer, he served as the State Department’s Deputy Division Chief for South China Sea Affairs. Prior to his current position, Steve was the Squadron Commander of the Department of the Air Force’s Indo-Pacific Military Personnel Exchange Program, where he led 172 personnel across 13 countries. Steve is a graduate of Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and a Senior Pilot with more than 2,200 flying hours, including over 1,400 hours of combat experience in the RQ-170, MC-12W, and MQ-1B.

Victor Hooper is from Santa Clarita, California, and is placed at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Victor is a Sergeant II with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), where he protects and serves the Los Angeles community. He serves as the officer in charge of the LAPD’s Leadership Unit, which delivers advanced leadership training to middle managers from domestic and international law enforcement agencies. Throughout his career, Victor has held numerous specialized roles as both a patrol officer and supervisor. He previously served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Battalion, during the early years of the Global War on Terror. He deployed overseas multiple times and earned the US Army Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, and Combat Parachutist Badge. Victor is deeply committed to continuous improvement and professional excellence. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Bakersfield, and a master’s degree in Forensic Science from Oklahoma State University. In his spare time, he volunteers with his local parks and recreation department and supports various charitable organizations.

Christopher Huff is from San Antonio, Texas, and is placed at the Small Business Administration. A Lieutenant Colonel, Chris is a United States Marine Corps officer whose career has taken him from leading Marines in combat to flying military aircraft across the globe and advising senior leaders on national security. He has served as an infantry officer, AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter pilot, and MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor pilot, deploying to Afghanistan, the Indo-Pacific, and the Horn of Africa. He recently served at Headquarters Marine Corps, supporting Department of the Navy and Marine Corps leadership with operational and strategic assessments of global military operations. Chris is committed to public service and lifelong learning. He attends the United States Army War College, is currently completing his second master’s degree with the Naval Postgraduate School, and earned his undergraduate degree from the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. His professional interests center on national security, strategic competition, emerging technologies, and strengthening the institutions that sustain the constitutional republic of the United States.

Blake Hunnewell is from New York City, and is placed at the International Development Finance Corporation. A Major in the Army, Blake most recently served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict advising senior leaders on irregular warfare, counterterrorism, and special operations. As a U.S. Army Special Forces officer and defense policy professional, he previously served as a policy advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy, where his experience spanned special operations counterterrorism and homeland defense. He has led conventional and special operations units across Europe and Africa. Blake is an International Strategy Forum Fellow, played rugby for the West Point Black Knights, and has research interests in national security, leadership, and emerging technologies. Blake holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an M.A. in International Affairs from King’s College London, and a Master of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins SAIS as a U.S. Space Force Schriever Scholar. He lives in Washington D.C. with his wife and young son.

Sophie Lekas McCraith is from Chicago, Illinois, and is placed at the National Energy Dominance Council. She is a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, serving as a Submarine Warfare Officer. Her most recent assignment was aboard the ballistic missile submarine USS WYOMING (SSBN 742), where she completed three strategic deterrent patrols and qualified as a Department of Energy Nuclear Engineer. As Communications Officer and Officer of the Deck, she directed highly classified message processing, complex planning for joint exercises, and safe navigation through the East Coast’s most challenging waterways. Sophie has published research applying feedback control to additive manufacturing in peer-reviewed engineering journals and international conference proceedings. An accomplished violinist and oboist, she is passionate about performing and sharing music with her community. Sophie earned a Master of Science in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford, England, and a Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy, where she was a two-time National Collegiate Boxing Champion and the first female four-time Brigade Boxing Champion.

Cliff Rhoten is from Wimer, Oregon, and is placed at the Department of the Interior.  Cliff is a fifth-generation Oregonian and first-generation college graduate whose career spans the private sector, military service, and nonprofit leadership.  He recently led a $200 million global industrial portfolio at 3M, where he also held corporate strategy roles.  Prior to joining 3M, Cliff served as an active-duty lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.  Across five overseas deployments, he led Sailors and Marines while assigned to a guided-missile frigate, coastal riverine squadron, and Marine Corps ANGLICO.  Cliff has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Rise, Inc., a nonprofit that provides vocational services to more than 2,500 people with disabilities each year.  Cliff helped fund his education as a wildland firefighter and earned an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.A. in Accounting from George Fox University.  He is a current Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Nicholas Rogers is from Boca Raton, Florida, and is placed at the Department of Health and Human Services. He is a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, specializing in maritime counter smuggling, law enforcement, search and rescue, and finance. He most recently commanded Coast Guard Cutter RICHARD DIXON out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he served as on-scene commander for numerous search-and-rescue and counternarcotics operations, seizing $60 million in narcotics and saving more than 400 mariners in distress. His cutter was hand selected to lead multiple humanitarian initiatives including the armed response that reopened Haiti’s capital port to humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and fuel following the government’s request for assistance during civil unrest and a cholera outbreak. He previously served as an Assault Force Commander of a Direct Action Section within the Coast Guard’s Maritime Security Response Team, where he led an advanced interdiction team combating terrorism-sponsored weapon and lethal aid shipments. He holds a B.S. in Marine and Environmental Science from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, and a Master in Law from Penn Carey Law.

Kyle Saleeby is from Destin, Florida, and is placed at the National Security Council. He was previously the Research Program Director for the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute, where he led three multidisciplinary research teams to design, develop, and deploy critical manufacturing technologies to strengthen U.S. industrial competitiveness and national security. As an engineer, Kyle is passionate about data-driven manufacturing and workforce development, translating research innovations into practical solutions for industry and government partners. As an inventor, he holds patents for AI-driven process optimization and novel manufacturing methods and earned GT’s Research Program Impact Award. As an educator, he teaches precision manufacturing techniques, mentoring the next generation of manufacturing leaders. Beyond research leadership, he founded the Advanced Manufacturing Pathways program, introducing high school students toengineering, additive manufacturing, and data-driven design through fabrication and racing of 3D-printed pinewood derby cars. Kyle earned a B.S. in mechanicalengineering from MIT, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Georgia Tech.  

Emily Tucker is from White Lake, Michigan, and is placed at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. With a 16-year military career, including 13-plus years of active-duty Army service, Em served in logistics and information operations roles supporting special operations units. She deployed as a convoy commander in Afghanistan in 2012, multiple domestic hurricane responses, and to Eastern Europe in 2022 as an information operations officer. She is a Naval War College graduate and now serves as a Major Promotable in the Army Reserve, where she is a Strategic Planner on the Joint Staff, J-39. Em’s military experience is complemented by her private sector career, focusing on defense work at McKinsey & Company in Washington, D.C., after transitioning through the SkillBridge program as a member of the firm’s first firmwide cohort. Em’s passions include national security, defense technology, and innovation. An advocate for veterans transitioning out of uniform, she mentors junior colleagues navigating the path between military service and the private sector, and serves as a coach for both the Honor Foundation and the First Tee. She began her career as a golf professional, having earned her PGA certification from Methodist University.

Elise Willding is from Dallas, Texas and is placed at the Department of War. Elise is the Founder and Principal of M Partners, an advisory firm providing financial and strategic advice across the full capital structure, including debt and equity financing, recapitalizations, restructurings, acquisitions, divestitures, and special situations. Prior to founding M Partners, Elise spent seven years with Bain & Company advising corporate and private equity clients spanning industries from industrials to higher education on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, operating model design, and organizational transformation. After Bain, Elise served as Chief Strategy Officer of a middle-market, private equity-backed home services platform where she led the integration of seven operating companies, structured and managed transformation initiatives, and served as an executive coach. Elise holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and both a Master of Science in Systems Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Southern Methodist University. Elise received SMU’s distinguished M Award for leadership and service.

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