Katie Walsh

Katherine Marie Walsh (born November 1, 1984) is an American Republican political operative who served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Implementation in the Donald Trump administration. She also worked with the Trump-aligned 501(c)(4) advocacy organization America First Policies.

Walsh previously served as the Chief of Staff for the Republican National Committee. She joined the Republican National Committee as Deputy Finance Director in January 2013 and became Finance Director in June of that year. In her previous role as Deputy Finance Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, she worked with United States Senate campaigns across the country to implement comprehensive fundraising and campaign strategies. Her past experience also includes serving as Midwest Regional Finance Director for the McCain–Palin campaign in 2008 and working for Friends of Fred Thompson, at the Ashcroft Group, and as a field representative for Missourians for Matt Blunt.

Early life and education Walsh was born an only child in St. Louis, Missouri. She credits her early interest in politics to her mother, who she said worked on a county executive race in Missouri when she was seven or eight. Her early political involvement came in high school when she worked as an intern for then-Senator John Ashcroft's unsuccessful 2000 reelection campaign. She attended Visitation Academy of St. Louis, a private, all-girls, Roman Catholic high school, and graduated in 2003. She was a field representative for Matt Blunt's 2004 campaign for Governor of Missouri. She also worked as an administrative assistant for the consulting firm Ashcroft Group.

Career 2008 presidential election Walsh was hired in 2007 as an assistant to the finance director for Fred Thompson's brief presidential campaign.

After Thompson dropped out of the race, she joined the presidential campaign of John McCain as Midwest regional finance director. breaking records by raising over $200 million during the 2014 election cycle. Spearheaded by the RNC's technology chief Andrew Barkett for the 2014 election cycle, she ensured that a partnership began in July 2015 between the voter information in the RNC's Data Trust, operated by Karl Rove and developed by Johnny DeStefano, and the voter information in the Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners' i360, which is supported by the Koch Brothers network, so that each database's information would be shared with GOP candidates. The RNC's Data Trust had been sharing its information with the independent groups American Crossroads and American Action Network.

Donald Trump presidential transition team Walsh was a member of Donald Trump's 2016 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. She was part of the Leadership staff.

Trump administration Walsh was named White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Implementation in the administration of Donald Trump. Walsh oversaw senior staff and managed scheduling and the Office of Public Liaison.

Walsh resigned from her position on March 30, 2017, becoming an adviser to a pro-Trump 501(c)(4), America First Policies, and the Republican National Committee.