Biden supply chain adviser to leave White House

President Joe Biden’s top supply chain adviser is leaving the White House, departing from the post as the country's product distribution snags show signs of easing.

Sameera Fazili, deputy director of the National Economic Council and a deputy assistant to the president, is exiting on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter. She led the White House’s work on trying to fix the supply chain problems that have fueled inflation and also on passing the CHIPS and Science Act.

She was also a key player in developing an industrial policy for the administration.

Last year, Fazili drew attention for her efforts as the leader of the White House’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Forceto improve the flow of goods during the holiday season.

"Sameera has been an indispensable partner in navigating historic global supply chain challenges and charting an historic industrial strategy for our country," National Economic Council Director Brian Deese said in a statement to POLITICO. "In no small part because of Sameera's tireless efforts, our supply chains have not only recovered, but our country now has a coherent strategy to build supply chain resilience for the future."

Before joining the White House, she worked for more than seven years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. In the Obama administration, she worked as a senior adviser on international affairs and as a senior policy analyst at the Treasury Department, and also served a stint at the NEC. Fazili, a Buffalo native, graduated from Harvard and Yale Law School.

A White House spokesperson said her industrial policy portfolio is being taken over by two NEC staffers: Ronnie Chatterji, who is currently the White House lead on the implementation of the CHIPS Act and is moving into the role of acting deputy director of NEC, and Deputy NEC Director Celeste Drake, who leads labor policy for the White House.