Press Release - Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today announced that he has named Daniel Bartlett Counselor to the President, and he has named Nicolle Devenish Assistant to the President for Communications.

"Dan Bartlett has been a trusted adviser for more than ten years. I appreciate his good judgment and sound counsel and his continued service in a second term," stated President Bush.

"Nicolle Devenish played a vital role in coordinating my campaign's communications strategy. Her expertise will be a huge asset to my Administration," stated President Bush.

Bartlett currently serves as Assistant to the President for Communications. Prior to that, he was Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Communications Director. Before being named Communications Director, he was Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy to then Counselor to the President, Karen Hughes.

Before joining the Bush Administration, Bartlett served as a senior spokesman and the Director of Rapid Response for the Bush for President campaign in Austin, Texas. He has served President Bush since 1993, working on both successful campaigns for Governor of Texas. From 1994 to 1998, Bartlett worked in the Governor's Office as Deputy to the Policy Director. During the 1998 reelection campaign, he served as Issues Director. Earlier in his career, Bartlett worked for Karl Rove + Company, an Austin-based public affairs firm. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Texas at Austin.

Nicolle Devenish served as Communications Director for Bush-Cheney '04. Prior to joining the campaign, Devenish was Special Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs at the White House where she oversaw regional press strategy and outreach. Before joining the Bush Administration, Devenish was Florida Governor Jeb Bush's Press Secretary and later Communications Director for the Florida State Technology Office. Devenish also served California's Assembly Republican Caucus from 1997 to 1998 and worked for the California Republican Party in 1998. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkley and her master's degree from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.