Wally Adeyemo, a trailblazing Nigerian-American, was recently sworn in as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, cementing his position as the Treasury Department’s number two official and chief operating officer. This is not Adeyemo’s first stint at the Treasury Department, having previously served in various leadership roles during the Obama Administration, including as Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff under Secretary Tim Geithner and Secretary Jack Lew.

Throughout his career, Adeyemo has worked in organizations across the public, private, and non-profit sectors to build a stronger and fairer economy. In his role as Deputy Secretary, he has taken a leading role in Treasury’s national security, economic inequality, and pandemic-related economic recovery work, while supporting the Secretary in driving the Department’s fundamental mission: promoting economic growth and ensuring the financial security of the United States.

Prior to his current role, Adeyemo served as the first president of the Obama Foundation, where he worked with the former president and first lady to help them continue giving back to the country as private citizens. He has also worked as a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and at BlackRock, providing macroeconomic and geopolitical advice to portfolio managers and clients.

Adeyemo’s work has extended beyond finance and economics. He served as the first Chief of Staff of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, founded after the financial crisis to protect Americans from unfair, deceptive, or abusive consumer financial practices. Additionally, he has served on the boards of Demos, the Golden State Opportunity Foundation, and Just Homes, all of which are focused on social, political, and economic equity issues.

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, Adeyemo immigrated to California’s Inland Empire as a young child with his parents, who were an educator and a nurse. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Adeyemo’s appointment as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury is a testament to his hard work and dedication to building a more equitable economy. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position, and his leadership will be critical in guiding the Treasury Department as the country continues to navigate the economic challenges posed by the pandemic.