Two of President Elect Obama’s latest appointments offer much hope to womens’ rights advocates.

Obama’s additions to his new staff include Melody Barnes to head his Domestic Policy Council and Ellen Moran, former executive director for the pro-choice group Emily’s List which helps elect pro-choice, Democratic women to political offices around the country. 

Barnes has the power to effect real change in the area of domestic health policy. According to the White House web site, 

The Domestic Policy Council coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House and offers policy advice to the President. The DPC also works to ensure that domestic policy initiatives are coordinated and consistent throughout federal agencies. Finally, the DPC monitors the implementation of domestic policy, and represents the President’s priorities to other branches of government.

As head of the council, Barnes will work closely with the Office of National AIDS Policy and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The position can have some significant impact, therefore, on which programs The Office of Faith-Based Initiatives funds. In particular, under Bush, this office helped fund many controversial and proven ineffective abstinence-only programs domestically and internationally (under PEPFAR – the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). In Barnes’ role with the Center for American Progress, where she will be moving from into her position with Obama’s administration, Barnes’ helped to promote a solid, effective, evidence-based agenda even under the Bush administration.

Though Moran, as communications director, does not have policy impact she certainly has the opportunity to impact the ways in which the White House discusses and frames policy issues to the American public. In addition, the communications team for a presidential administration creates an overall communications strategy.