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Wilson Jerman worked full-time in the White House from 1957 to 1993, and part-time beginning in 2003.
National Archives and Records Administration
White House staff at Tee Ball game, 2005. The White House Tee Ball game on the South Lawn first took place in 2001 and has been held annually ever since. For this event, White House workers replicate a major-league ballpark—complete with pitcher's mound, dug-out, and bleachers. Following the game, they serve a ballpark menu of hot dogs and hamburgers.
Little League Baseball and Softball, Williamsport, Pa.
First Lady Laura Bush and staff at press preview, 2007. First Lady Laura Bush, standing with Admiral Stephen Rochon, director of the Executive Residence and chief usher (with red tie), and Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford (holding green paper), offers the press a preview of the 2007 state dinner in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. More than 300 white roses were used to create the decorative centerpieces.
White House photo
Cristeta Comerford is the first woman to hold the position of White House Executive Chef. She was born in the Philippines, came to the United States in 1985, started working at the White House in 1995, and was promoted to her present post in 2005.
About this Gallery
Perhaps the most significant change for the White House and its workers during the past several decades has been that heightened security concerns have made the House an increasingly more enclosed environment, which the president leaves less frequently for offsite events. The result, according to former chief usher Gary Walters, is that “we transferred from a house where we only occasionally did parties to a major catering facility. Now we are doing three or four events a day sometimes.”
For more than one hundred years, White House Social Secretaries have demonstrated a profound knowledge of protocol and society in Washington, D.C. The position had its beginnings in the Theodore Roosevelt administration when First Lady Edith Roosevelt hired an executive clerk. From the intricacies of ceremony planning to routine office work, the social secretary must possess unfailing tact in
For more than two centuries, the White House has been the home of American presidents. A powerful symbol of the nation, it is a uniquely private and public space. Since John and Abigail Adams first moved into the “President’s House” in November 1800, hundreds of individuals have worked behind the scenes to help the White House fulfill its roles as a seat
The White House Military Social Aides have played an important role in many different White House events and functions. They have assisted the President with diplomatic protocol at State events, at annual meetings with the leaders of Congress and the Federal Judiciary, and at other significant social events. Military Social Aides play the role of assistant hosts at the White
While the presidency is often in the eye of the public, those who ensure operations at the White House run smoothly on a day-to-day basis often carry out their work behind the scenes. Furthermore, some of the president's most intimate relationships play out behind the walls of the Executive Mansion. In this collection, pull back the curtain on some of
