Longtime political event planner Anna Cristina “Rickie” Niceta Lloyd will serve as White House Social Secretary, working with first lady Melania Trump, a Wednesday announcement revealed.
“Rickie brings with her over twenty-two years of solid diplomatic, political and social entertaining experience,” said the first lady. “I am looking forward to sharing my ideas and traditions of entertaining and social hospitality to America’s house, my new home as well. That, along with Rickie’s vast experience, I am even more excited.”
Lloyd’s style was described in the release as perfectly aligning with that of first lady Trump. She has served as an account executive with Arlington, Virginia catering company Design Cuisine. Her work has included planning for the past five inaugurations; assisting the State Department’s Office of Protocol with luncheons for the department; summits and conferences for State Department Secretaries Albright, Powell, Rice, Clinton, and Kerry; as well as events for the NRCC, DCCC, DNC, RNC, the Speaker of the House, and the Secretary of the Senate. The White House Office of the Press Secretary added that she recently planned events for President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Lloyd and Mrs. Trump will work together to plan and execute White House events. Lloyd’s responsibilities will include overseeing “all social events and gatherings, from Official State Dinners, White House social calendar events, official policy-related events, to the first lady’s initiatives,” according to the release.
Lloyd’s husband Thomas Lloyd is the grandson of Bunny Mellon, whose husband Paul Mellon was friend and mentor to former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. The New York Times published an announcement of the Lloyd’s wedding in March 2006. Mrs. Mellon was also integral to the design of the White House rose garden for then-first lady Kennedy. The White House credited Mrs. Mellon with having a significant influence on Lloyd’s “precision and elegance.”
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