Former Biden administration official Schwanza Goff is joining Paramount Skydance as vice president of U.S. government affairs, a move that comes amid the pending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Goff will be based in Washington, D.C., and “she will be the Democratic Party’s government affairs chief,” according to a memo about Goff’s hiring sent to staff Tuesday by Paramount’s chief legal officer, Makan Delrahim.
“I am excited that Schwanza (known as ‘Shu’ to friends and colleagues) will be joining Paramount and am confident that she will be instrumental in deepening our engagement at all levels of government,” Delrahim wrote.
Mr. Goff’s official joining date is July 6th. She will report to Ted Lehman, senior vice president and head of U.S. public policy and government, who joined Paramount earlier this year. “I know how rare it is to find highly qualified individuals who are deeply respected across both parties, and Schwanza is exactly that. He is trusted and known in Washington, and is an exceptional colleague,” Lehman said in a statement.
Mr. Goff will be tasked with helping develop the company’s public policy and government affairs strategy, including working with federal and state policymakers and industry partners. She previously served as partner and chief strategy officer at lobbying firm Empire Consulting Group.
Goff served as White House Legislative Affairs Director from 2023 to 2025 in the Biden administration. In that role, she drove the White House policy agenda and was the manager of important bipartisan relationships on Capitol Hill. She previously held a deputy position.
Before Biden took the White House, Goff spent more than a decade in House leadership, including as Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). Her oversight included all aspects of the House’s legislative agenda, operations, and procedural strategy.
A native of Virginia, Goff graduated from the University of Tennessee and American University.
