section_path: First tenure as First Lady of the United States (2017–2021)/East Wing staff
section_name: East Wing staff
paragraph_text: East Wing staff
  
  The lack of staff appointments in the East Wing during the first months of the Trump administration—typically the domain of the first lady—caused a backlog of tour requests to develop. In February several hires were made for the Office of the First Lady: Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd as social secretary, Lindsay Reynolds as the first lady's chief of staff, Tham Kannalikham as her decorator, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff as the first lady's assistant, and Stephanie Grisham as communications director. Melania retained the head florist appointed by Michelle Obama, Hedieh Ghaffarian. The chief usher appointed under the Obama administration, Angella Reid, was replaced by Trump International Hotel employee Timothy Harleth, breaking the norm of the chief usher serving under multiple presidencies. Reid had been broadly unpopular with the staff, and the firing earned Melania their goodwill.
  
  The first lady's staff remained small relative to those of her predecessors. This was in part because she did not want to have any employees speaking on her behalf. Instead, she answered her correspondences herself. Melania had a reputation in the White House for being "drama-free", and for treating the staff well. According to her husband's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, her staff had "100 percent loyalty to her". Melania had a close, trusting relationship with her staff, and she was protective of them when conflict arose. Before moving in, Melania worked with Kannalikham to redecorate the White House, as first ladies typically do. She had most of the Obama-era decor replaced, and like the Obamas, the Trumps paid for it out of pocket instead of using the allotted funding.
  
  The lack of staff appointments in the East Wing during the first months of the Trump administration—typically the domain of the first lady—caused a backlog of tour requests to develop. In February several hires were made for the Office of the First Lady: Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd as social secretary, Lindsay Reynolds as the first lady's chief of staff, Tham Kannalikham as her decorator, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff as the first lady's assistant, and Stephanie Grisham as communications director. Melania retained the head florist appointed by Michelle Obama, Hedieh Ghaffarian. The chief usher appointed under the Obama administration, Angella Reid, was replaced by Trump International Hotel employee Timothy Harleth, breaking the norm of the chief usher serving under multiple presidencies. Reid had been broadly unpopular with the staff, and the firing earned Melania their goodwill.
  
  The first lady's staff remained small relative to those of her predecessors. This was in part because she did not want to have any employees speaking on her behalf. Instead, she answered her correspondences herself. Melania had a reputation in the White House for being "drama-free", and for treating the staff well. According to her husband's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, her staff had "100 percent loyalty to her". Melania had a close, trusting relationship with her staff, and she was protective of them when conflict arose. Before moving in, Melania worked with Kannalikham to redecorate the White House, as first ladies typically do. She had most of the Obama-era decor replaced, and like the Obamas, the Trumps paid for it out of pocket instead of using the allotted funding.