WASHINGTON D.C.(TIP): Indian American Seema Nanda has been appointed as the new CEO of the Democratic National Committee. Announcing the appointment, DNC said in a press release that Nanda, who served on​ the transition team of DNC Chair Tom​ Perez, will manage the organization’s day-to-day operations.

“This position is the opportunity of a lifetime, for which I am incredibly honored and humbled,” Nanda said in a statement issued by the DNC. “People are hurting all across our country. And I believe that Democrats are offering the positive solutions so desperately-needed right now – solutions forged by the strength of our diversity, the rigor of our ideas, and the decency of our values. I am grateful to Chairman Perez and Mary Beth for selecting me, and I look forward to joining my new DNC colleagues in the fight for our nation’s values and future.”

The selection of Nanda is significant because it comes in a mid-term cycle that is seen by Democrats as a make-or-break election. Women have been playing a highly visible role in the party’s efforts to snatch at least one chamber of Congress, which will enable Democrats to block parts of the agenda of President Trump.

 “I’m beyond excited that Seema is bringing her talent and brilliance to the DNC,” said Perez said in a statement. “I’ve seen firsthand Seema’s exceptional ability to lead. She is a seasoned manager who has a proven track record of success and a well-documented history of fighting for our Democratic values, whether it’s on immigration, civil rights or leveling the playing field for our workers.”

Besides serving on the transition team, which reviewed DNC’s operations after the disastrous 2016 presidential elections, Nanda also worked as Perez’s chief of staff to while he was the Secretary of the US Department of Labor. At the department, she also served as Deputy Solicitor.

Perez said he was “one hundred percent certain that Seema’s leadership will help the DNC capitalize on the unprecedented grassroots energy and enthusiasm surging throughout the country.”

Nanda, a graduate of Boston College Law School and Brown University, succeeds the current CEO Mary Beth Cahill, who will continue to serve through the transition.

Nanda’s appointment came after a five-month search.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned during my search for a permanent CEO, there’s no shortage of qualified and passionate leaders in our party. Seema undoubtedly fits the bill,” said Cahill. “With Seema joining our senior leadership team, I know that the DNC will be in good hands. Working alongside Chairman Perez and the team has been an honor and a privilege. Though I’m leaving my role in the building, I’ll never stop working to make sure Democrats everywhere continue to win from the school board to the Oval Office.”