The first day that I was back at work after the birth of my son, I headed into the Oval Office for a meeting with the President and other members of the senior staff. Before I could get two steps into the door, the President asked to see some baby pics. Since I don’t typically carry my smartphone into the Oval Office, I went back down the hall to my office to retrieve it. When I walked back into the Oval, my colleagues were preparing to begin the meeting when POTUS insisted that he get to see the photos before we started.

A few months later, on my birthday, the President presented me with a framed copy of a photo (taken by White House photographer Pete Souza) of me proudly looking over his shoulder while he looks at the baby photos on my phone. That photo hangs in my office near my desk today.

It’s an apt reminder that even in the face of daunting challenges and a busy schedule, family comes first - even for the President of the United States.