 Under her leadership, the Wage and Hour Division initiated an anti-sweatshop initiative, which received an Innovation in American Government Award from the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1996.From February 1997 to May 1998, Echaveste served as the Director of Public Liaison at the White House, where she developed communications, legislative and public outreach strategies.From 1998 to 2001, she served as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton.