President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Danny Russel – Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
• Rick Metsger – Member, National Credit Union Administration Board

The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Michael G. Whitaker – Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
• Alphonso Maldon, Jr. – Member and Chair, Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission
• Mary C. Pete – Member, Arctic Research Commission

President Obama said, “These fine public servants both bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles.  Our nation will be well-served by these men and women, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Danny Russel, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
Danny Russel, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs on the White House National Security Staff (NSS).  From 2009 to 2011, he was the NSS Director for Japan, South Korea, and North Korea.  Before joining the NSS, Mr. Russel was Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the Department of State.  From 2005 to 2008, he was U.S. Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, Japan.  Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague from 2002 to 2005, and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus from 1999 to 2002.  From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Russel was Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.  Earlier assignments included posts at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea and with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.  Before joining the Foreign Service in 1985, Mr. Russel was a manager for an international firm based in New York City.

Rick Metsger, Nominee for Member, National Credit Union Administration Board
Rick Metsger is President of Parakletos Strategic Public Affairs LLC, a position he has held since 2010.  Prior to this, Mr. Metsger served in the Oregon State Senate from 1999 to 2011, and as Senate President Pro Tempore  from 2009 to 2011.  From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Metsger worked as a Principal at Metsger Forbes LLC.  He was Principal of NewsMedia Dynamics Inc. from 1992 to 1999.  Mr. Metsger was a news anchor and reporter for KOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon from 1977 to 1992.  He served on the State Treasury Debt Policy Advisory Commission from 2001 to 2011 and was on the Board of Directors of Portland Teachers Credit Union from 1993 to 2001.  Mr. Metsger received a B.S. and an M.A.T. from Lewis & Clark College.
President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Michael G. Whitaker, Appointee for Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
Michael G. Whitaker most recently served as a Board Member and Business Development Consultant for InterGlobe Enterprises from 2011 to 2012.  Prior to this, Mr. Whitaker was a Group Chief Executive Officer within InterGlobe Enterprises from 2009 to 2011.  From 1994 to 2009, he served at United Airlines, most recently as Senior Vice President for Alliances, International, and Regulatory Affairs.  Prior to that, he served at Trans World Airlines from 1991 to 1994, most recently as Assistant General Counsel for Regulatory and International Affairs.  Mr. Whitaker received a B.A. from the University of Louisville and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. 

Alphonso Maldon, Jr., Appointee for Member and Chair, Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission
Alphonso Maldon, Jr. is Founder, President, and CEO of Partnership Strategies Consulting in Virginia.  He is also part-owner of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club.  Before launching Partnership Strategies Consulting in 2009, Mr. Maldon was Senior Vice President for External Affairs for the Washington Nationals and President of the Dream Foundation, the Washington Nationals’ philanthropic arm.  Before joining the Washington Nationals Baseball Club, Mr. Maldon was Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Management Officer for Government Banking Services for PNC Financial Services Group in Washington, D.C.  Previously, he was Executive Vice President with Fleet Boston Financial and Bank of America.  From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Maldon served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy.  Prior to that, he served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs at the White House and White House Congressional Liaison to the United States Senate and House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999.  From 1994 to 1995, he was Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office.  Mr. Maldon served in the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1993 and retired with the rank of Colonel.  He received a B.S. from Florida A&M and an M.A. from the University of Oklahoma.

Mary C. Pete, Appointee for Member, Arctic Research Commission
Mary C. Pete is the Director of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel, Alaska, a position she has held since 2005.  She was first appointed to the Artic Research Commission by President Obama in 2010.  Prior to that, from 1996 to 2005, she served as the Director of the Division of Subsistence for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  From 1993 to 1996, Ms. Pete was an instructor in the Department of Rural Development at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and a Subsistence Resource Specialist from 1984 to 1993.  From 2005 to 2009 she served as a member of the North Pacific Research Board Science Panel.  Ms. Pete received a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

The President and the Department of Defense are taking unprecedented steps to protect our environment, achieve significant cost savings, and give our military better energy options.

Today at the White House, we convened the 10th annual meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

view all related blog posts

View the original article here

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Danny Russel – Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
• Rick Metsger – Member, National Credit Union Administration Board

The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Michael G. Whitaker – Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
• Alphonso Maldon, Jr. – Member and Chair, Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission
• Mary C. Pete – Member, Arctic Research Commission

President Obama said, “These fine public servants both bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles.  Our nation will be well-served by these men and women, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Danny Russel, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
Danny Russel, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs on the White House National Security Staff (NSS).  From 2009 to 2011, he was the NSS Director for Japan, South Korea, and North Korea.  Before joining the NSS, Mr. Russel was Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the Department of State.  From 2005 to 2008, he was U.S. Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, Japan.  Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague from 2002 to 2005, and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus from 1999 to 2002.  From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Russel was Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.  Earlier assignments included posts at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea and with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.  Before joining the Foreign Service in 1985, Mr. Russel was a manager for an international firm based in New York City.

Rick Metsger, Nominee for Member, National Credit Union Administration Board
Rick Metsger is President of Parakletos Strategic Public Affairs LLC, a position he has held since 2010.  Prior to this, Mr. Metsger served in the Oregon State Senate from 1999 to 2011, and as Senate President Pro Tempore  from 2009 to 2011.  From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Metsger worked as a Principal at Metsger Forbes LLC.  He was Principal of NewsMedia Dynamics Inc. from 1992 to 1999.  Mr. Metsger was a news anchor and reporter for KOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon from 1977 to 1992.  He served on the State Treasury Debt Policy Advisory Commission from 2001 to 2011 and was on the Board of Directors of Portland Teachers Credit Union from 1993 to 2001.  Mr. Metsger received a B.S. and an M.A.T. from Lewis & Clark College.
President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Michael G. Whitaker, Appointee for Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
Michael G. Whitaker most recently served as a Board Member and Business Development Consultant for InterGlobe Enterprises from 2011 to 2012.  Prior to this, Mr. Whitaker was a Group Chief Executive Officer within InterGlobe Enterprises from 2009 to 2011.  From 1994 to 2009, he served at United Airlines, most recently as Senior Vice President for Alliances, International, and Regulatory Affairs.  Prior to that, he served at Trans World Airlines from 1991 to 1994, most recently as Assistant General Counsel for Regulatory and International Affairs.  Mr. Whitaker received a B.A. from the University of Louisville and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. 

Alphonso Maldon, Jr., Appointee for Member and Chair, Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission
Alphonso Maldon, Jr. is Founder, President, and CEO of Partnership Strategies Consulting in Virginia.  He is also part-owner of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club.  Before launching Partnership Strategies Consulting in 2009, Mr. Maldon was Senior Vice President for External Affairs for the Washington Nationals and President of the Dream Foundation, the Washington Nationals’ philanthropic arm.  Before joining the Washington Nationals Baseball Club, Mr. Maldon was Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Management Officer for Government Banking Services for PNC Financial Services Group in Washington, D.C.  Previously, he was Executive Vice President with Fleet Boston Financial and Bank of America.  From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Maldon served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy.  Prior to that, he served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs at the White House and White House Congressional Liaison to the United States Senate and House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999.  From 1994 to 1995, he was Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office.  Mr. Maldon served in the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1993 and retired with the rank of Colonel.  He received a B.S. from Florida A&M and an M.A. from the University of Oklahoma.

Mary C. Pete, Appointee for Member, Arctic Research Commission
Mary C. Pete is the Director of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel, Alaska, a position she has held since 2005.  She was first appointed to the Artic Research Commission by President Obama in 2010.  Prior to that, from 1996 to 2005, she served as the Director of the Division of Subsistence for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  From 1993 to 1996, Ms. Pete was an instructor in the Department of Rural Development at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and a Subsistence Resource Specialist from 1984 to 1993.  From 2005 to 2009 she served as a member of the North Pacific Research Board Science Panel.  Ms. Pete received a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

The President and the Department of Defense are taking unprecedented steps to protect our environment, achieve significant cost savings, and give our military better energy options.

Today at the White House, we convened the 10th annual meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

view all related blog posts

View the original article here

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

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For Immediate Release April 23, 2013 President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

D. Michael Bennett – Governor, Board of Governors of the United States Postal ServiceRoberto R. Herencia – Member, Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment CorporationYvette Roubideaux – Director of the Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services

President Obama said, “I am grateful these accomplished individuals have agreed to join this Administration, and I’m confident they will serve ably in these important roles.  I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

D. Michael Bennett, Nominee for Governor, Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service
D. Michael Bennett is Senior Vice President of Information Management and Chief Information Officer of BAE Systems, a position he has held since 2010.  Previously, Mr. Bennett was Vice President and General Manager of the Enterprise Solutions Business Area of BAE System’s Information Solutions Line of Business.  He worked at Northrup Grumman, ultimately becoming Vice President for Contracts, Pricing, Procurement and Risk Management for Northrop’s Information Technology Sector in 1999.  From 1980 to 1999, Mr. Bennett practiced law in various positions with Northrup Grumman, EDS Corporation, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.  He serves on the Board of Visitors of the Howard University School of Business, Vice President of Duke University Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Chair of the Manna Ventures Board of Directors.  In 2012, he received the Minority Business Leader Award from the Washington Business Journal.  Mr. Bennett received a B.A. from Duke University and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.

Roberto R. Herencia, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Roberto R. Herencia is the President and CEO of BXM Holdings, a position he has held since 2010.  He was first appointed as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation by President Obama in 2011.  He has served as an independent director of SKBHC Holdings and its two subsidiary banks since 2010.  Since 2011, Mr. Herencia has served as an independent director and Chairman of the board of First BanCorp and its subsidiary bank, FirstBank Puerto Rico.  Between 2009 and 2010, Mr. Herencia was the President and CEO of Midwest Banc Holdings Inc. and Midwest Bank and Trust.  Previously, he spent 17 years with Popular Inc. as Executive Vice President and as President of Banco Popular North America.  Mr. Herencia received a B.S. from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, Nominee for Director of the Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Yvette Roubideaux is currently the Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS) at the Department of Health and Human Services, a position she has held since 2009.  Prior to this, Dr. Roubideaux worked at the University of Arizona from 1998 to 2009 in a number of roles, most recently as Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Family & Community Medicine.  Previously, Dr. Roubideaux worked in the IHS as a Medical Officer and Clinical Director on the San Carlos Indian Reservation and as a Medical Officer in the Gila River Indian Community.  Dr. Roubideaux is a recipient of the American Diabetes Association’s 2008 Addison B. Scoville Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service and the 2004 Indian Physician of the Year Award from the Association of American Indian Physicians.  She is co-editor of the American Public Health Association’s book entitled Promises to Keep: Public Health Policy for American Indians and Alaska Natives in the 21st Century.  Dr. Roubideaux received a B.A. in Biology from Harvard University, an M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and an M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Blog posts on this issue April 23, 2013 4:30 PM EDTPresident Obama Honors the 2013 National Teacher of the Year

President Obama honored Jeff Charbonneau, a science, physics and engineering teacher at Zillah High School in Washington, as the 2013 National Teacher of the Year.

April 22, 2013 6:34 PM EDTCelebrate National Park Week!

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

April 22, 2013 5:57 PM EDTYoung Scientists and Innovators Amaze President Obama at the White House Science Fair

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

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View the original article here

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Avril D. Haines – Legal Adviser, Department of State
• Andrea Levere – Member, Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank

The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Brian Kamoie – Assistant Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Grant Programs, Department of Homeland Security
• Jim W. Balsiger – United States Commissioner, United States Section of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission
• Gary T. Smith – United States Commissioner, United States Section of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission

President Obama said, “I am proud to nominate such impressive men and women to these important roles, and I am grateful they have agreed to lend their considerable talents to this Administration.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Avril D. Haines, Nominee for Legal Adviser, Department of State
Avril D. Haines is Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs at the White House.  Prior to joining the White House Counsel’s office in 2010, she was Assistant Legal Adviser for Treaty Affairs at the Department of State.  She previously worked in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the Department of State from 2003 to 2006, first in the Office of Treaty Affairs and then in the Office of Political Military Affairs.  From 2007 to 2008, she worked on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as Deputy Chief Counsel for the Majority.  Ms. Haines clerked for Judge Danny Boggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 2002 to 2003.  From 2001 to 2002, she was a Legal Officer at The Hague Conference on Private International Law.  She received a B.A. in Physics from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Andrea Levere, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank
Andrea Levere is currently President of the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED).  Previously, she served as Executive Vice President and Vice President of CFED.  From 1983 to 1992, Ms. Levere was with the National Development Council.  She serves as Chair of Resident Owned Communities USA, and as a founding member of the Morgan Stanley Community Development Advisory Committee.  In 2009, she was appointed to the Bank of America’s National Community Advisory Council.  Ms. Levere received a B.A. from Brown University and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Brian Kamoie, Appointee for Assistant Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Grant Programs, Department of Homeland Security
Brian Kamoie served as the Senior Director for Preparedness Policy on the White House National Security Staff from 2009 to 2013.  He served at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Director of the Office of Policy, Strategic Planning & Communications from 2007 to 2009.  Prior to this, he was Special Assistant and Senior Policy Advisor from 2004 to 2006.  Mr. Kamoie taught health policy at The George Washington University from 2001 to 2006.  He practiced health law at Proskauer Rose LLP from 1998 to 2001 and was an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore Law School from 1997 to 1998.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Kamoie was a management consultant at McManis Associates and a senior associate consultant at McNees, Wallace & Nurick.  He received a B.A. from Dickinson College and a J.D. and M.P.H. from The George Washington University.

Dr. Jim W. Balsiger, Appointee for United States Commissioner, United States Section of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission
Dr. Jim W. Balsiger is currently Regional Administrator for the Alaska Region of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, a position he has held since 2000.  From 2008 to 2010, he served as the Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries.  Dr. Balsiger served as the Acting Regional Science and Research Director at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center from 1996 to 2000, where he also served as Deputy Science Director from 1991 to 1995.  Prior to that, he was the Program Leader for the Status of Stocks Task within the Center's Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division from 1977 to 1991.  Dr. Balsiger received a B.S. from the Michigan Technological University, an M.S. from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington.

Gary T. Smith, Appointee for United States Commissioner, United States Section of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission
Gary T. Smith is a partner at Smith & Stark, a position he has held since 2009.  He has served on the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission since 2006 and is the current Chair of the Finance and Administration Committee.  From 2007 to 2009, he was President of the Gary Smith Company.  In 1990, Mr. Smith co-founded The Gallatin Group where he served as President from 1993 to 2005, and then Chairman from 2005 to 2007.  From 1989 to 1990, he was Director of Policy and Communications for U.S. Senator Slade Gorton.  Mr. Smith was the Manager of Public and Government Relations for Alumax from 1984 to 1988.  He was the Washington State Coordinator for the Northern Tier Pipeline Company from 1978 to 1983.  Prior to this, Mr. Smith held positions in state and local government.  Mr. Smith received a B.A. from the Evergreen State College.

President Obama speaks at in interfaith service dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed at the Boston Marathon bombing.

President Obama will deliver remarks this morning at Healing Our City: An Interfaith Service which is dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed in Monday’s bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

The Kaiser Foundation hosts an event for the launch of EMPOWERED, Alicia Keys' new campaign to help end the HIV/AIDs epidemic.

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View the original article here

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Briefing Room Your Weekly Address Speeches & Remarks Press Briefings Statements & Releases White House Schedule Presidential Actions Executive Orders Presidential Memoranda Proclamations Legislation Pending Legislation Signed Legislation Vetoed Legislation Nominations & Appointments Disclosures Visitor Access Records Financial Disclosures 2012 Annual Report to Congress 2011 Annual Report to Congress 2010 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff A Commitment to Transparency

Browse White House visitor logs

Issues Civil Rights It Gets Better Defense End of Iraq War Disabilities Economy Jobs Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Strengthening the Middle Class A Plan for Refinancing Support for Business Education Energy & Environment Ethics Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Taxes Tax Receipt The Buffett Rule Rural Urban Policy Veterans Joining Forces Technology Seniors & Social Security Service Snapshots Creating Jobs Health Care Small Business PreK-12 Education Women Violence Prevention Now Is The Time

To do something about gun violence

Immigration Reform

Creating an Immigration System for the 21st Century

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden Being Biden Audio Series First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet White House Staff Chief of Staff Denis McDonough Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco Counselor to the President Peter Rouse Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett Executive Office of the President Other Advisory Boards About the White House White House On the Go

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Inside the White House Interactive Tour West Wing Tour Video Series Décor and Art Holidays Presidents First Ladies The Oval Office The Vice President's Residence & Office Eisenhower Executive Office Building Camp David Air Force One White House Fellows President’s Commission About the Fellowship Current Class Staff Bios News and Newsletters White House Internships About Program Presidential Department Descriptions Selection Process Internship Timeline & FAQs Tours & Events 2013 Easter Egg Roll Kitchen Garden Tours Take a Virtual Tour of the White House Mobile Apps Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources /* Maximize height of menu features. */if(typeof(jQuery)!='undefined')jQuery.each($('#topnav'),function(i,v){var o=$(v),oh=o.height(),sh=o.siblings().height();if(oh Home • Briefing Room • Statements & Releases   The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release April 01, 2013 President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Janine Davidson - Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air ForceLieutenant General Dennis M. McCarthy, USMC (Ret) - Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air ForceF. Whitten Peters - Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air ForceMargaret C. Harrell - Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air ForceHyman Bass  - Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of ScienceCarlos Castillo-Chavez - Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of ScienceJoseph S. Francisco - Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Dr. Janine Davidson, Appointee for Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force

Dr. Janine Davidson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Policy at George Mason University and a Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security.   From 2009 to 2012, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans.  From 2006 to 2008, she was a Director in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict.  Dr. Davidson began her career in the United States Air Force, where she was an aircraft commander and senior pilot for the C-130 and the C-17 cargo aircraft.  She received a B.S. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

Lieutenant General Dennis M. McCarthy, USMC (Ret), Appointee for Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force
Lieutenant General Dennis M. McCarthy is a principal for The Military Experts, a consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio.  From 2009 to 2011, he served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.  Previously, from 2005 to 2009, he was Executive Director of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States.  Lt. Gen. McCarthy retired from the Marine Corps in 2005, completing over 40 years of active and reserve military service.  He commanded eight Marine Corps or Joint organizations, including the 3rd Marine Division and overall command of the Marine Corps Reserve.  He began his military service in combat in Vietnam.  From 1978 to 1999, he was managing partner of his private law practice.  He received a B.A. from the University of Dayton and a J.D. from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.

F. Whitten Peters, Appointee for Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force
F. Whitten Peters is a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, DC.  From 1999 to 2001, he served as the Secretary of the Air Force.  Previously, from 1997 to 1999, he was Under Secretary and Acting Secretary of the Air Force.  From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Peters was Principal Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Defense. Before his service at the Department of Defense, he practiced law at Williams & Connolly, which he joined in 1978.  From 1969 to 1972, Mr. Peters served as a line officer in the U.S. Navy.  He received a B.A. from Harvard University, an M.S. from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Dr. Margaret C. Harrell, Appointee for Member, National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force
Dr. Margaret C. Harrell is the Director of the Army Health Program and a senior social scientist at the RAND Corporation.  From July 2011 to August 2012, she served concurrently as Senior Fellow and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security.  Dr. Harrell has worked with the RAND Corporation for over 20 years, focusing on manpower and personnel, military families, military quality of life, and veterans.  She received a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.S. from The George Washington University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Hyman Bass, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science
Dr. Hyman Bass is the Samuel Eilenberg Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education at the University of Michigan.  He was first appointed to the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science by President Obama in 2011, and is a 2006 recipient of the National Medal of Science.  He has served as the President of the American Mathematical Society, the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction, and was Chair of the National Academy of Sciences’ Mathematical Sciences Education Board.  He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Education, and the Third World Academy of Sciences.  He won the Van Amringe Prize for his book, Algebraic K-theory, and the Cole Prize in Algebra from the American Mathematical Society.  Dr. Bass received a B.A. in Mathematics from Princeton University and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Carlos Castillo-Chavez, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science
Dr. Carlos Castillo-Chavez is a Regents and a Joaquin Bustoz Jr. Professor at Arizona State University.  President Obama first appointed him to the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science in 2010.  He is the founding director of the Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center, and is the Executive Director of the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute and The Institute for Strengthening the Understanding of Mathematics and Science.  His awards include the Presidential Faculty Fellowship Award and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.  Dr. Castillo-Chavez is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a Founding Fellow of the American Mathematical Society.  He is a past member of the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis Scientific Advisory Boards and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Council.  Dr. Castillo-Chavez received a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Dr. Joseph S. Francisco, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science
Dr. Joseph S. Francisco is the William E. Moore Distinguished Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Chemistry at Purdue University.  He was first appointed to the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science by President Obama in 2010.  Dr. Francisco’s laboratory focuses on basic studies in spectroscopy, kinetics, and photochemistry of novel transient species in the gas phase.  He was President of the American Chemical Society in 2010, and served as President of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers from 2005 to 2007.  Dr. Francisco is a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, and a fellow of the American Chemical Society, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  Dr. Francisco received a B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Blog posts on this issue April 02, 2013 10:39 AM EDTOpen for Questions: The BRAIN Initiative

Have questions about the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative? Administration officials will answer during a session of "Open for Questions."

April 02, 2013 10:15 AM EDTBRAIN Initiative Challenges Researchers to Unlock Mysteries of Human Mind

President Obama unveils the “BRAIN” Initiative—a bold new research effort to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.

April 01, 2013 6:44 PM EDTBe Healthy, Be Active, Be You: The 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll

The First Family hosted more than 30,000 visitors for the 135th annual Egg Roll, the largest public event held at the White House each year.

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President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Cynthia L. Attwood – Member, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
• Stuart F. Delery – Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, Department of Justice
• Fred P. Hochberg – President, Export-Import Bank of the United States 
• Allison M. Macfarlane – Member, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chair
• Patricia M. Wald – Member, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board

President Obama said, “These men and women have demonstrated knowledge and dedication throughout their careers. I am grateful they have chosen to take on these important roles, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Cynthia L. Attwood, Nominee for Member, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
Cynthia L. Attwood is a Member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, a position she was appointed to in February 2010.  Prior to this, Ms. Attwood held several senior roles at the U.S. Department of Labor from 1979 to 2001, including Appellate Judge on the Administrative Review Board, Associate Solicitor for Occupational Safety and Health in the Office of the Solicitor, and Associate Solicitor for Mine Safety and Health in the Office of the Solicitor.  Ms. Attwood spent the early years of her legal career as an appellate attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.  She was awarded the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive for outstanding service in the Senior Executive Service in 1992.  Ms. Attwood received a B.A. from Oakland University and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Stuart F. Delery, Nominee for Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, Department of Justice
Stuart F. Delery is currently the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) where he has served since 2009.  His previous positions at DOJ include Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, Senior Counselor to the Attorney General, Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Deputy Attorney General.  Before joining DOJ, Mr. Delery was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm WilmerHale, where he was a member of the Litigation Department, the Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation Practice Group, and a Vice Chair of the firm’s Securities Department.  Mr. Delery clerked for Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Byron R. White of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Chief Judge Gereld B. Tjoflat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  He received a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Fred P. Hochberg, Nominee for President, Export-Import Bank of the United States
Fred P. Hochberg is President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, a position he has held since May 2009.  From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Hochberg was Dean of Milano, The New School for Management and Urban Policy in New York.  From 1998 to 2001, he served as Deputy Administrator, and then as Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA).  Prior to SBA, Mr. Hochberg was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Lillian Vernon Corporation.  He is a past board member of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Citizens Budget Commission, the Foundation for International Community Assistance, and the New York State Financial Control Board.  Mr. Hochberg received his B.A. from New York University and an M.B.A from Columbia University.

Dr. Allison M. Macfarlane, Nominee for Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and upon appointment to be designated Chair
Dr. Allison M. Macfarlane is Chair and Commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a position she has held since July 2012.  Previously, she served as an associate professor of Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University (GMU) from 2006 to 2012.  Dr. Macfarlane worked as a research associate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 2004 to 2006 after previously serving from 2000 to 2003.  From 2003 to 2004, she was an associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  She was also a fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs from 1998 to 2000, and a fellow at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation from 1997 to 1998.  Dr. Macfarlane began her teaching career in the Department of Geography and Earth Systems Science at GMU.  She also served as a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future from January 2010 to January 2012.  Dr. Macfarlane received a B.Sc. from the University of Rochester and a Ph.D. in Geology from MIT.

Judge Patricia M. Wald, Nominee for Member, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
Judge Patricia M. Wald is a Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, a position she has held since August 2012.  She served for 20 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1999, including five years as Chief Judge.  Prior to joining the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District Court of Columbia, Judge Wald was the Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs at the Department of Justice.  Judge Wald has served in a variety of capacities including Judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Member on the President's Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the U.S. Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction.  She also previously worked as an attorney at the Mental Health Law Project, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Office of Criminal Justice at the Department of Justice, and co-director of the Ford Foundation Drug Abuse Research Project.  Judge Wald is a member of the American Law Institute and the American Philosophical Society, and a former Chair of the Open Society Institute's Justice Initiative Board.  She served as a Member of the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States from 2010 to 2012.  Judge Wald received a B.A. from the Connecticut College for Women and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

First Lady Michelle Obama (and First Dog Bo) celebrate an early Easter with military families

The general becomes the first African-American in the post.

In the latest installment of the audio series "Being Biden," the Vice President takes you to St. Peter's Basilica, just after the Inauguration Mass of Pope Francis.

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The Washington Post’s Paywall Will Measure The Relevance And Importance Of The Washington Post

The Washington Post’s announcement yesterday that the paper will erect a paywall that charges readers who access more than 20 pieces of content per month was probably inevitable. As much as papers and other publications have tried to monetize online viewers, the infrastructure of those publications were built on the revenues from a model that could extract more money from readers: you’re always going to be able to get more money from audiences when, without paying it, they can’t access the information or data they want at all.

But even as publications that were built on subscriber fees collectively move in the direction of paywalls, the ways they design those paywalls say a great deal about what those publications perceive as their strengths and weaknesses. The Post, the paper explained, “will exempt large parts of its audience from having to pay the fees. Its home-delivery subscribers will have free access to all of The Post’s digital products, and students, teachers, school administrators, government employees and military personnel will have unlimited access to the Web site while in their schools and workplaces. Access to The Post’s home page, section front pages and classified ads will not be limited.”

Government employees and military personnel are some of the Post’s bread and butter—other national papers don’t cover issues like federal compensation or government openings and closings the same way the Post does, so the Post’s competitors on those issues are trade publications like my former employer, Government Executive. If the Post was confident that its coverage in those areas was vital to its readers, and that it would beat its competitors, it might make sense for them to keep government employees outside of the paywall rather than giving them a passthrough, because those readers would be a reliable source of revenue. But giving them a loophole suggests that the Post needs their eyes but doesn’t trust this core consumer audience to pay for the content—it’s a sign of weakness where the publication should be strong.

It also remains to be seen, I think, how the Post will handle its online-first properties, like Ezra Klein’s Wonkblog. While paywalls are an attempt to recreate the subscription model for the internet age, things like Wonkblog or Max Fisher’s blog lived online first, and trying to move them into a new business model might split up their readership. Paywalling them would be a retreat from the Post’s ventures into digital development, a sign that the company is continuing to have trouble running a mixed strategy. The New York Times’ move to a paywall demonstrated that, even if the paper has had to continue buyouts and reduced ambitions, its core readership remains relatively strong and committed. The Post’s paywall comes with lower expectations in the form of its loopholes than the Times’ has. But even with that curve, I’ll be curious to see what the paper’s final grade turns out to be.

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President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Henry Claypool – Member, Commission on Long-Term Care
• Julian Harris – Member, Commission on Long-Term Care
• Carol Raphael – Member, Commission on Long-Term Care
• Diana Shaw Clark – Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Greg A. Rosenbaum – Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

President Obama said, “I am proud that such experienced and committed individuals have agreed to serve the American people in these important roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Henry Claypool, Appointee for Member, Commission on Long-Term Care
Henry Claypool is the Executive Vice President of the American Association of People with Disabilities, a position he has held since January 2013.  Previously, Mr. Claypool served as Principal Deputy Administrator of the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he also advised the Secretary on disability policy.  From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Claypool was Director of the Office of Disability at HHS, and from 2006 to 2009, he was Policy Director of Independence Care System.  From 2005 to 2006, he served as Senior Advisor to the Associate Commissioner of the Office of Employment Support Programs at the Social Security Administration, and from 2002 to 2004, he served as Co-Director of Advancing Independence.  Mr. Claypool worked at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from 1999 to 2001 and at the Administration on Development Disabilities in 1998.  In 2007, he served on Virginia’s Health Reform Commission.  Mr. Claypool received a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Dr. Julian Harris, Appointee for Member, Commission on Long-Term Care
Dr. Julian Harris is the Director of the Office of Medicaid in Massachusetts, a position he has held since July 2011.  He oversees the state’s $11 billion Medicaid program that provides comprehensive health insurance for children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities.  From 2008 to 2011, Dr. Harris trained in internal medicine and primary care at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital while serving as a clinical fellow on the faculty of Harvard Medical School.  Concurrently, he practiced as a hospitalist physician with the Cambridge Health Alliance.  In 2006 and 2007, he worked as a consultant, first at the AIDS Support Organization in Uganda and later at BioAdvance Life Sciences Fund and McKinsey & Company.   Previously, he worked at the World Bank as a consultant for Global Core Courses on Reproductive Health and Health Sector Reform.  Dr. Harris is a Truman and Rhodes Scholar.  He received a B.A. from Duke University, a M.Sc. from Oxford University, an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, and an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Carol Raphael, Appointee for Member, Commission on Long-Term Care
Carol Raphael is the Vice Chair of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Board of Directors, a position she has held since May 2012.  From 1989 to 2011, she was Chief Executive Officer and President of Visiting Nurse Service of New York.  In 1989, Ms. Raphael served as a Director of Operations Management at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.  She is Chair of the Long Term Quality Alliance and the National Quality Forum Workgroup on Post-Acute and Long-Term Care.  She is a member of the Henry Schein, Inc. Board of Directors and a former member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.  Ms. Raphael received a B.A. from City College of City University of New York and an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Diana Shaw Clark, Appointee for Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
Diana Shaw Clark is a freelance writer and philanthropist.  Since 2011, she has served as the Principal Organizer of the Drop-In Center for Destitute Asylum Seekers, a project of the West London Synagogue of British Jews.  Additionally, she is the Synagogue’s Vice Chair for Community Development and sits on its Executive Committee.  She worked as a consultant for various film and television production companies in California from 1986 to 1990.  From 1987 to 1990, she authored a regular food column for the Los Angeles Times, and from 1983 to 1986, she was a writer for TV Guide Magazine.  She has published several cookbooks, advice books, and novels for young adults.  Ms. Shaw Clark received a B.A. in U.S. History from Harvard Radcliffe College.

Greg A. Rosenbaum, Appointee for Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
Greg A. Rosenbaum is founder and President of Palisades Associates, Inc.  Previously, he was CEO of Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. from 2006 to 2012 and Chairman of the Board from 2003 to 2012.  He served as a founding Managing Director of The Carlyle Group from 1987 to 1988 and as a Vice President of The Dyson-Kissner-Moran Corporation from 1982 to 1987.  He is Co-Chair of the Jewish American Heritage Month Foundation and a Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council.  Mr. Rosenbaum was named Humanitarian of the Year by the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty in 2011, and he received the Human Rights Award from the Jewish Labor Committee in 2007.  Mr. Rosenbaum received an A.B. from Harvard College, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling outlines the economic case for a fair, effective and common-sense immigration system that strengthens our economy and the middle class.

The First Lady met today with the Business Roundtable to talk about Joining Forces, her initiative that supports veterans and military families.

As part of our Sunshine Week series, Macon Phillips discusses We the People.

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President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Jannette L. Dates – Member, Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• Geoffrey R. Pyatt - Ambassador to Ukraine, Department of State

President Obama also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Teresa Isabel Leger – Member, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
• Stephen L. Mayo – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

President Obama said, “These dedicated and accomplished individuals will be valued additions to my Administration as we tackle the important challenges facing America. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Dr. Jannette L. Dates, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Dr. Jannette L. Dates was Dean of the Howard University School of Communications from 1993 to 2012.  Previously, she served as Associate Dean from 1987 to 1993, having first joined the University as an Assistant Professor in 1981.  From 1993 to 1998, she was a guest speaker on the National Public Radio shows, All Things Considered and On the Media.  From 1992 to 1993, she was a Freedom Forum Media Studies Center Fellow at Columbia University, and from 1979 to 1989, she was a panelist on Square Off.  Dr. Dates was an anchor and executive producer for the series The Negro in U.S. History from 1973 to 1974, and co-anchor on the weekly radio program North Star from 1972 to 1973.  She served as a member of the Baltimore Mayor’s Cable Communication Commission from 1988 to 1994. Dr. Dates received a B.S. from Coppin State College, an M.Ed. from the Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Geoffrey R. Pyatt, Nominee for Ambassador to Ukraine, Department of State
Geoffrey R. Pyatt, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.  From 2007 to 2010, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency and International Organizations in Vienna.  Prior to that, from 2002 to 2007, Mr. Pyatt served at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, first as Minister Counselor for Political Affairs and then as Deputy Chief of Mission.  Before his assignment in New Delhi, Mr. Pyatt was an Economic Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong from 1999 to 2002 and a Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan from 1997 to 1999.  In Washington, his assignments included Director for Latin America on the National Security Council staff (1996-1997) and Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State (1995-1996).  Mr. Pyatt received a B.A. from the University of California, Irvine and an M.A. from Yale University.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Teresa Isabel Leger, Appointee for Member, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Teresa Isabel Leger is a partner at Nordhaus Law Firm in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she has worked since 1989. Ms. Leger also serves as General Counsel to several Native American Tribes, including the Pueblos of Laguna, Santa Ana, and Santo Domingo.  Previously, she clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 1987 to 1989.  She is a member of the Historic Marker Selection Committee of the New Mexico International Women’s Forum Chapter, and is President of Homewise.  Ms. Leger has served on the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, Vice Chair of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and was a White House Fellow in 1995.  She received a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.

Dr. Stephen L. Mayo, Appointee for Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
Dr. Stephen L. Mayo is Chair of the Division of Biology and Bren Professor of Biology and Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).  He has been a member of the Caltech faculty since 1992, and in 2012, he was named the William K. Bowes Jr. Foundation Division Chair.  He served as Caltech’s Vice Provost for Research from 2007 to 2010.  He has served on the Board of Directors for the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 2010.  He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2004 and awarded the Johnson Foundation Prize for Innovative Research in Structural Biology in 1997.  Dr. Mayo received a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. from Caltech.

President Obama is on hand for the unveiling of the new Rosa Parks statue in the U.S. Capitol

February 27, 2013 12:00 PM EST

To mark African American History Month, as well as the 150th anniversary of the year the Emancipation Proclamation, we talked with White House Curator Bill Allman about a painting called Watch Meeting--Dec. 31st 1862--Waiting for the Hour that hangs near the Oval Office in the West Wing.

President Obama strongly believes we need to replace the arbitrary cuts known as the sequester with balanced deficit reduction, and today he was at a shipyard in Newport News, VA to talk about what failing to do so will mean for middle class families.

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President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

• Janet L. LaBreck – Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Education

President Obama also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Jonathan Safran Foer – Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Robert Listenbee, Jr. – Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice
• James Stock – Member, Council of Economic Advisors

President Obama said, “I am pleased to announce that these experienced and committed individuals have agreed to join this Administration, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

Janet L. LaBreck, Nominee for Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Education
Janet L. LaBreck is the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), a position she has held since 2007.  Ms. LaBreck joined the MCB in 1985 as Consumer Advocate.  She has served in a number of positions at the MCB since then, including Independent Living Coordinator, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Regional Director of Central Massachusetts.  Since 2005, she has worked as an Adjunct Professor at Assumption College, where she teaches courses in rehabilitation of the blind and case management in rehabilitation.  She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the New England College of Optometry.  She received a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and an M.Ed. from Springfield College.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Jonathan Safran Foer, Appointee for Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
Jonathan Safran Foer is a professor in the Graduate Creative Writing Program at New York University.  He is also an author of numerous publications, including the New York Times bestsellers Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Everything is Illuminated, which received the National Jewish Book Award and the Guardian First Book Award.  He was a visiting professor at Yale University in 2008, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Farm Forward.  In 2010, he was selected as one of The New Yorker’s “20 Under 40” writers to watch.  Mr. Foer received a B.A. from Princeton University.

Robert Listenbee, Jr., Appointee for Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice
Robert Listenbee,  Jr. is Chief of the Juvenile Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, a position he has held since 1997.  He has also been a trial lawyer at the Defender Association of Philadelphia since 1986.  Previously, from 1991 to 1997, Mr. Listenbee was Assistant Chief of the Juvenile Unit.  He is a member of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which advises the Governor of Pennsylvania on juvenile justice policy.  Mr. Listenbee serves on the policy committees of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association and the National Center for Juvenile Justice. He serves on the advisory board of the National Juvenile Defender Center and is a board member and former President of the Juvenile Defenders Association of Pennsylvania.  Mr. Listenbee received a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. James Stock, Appointee for Member, Council of Economic Advisers
Dr. James Stock is the Chief Economist for the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), a position he has held since 2012.  Before joining CEA, he worked at Harvard University, where he has held a number of positions since 1983, including service as the Harold Hitchings Burbank Professor of Political Economy with a dual appointment in the Kennedy School of Government.  In addition, Dr. Stock chaired the Harvard Economics Department from 2006 to 2009.  He is formerly a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the National Bureau of Economic Research Business Cycle Dating Committee, and the Massachusetts Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors.  He received a B.S. from Yale University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.

President Obama explains that while our economy is headed in the right direction, looming automatic budget cuts will cost jobs and slow down our recovery.

February 05, 2013 12:48 PM EST

Apply today for a chance to join the White House social media team for the State of the Union.

February 05, 2013 10:58 AM EST

We're working towards Petitions 2.0, releasing an API, and inviting a small group to join us on February 22, 2013 for the White House Open Data Day Hackathon.

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President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Gerald L. Early – Member, National Council on the HumanitiesPatricia Nelson Limerick – Member, National Council on the HumanitiesShelly C. Lowe– Member, National Council on the HumanitiesDaniel I. Okimoto– Member, National Council on the HumanitiesKatherine H. Tachau– Member, National Council on the Humanities

President Obama also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Chester Alonzo Finn – Member, National Council on DisabilityCaptain Jonathan F. Kuniholm, USMC (Ret) – Member, National Council on DisabilityJeff Rosen – Member, National Council on DisabilityLynnae M. Ruttledge – Member, National Council on DisabilityAlice Wong – Member, National Council on Disability

President Obama said, “I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to join this Administration and serve our country.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Dr. Gerald L. Early, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities
Dr. Gerald L. Early is Director of the Center for Humanities, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, and a Professor of English at Washington University in Saint Louis.  Since 1982, he has held various positions at Washington University, including Professor of English, African and Afro-American Studies, and Director of the American Culture Studies Program.  Dr. Early serves on the Board of Advisory Editors of Oxford Companion to African-American Literature and is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Historical Society and the Advisory Board of The Antioch Review.  He is the author of One Nation Under a Groove: Motown and American Culture and The Culture of Bruising: Essays on Prizefighting, Literature, and Modern American Culture, which won the 1994 National Book Critics Award.  Dr. Early received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Cornell University.

Dr. Patricia Nelson Limerick, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities
Dr. Patricia Nelson Limerick is Chair of the Board and Faculty Director of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she is also a Professor of History and Environmental Studies.  Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at Harvard University from 1980 to 1984.  Dr. Limerick is President of the Society of American Historians.  She served as Vice President for Teaching of the American Historical Association from 2010 to 2011, and as President of the American Studies Association in 1996 and the Western History Association in 2000. Dr. Limerick has received numerous awards and honors, including the Bonfils-Stanton Prize in the Arts and Humanities in 2012, the Hazel Barnes Prize in 2001, as well as the MacArthur Fellowship in 1995.  Dr. Limerick received a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Ph.D. from Yale University.

Shelly C. Lowe, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities
Shelly C. Lowe is the Executive Director of the Harvard University Native American Program, a position she has held since 2009.  From 2007 to 2009, she was the Assistant Dean for Native American Affairs at the Yale College Dean’s Office and Director of the Native American Cultural Center at Yale University.  Previously, she served as the Graduate Education Program Facilitator for the American Indian Studies Program at The University of Arizona.  Ms. Lowe served on the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian from 2007 to 2009, and was Vice President of the National Indian Education Association from 2001 to 2002.  Ms. Lowe received a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Arizona.

Dr. Daniel I. Okimoto, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities
Dr. Daniel I. Okimoto is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Stanford University, having served as a professor from 1977 to 2009.  In addition, he is a Senior Fellow Emeritus at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and a Director Emeritus of the Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center, which he co-founded in 1976.  He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Councilors for the United States Japan Council.  Previously, Dr. Okimoto was the Vice-Chairman of the Japan Committee of the National Research Council at the National Academy of Sciences, and was a Member of the Advisory Council of the Department of Politics at Princeton University.  Dr. Okimoto received a B.A. from Princeton University, an M.A. from Harvard University, and a Ph. D. from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Katherine H. Tachau, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Humanities
Dr. Katherine H. Tachau is a Professor of History at the University of Iowa, where she has taught since 1985.  Previously, she taught at Pomona College from 1982 to 1985 and Montana State University from 1981 to 1982.  From 1979 to 1981, she was a researcher at the Institute for Medieval Greek and Latin Philology at Copenhagen University in Denmark.  Dr. Tachau has published extensively on medieval philosophy, science, and art; and has received the John Nicholas Brown Prize from the Medieval Academy of America.  In addition, she received the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence at the University of Iowa in 2009, and she has been awarded fellowships from the Stanford Humanities Center, the National Humanities Center, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Dr. Tachau received a B.A. in Spanish and Medieval Studies from Oberlin College, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Chester Alonzo Finn, Appointee for Member, National Council on Disability
Chester Alonzo Finn is a Special Assistant in the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, a position he has held since 1997.  He was first appointed to the National Council on Disability by President Obama in 2010.  In 2008, Mr. Finn, who is blind and developmentally disabled, co-founded the Community Empowerment Programs Incorporated, which provides community services and educational programing for people with disabilities.  He served as President and Chairman of the National Self Advocates Becoming Empowered from 2002 to 2006 and then again from 2009 to 2011.  In 1995, he received the New York State Self Advocate of the Year Award.  Mr. Finn received an A.A. from Genessee Community College.

Captain Jonathan F. Kuniholm, USMC (Ret), Appointee for Member, National Council on Disability
Captain Jonathan F. Kuniholm is the President and Founder of the Open Prosthetics Project, and the Founder of StumpworX, Inc., a prosthetic arm manufacturing company.  Captain Kuniholm served in the United States Marine Corps from 1997 to 2006.  He served as a combat engineer officer and platoon commander for the 1st Marine Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom II.  In 2006, he was honorably discharged after being wounded in combat and losing his right forearm.  He is a Member of the Board of the Given Limb Foundation, and is an advisor and past Chair of the Board of Able Flight.  In 2009, he received the DESIGNsmith award from North Carolina State University, and received a fellowship from the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program in 2003.  Mr. Kuniholm received an A.B. from Dartmouth College, and a B.S., M.S., and M.I.D. from North Carolina State University.

Jeff Rosen, Appointee for Member, National Council on Disability
Jeff Rosen is the General Counsel to ZVRS, a company that provides video interpreting services and products to facilitate communication between deaf and non-deaf speakers.  Prior to joining ZVRS, Mr. Rosen served as the General Counsel and Vice President of Government Relations of Snap!VRS from 2007 until 2011.  Previously, he served as the General Counsel and Director of Policy for the National Council on Disability from 2000 to 2007.  He was an attorney at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1987 to 2000.  Mr. Rosen is Treasurer of the United States International Council on Disabilities, a Member of the National Association of the Deaf Employment Task Force, and serves as an advisor to the World Federation of the Deaf.  He was a Member and Officer of the American Bar Association’s Disabled Attorney’s section from 1987 to 1990, and served on the Board of DeafPride, including as its President from 1987 to 2000.  Mr. Rosen received a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of Washington.

Lynnae M. Ruttledge Appointee for Member, National Council on Disability
Lynnae M. Ruttledge is a disability policy advisor to Daughters of Charity, Technology Research Into Disability, an international research institute.  Ms. Ruttledge served as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration with the U.S. Department of Education from 2010 to 2012.  From 2005 to 2009, Ms. Ruttledge served as the Director for Statewide Programs for the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.  Previously, Ms. Ruttledge held various positions at the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, starting in the mental health division in 1986 and ultimately serving as a grants administrator before leaving in 2005.  Ms. Ruttledge began her career as a public school teacher in Michigan.  In 2007, she received the Washington Governor’s Award for Leadership in Management.  Ms. Ruttledge received a B.S. from Northern Michigan University.

Alice Wong, Appointee for Member, National Council on Disability
Alice Wong is a Staff Research Associate for the National Center for Personal Assistance Services at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), which conducts research and training to support the care of people with disabilities.  She is President of the San Francisco In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Governing Body, and is a Board Member of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California.  Ms. Wong served as Vice Chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Disability Issues at UCSF from 2006 to 2009.  She received the Mayor’s Disability Council Beacon Award in 2010, the 2010 Chancellor’s Disability Service Award, and the 2007 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award at UCSF for leadership on behalf of the disability community.  Ms. Wong received a B.A. from Indiana University and an M.S. from the University of California, San Francisco.

On Thursday, January 31 at 1:00 p.m. ET, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz will join the latest "Fireside Hangout" for a conversation about immigration reform.

President Obama speak from Las Vegas about creating a fair and effective immigration system that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

President Obama announced today that he has approved a new round of humanitarian assistance, an additional $155 million to provide for the urgent and pressing needs of civilians in Syria and refugees forced to flee the violence of the Assad regime. This brings America’s contribution to date to $365 million, making the United States the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.

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