ATF Acting Director Announces Several Staff Changes

Friday, October 7, 2011

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Acting Director B. Todd Jones on October 5 announced several staff changes aimed at refocusing the bureau's direction:

Thomas Brandon will become the ATF Deputy Director. Brandon most recently served as Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division, and prior to that was Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division.

William Hoover will become Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division. Hoover most recently served as ATF Deputy Director and prior to that was Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations.

Vivian Michalic will become the Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Management and will remain the Chief Financial Officer for ATF. Michalic was most recently the Assistant Director of the Office of Management.

The new Assistant Director of the Office of Management will be Mark Potter. Potter most recently served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations - West Region. Prior to that he was the Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Field Division.

Melanie Stinnett will become Deputy Chief Counsel of ATF. Stinnett most recently served as Assistant Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations; prior to that she was Assistant Director of the Office of Management and Chief Financial Officer.

Julie Torres will become Assistant Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations. Torres most recently served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations - East Region. She previously served as Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division.

W. Larry Ford will be the new Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations. Ford most recently served as Assistant Director of the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information, and previously served as Assistant Director for the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs.

James McDermond will become Assistant Director of the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information, a post he returns to after having served as Assistant Director of the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs.

The new Assistant Director of the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs will be Gregory K. Grant. He was most recently Deputy Assistant Director in that office, and immediately prior was Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division.

Theresa Stoop will become Assistant Director of the Office of Human Resources and Professional Development. Stoop most recently served at Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Field Division.

Mark Chait will become Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Field Division. Chait was most recently Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations and previously served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations - Central Region.

Deputy Communications Director Jennifer Psaki Leaving White House

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Communications Jennifer Psaki is leaving the White House to join Global Strategy Group, a public affairs and research firm with offices in New York City, Washington, DC, and Hartford, CT.

Psaki joined the Obama campaign in 2007 as deputy press secretary and held the same role during the first year of the Obama administration, before becoming deputy communications director at the White House. She previously worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and as Communications Director for Rep. Joe Crowley (D NY).

FBI Announces New Deputy Director

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert S. Mueller III on August 31 announced that Executive Assistant Director Sean M. Joyce will be the next Deputy Director of the FBI, following the retirement of Timothy Murphy after 23 years of service.

Joyce currently serves as Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch. He previously served as Assistant Director of the International Operations Division; Chief of the Counterterrorism Division's International Terrorism Operations Section; Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, DC Field Office; and as a member of the Bureau's Hostage Rescue Team. Joyce joined the FBI in 1987 as a special agent and has worked in the Dallas, Miami, and Washington, DC Field Offices. He received the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service in 2004 and 2005 for his work on counterterrorism matters.

Attorney General Announces New ATF Director

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Attorney General Eric Holder on August 30 announced that B. Todd Jones would be the new Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Jones succeeds Kenneth E. Melson, who will become a senior advisor in the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice.

Jones currently serves as U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota; he will continue in this position when he assumes the role of Acting ATF Director. Jones twice has served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota: from 1998-2001, and again since 2009, when he was appointed Chair of the Attorney General Advisory Committee. He previously served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, and was a partner with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi and with Greene Espel, PLLP.

Jones received his B.A. from Macalester College in 1979 and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1983.

Senate Unanimously Confirms Panetta as Defense Secretary

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Senate on June 21 voted 100-to-0 to confirm CIA Director Leon E. Panetta to serve as the next secretary of Defense. Panetta, who spent the last two years running the intelligence agency, will succeed Robert M. Gates, who is retiring after serving in two consecutive administrations. Panetta, a former House member and White House official, has worked in Washington since the late 1960s. He was budget director and chief of staff to President Bill Clinton after serving as the Budget Committee chairman in the House.

Panetta, 72, is expected to assume the new post early in July.

Obama Names Dempsey to head Joint Chiefs of Staff

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

President Obama on May 30 nominated Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey as the next Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and tapped two other senior military leaders as he completed a major overhaul of his national security team. If confirmed by the Senate, Dempsey, an accomplished veteran of the Iraq war, will succeed Adm. Michael Mullen as his top military adviser. Dempsey was appointed Army Chief of Staff in April.

The president also announced he had chosen Navy Adm. James A. (Sandy) Winnefeld Jr. to succeed Marine Gen James E. Cartwright as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno as his candidate to replace Dempsey as Army chief of staff.

Winnefeld currently heads the military's Northern Command, and Odierno, a former commander in Iraq, has served for the past year as head of the Joint Forces Command, scheduled to be closed later this year.

All these nominations require Senate approval

White House Announces Appointments

Monday, May 2, 2011

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney announced two personnel changes on April 29.

Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest will serve in the newly created position of Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy White House Press Secretary, and Jamie Smith, who is the currently director of public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), will be Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary.

Earnest served as communications director for Obama's Presidential Inaugural Committee and Iowa communications director for his presidential campaign as well as National Communications Director for former Democratic Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack's presidential campaign. He is a graduate of Rice University.

Before her appointment at DNI, Smith was Communications Director for Sen. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D WV). Smith also served as Traveling Press Director for the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign, Communications Director for former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and the Albright Group. She is a graduate of Kenyon College.

Obama Reshuffles National Security Team

Thursday, April 28, 2011

President Obama announced on April 28 his intention to nominate CIA Director Leon Panetta as Secretary of Defense to succeed Robert M. Gates. Also he will nominate Afghanistan commander GEN David H. Petraeus to head the CIA. In addition, Obama will nominate Ryan Crocker, former ambassador to Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, and Iraq, to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan. To round out the team, Obama announced he will nominate Marine Corps LtGen John R. Allen, currently the Deputy Commander for Central Command, to succeed Petraeus as commander for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Obama Appoints New Chief Information Officer at DNI

Friday, February 18, 2011

President Obama announced on February 16 the appointment of Al Tarasiuk to serve as the chief information officer of the office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Tarasiuk served as the CIA's Chief Information Officer from 2005 to 2010, and was director of the CIA's Information Service Center prior to that.

He holds a B.A. in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a M.S. from George Washington University.

New head of FBI Counterintelligence Division Named

Monday, February 7, 2011

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III on February 7 named Connecticut native C. Frank Figliuzzi assistant director of the agency's Counterintelligence Division. Figliuzzi has been the division's deputy assistant director since November 2010.

Figliuzzi was appointed an FBI special agent in August 1987 and assigned to the Atlanta Division, where he worked terrorism and foreign counterintelligence investigations. In 1992, he was promoted to the National Security Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington. Over the last 19 years Figliuzzi has steadily been promoted in the agency.

Figliuzzi holds a J.D. with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and a B.A. in English literature from Fairfield University. He is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government's program for senior executives in national and international security at Harvard University.

Holder Announces Acting Deputy Attorney General

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Attorney General Eric Holder announced on December 23 that he has appointed Gary Grindler Acting Deputy Attorney General, effective February 5, 2010. Grindler will become Acting Deputy Attorney General upon the departure of Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden, who announced his resignation effective February 5. Until then Grindler will serve as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General.

Grindler has served in a number of positions at the Justice Department, including as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Counselor to the Attorney General, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Division, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia.

Grindler received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Northwestern University.

Obama Picks Cybersecurity Czar

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

President Obama on December 22 announced his choice of Howard A. Schmidt to serve as coordinator for cybersecurity. Schmidt, a technology industry veteran, served as a cybersecurity advisor in the Bush administration and has a military and law enforcement background.

Schmidt is the chief executive officer of the Information Security Forum, a nonprofit computer security trade association based in London. He has served as chief information security officer at eBay and chief security officer at Microsoft. In the Bush administration he was the vice chairman of the president's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board and a special adviser for cyberspace security. He also served in the Air Force and the Army in computer security roles and led a computer forensics team for the FBI at the National Drug Intelligence Center.

DeTrani to Become Next Director of National Counterproliferation Center

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Joseph R. DeTrani will become the new director of the National Counterproliferation Center (NCPC), a branch of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI); he replaces NCPC founding director Kenneth C. Brill, who is returning to the State Department.

DeTrani most recently founded and led the Office of Mission Manager for North Korea within ODNI. Prior to this, he served as a U.S. ambassador and special envoy to the Six-Party denuclearization talks with North Korea. From 2000 to 2003, he was chief of the East Asia Division of the Central Intelligence Agency, where he spent most of his career. DeTrani received his B.S. from New York University.

Sylvia L. Copeland will replace DeTrani as Mission Manager for North Korea.

President Obama Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced October 9 that President Barack Obama is to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009. The committee noted in particular Obama's "efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples" and his work toward global elimination of nuclear weapons.

Obama is the fourth U.S. President to win the award, joining Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Jimmy Carter, who was awarded the prize after his presidency.

Blair Announces New National Counterintelligence Executive

Friday, September 18, 2009

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair announced September 18 that he has selected former FBI Deputy Director Robert Bryant to be the next National Counterintelligence Executive.

In Bryant's thirty years with the FBI he worked at several field offices and at FBI headquarters in Washington, where he was head of the Criminal Investigative and Records Management Divisions, deputy assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division, assistant director in charge of the National Security Division and assistant director in charge of the Criminal Investigative Division. He was most recently the president and chief executive officer of the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Bryant holds a B.S. degree in business administration and a law degree from the University of Arkansas.

Director of National Intelligence Selects New Deputy Director for Acquisition and Technology

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair on September 17 announced that he has selected Dawn Meyerriecks, an expert in technology and operations management, to be the new Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Acquisition and Technology.

Meyerriecks has extensive experience in designing, building, and fielding intelligence and information technology solutions for the government and private industry. She was most recently the senior vice president for AOL Product Technologies.

Prior to AOL, Meyerriecks worked for seven years at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) where she was the Chief Technology Officer and technical director for the Joint Interoperability and Engineering (JIEO) Organization. She worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1983 to 1998 as a senior engineer and product manager before her tenure at DISA.

Meyerriecks holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University with a double major in business and management science, and an M.S. in Computer Science from Loyola Marymount University.

New Defense Threat Reduction Agency Director Named

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Kenneth A. Myers III has been selected as the new director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). He was sworn in July 27, 2009, at the Pentagon. Myers most recently served as a senior professional staff member on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. In this position, he serves as the senior advisor to Sen. Richard G. Lugar, the committee's ranking member, on European, former Soviet and Central Asian Affairs, and the Caucasus. He joined the committee in 2003. Myers earned his bachelors degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a masters degree from the Catholic University of America.

DTRA is a Department of Defense combat support agency with an annual budget of more than $2.8 billion and a military/civilian workforce of approximately 1,900. DTRA focuses on reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction through a combination of advanced technology programs and innovative operational methods. Several technologies developed at DTRA have made significant impact in Afghanistan and Iraq. DTRA also has an integral role in several international WMD-related treaty verification programs.

Richard Spires Named CIO at DHS

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced on July 28 the appointment of Richard Spires as Chief Information Officer. Spires will be responsible for managing and directing information management support processes - combining the functions of information technology and telecommunications to provide coordinated support strategies to meet the information needs of the department.

Spires has extensive experience in senior-level operations and information technology issues, working in both the private and public sectors. He oversaw IT responsibilities for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support, Chief Information Officer and Associate Chief Information Officer for Business Systems Modernization, respectively. Before joining the IRS, Spires served as the President, Chief Operating Officer, and a Director of Mantas, Inc., a software product vendor. He also spent more than 16 years at SRA International. Spires holds an M.S. in electrical engineering from George Washington University, a B.S. in electrical engineering and a B.A. in mathematical sciences from the University of Cincinnati.

New Director of DARPA in Named

Thursday, July 2, 2009

The Department of Defense on July 2 announced the appointment of Regina E. Dugan as the 19th director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Prior to this appointment, Dugan held several key positions in industry, most recently as president and chief executive officer of RedXDefense, LLC, which she co-founded in 2005, a company that develops defense against explosive threats. She has also served in senior executive positions in several additional companies in roles ranging from global sales and marketing to research and product development.

During her first tour at DARPA from January 1996 to May 2000, Dugan received the program manager of the year award for her leadership of the "Dog's Nose Program", which was focused on the development of an advanced, field-portable system for detecting the explosive content of land mines. Dugan earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology and her master's and bachelor's degrees from Virginia Tech. She is the co-author of "Engineering Thermodynamics," 1996, sole inventor on one issued patent and inventor or co-inventor on nine additional patents pending.

Director of National Reconnaissance Office Named

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has appointed, with concurrence of the Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, retired Air Force Gen. Bruce Carlson as the 17th director of the National Reconnaissance Office. Gen. Carlson served as commander, Air Force Materiel Command before retiring from active duty on Jan. 1, 2009. His prior assignments include commander, 8th Air Force and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command.

Key Cybersecurity Personnel Announced at DHS

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced June 1 appointments for two key cybersecurity posts - Greg Schaffer as Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications, and Bruce McConnell as Counselor to the deputy under secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate. In addition, Philip Reitinger, Deputy Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate, also will serve as Director of the National Cybersecurity Center.

Until earlier this year, Schaffer served as Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer for Alltel Communications, where he was responsible for logical security, physical security, internal and external investigations, fraud, law enforcement relations, privacy and regulatory compliance. Schaffer previously held multiple Vice President-level positions at Alltel Communications including Chief Risk Officer, Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Security Officer. Schaffer holds a J.D. from the University of Southern California Law Center and a B.A. from the George Washington University.

McConnell most recently served on the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team, working on a variety of information policy and technology issues. From 2000-2008, he created, built, and sold McConnell International and Government Futures, boutique consultancies that provided strategic and tactical advice in technology, business and government markets. Previously, McConnell was Director of the International Y2K Cooperation Center, where he coordinated regional and global critical information technology infrastructure organizations to promote information sharing and joint action, from 1999-2000. McConnell holds an M.P.A. from the University of Washington and a B.S. from Stanford University.

As head of the National Cybersecurity Center Director and Under Secretary of National Protection and Programs Directorate, Reitinger will be able to provide broader strategic direction to the Department's cybersecurity efforts while ensuring preparedness and response capabilities across all federal computer systems.

Jeff Neal Named Chief HR Officer at DHS

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced on May 27 the appointment of Jeff Neal as Chief Human Capital Officer for the Department of Homeland Security.

Neal has served as Chief Human Capital Officer at the 23,000-employee Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the U.S. Department of Defense's largest logistics combat support agency, since 2000. At DLA, Neal identified more than $50 million in administrative and operational savings-a transformation that was cited by the Partnership for Public Service as a model for other federal agencies.

Previously, Neal was Deputy Director of Human Resources at the U.S. Department of Commerce from 1998-2000, where he replaced multiple staffing systems with a single online system-resulting in improved position fill time, accuracy and accountability. He holds a B.A. from Concord College.

NYC Health Commissioner Tapped to Head CDC

Friday, May 15, 2009

President Obama on May 15 appointed Dr. Thomas Frieden as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden has served as New York City health commissioner for the last seven years, where he led a campaign to ban smoking in restaurants and bars, boosted the number of New Yorkers getting HIV tests, and helped to distribute millions of free condoms. Frieden, 48, will face the decision on how best to manage a swine flu outbreak, including whether or how to produce a swine flu vaccine. The virus has infected 6,673 people in 35 countries.

A graduate of Oberlin College, Frieden received degrees in Medicine and Public Health from Columbia University. He completed specialty training in Internal Medicine at Columbia and subspecialty training in Infectious Diseases at Yale University. The position does not require Senate confirmation. Frieden will begin at the CDC in early June.

Napolitano Appoints New Assistant Secretary for Policy Development

Friday, April 24, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced on April 24 the appointment of Arif Alikhan as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development.

Alikhan comes from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa's office, where he served as Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety. In this capacity, he led the City's efforts to develop homeland security, emergency management and law enforcement initiatives, including operational oversight of Los Angeles Police, Fire and Emergency Management departments.

Before serving as Deputy Mayor, Alikhan was a career prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice from 1997-2006. During that time, he served as Chief of the Cyber and Intellectual Crimes Section for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles and as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Attorney General in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw the national Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Program for the Department of Justice. Alikhan holds a B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.

Bart R. Johnson Tapped for Intelligence Job at DHS

Friday, April 24, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced on April 23 the appointment of Bart R. Johnson as Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis.

Johnson comes to DHS from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), but he spent the majority of his career in state and local law enforcement-most recently as Colonel in the New York State Police.

At DNI, Johnson has served as the Director's principal advisor for homeland security and law enforcement customer intelligence and information needs since 2008. Formerly, Johnson spent 25 years in the New York State Police, where he rose from Trooper to Colonel, serving in narcotics-enforcement and counterterrorism leadership positions along the way. He holds a B.A. from Empire State College and has completed Leadership in Counterterrorism training through the FBI.

Border Czar Appointed at DHS

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on April 15 appointed former Justice Department prosecutor Alan Bersin to a new "border czar" position overseeing efforts to curb drug-related violence at the southern border and stem illegal immigration from Mexico.

As the assistant secretary for international affairs and special representative for border affairs, Bersin will coordinate all of the department's border security and law-enforcement efforts, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

In the 1990s, Bersin, 52, focused his efforts on enforcing U.S. immigration law. He spearheaded the Treasury Department's operations to stem illegal immigration on the California-Mexico border between 1993 and 1998 and served as the Southwest border representative for the attorney general between 1995 and 1998. Bersin holds an A.B. from Harvard University and a law degree from Yale.

Rand Beers to Head National Protection and Programs Directorate at DHS

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

President Obama announced April 8 his intention to nominate Rand Beers to be Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security.

As head of the directorate, Beers would oversee five major offices: Cybersecurity and Communications, Infrastructure Protection, Intergovernmental Programs, Risk Management and Analysis, and US-VISIT.

As Acting Deputy Secretary from Feb.11 until April 3, Beers helped guide the DHS's continuity of operations during a major leadership shift. Previously, Beers led Obama's DHS agency review team during the transition, where his team helped set the stage for Secretary Napolitano's confirmation and prepare the incoming administration on all homeland security issues.

Beers has served in leadership roles under four Presidents, including as White House / National Security Council Director for Counterterrorism and Counternarcotics; Director for Peacekeeping; Senior Director for Intelligence Programs; Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism; and Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. In 2006, Beers founded the National Security Network, a foreign policy think tank based in Washington. He holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.A. from the University of Michigan.

New Inspector General at ODNI

Monday, April 6, 2009

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair on April 3 announced the appointment of Roslyn A. Mazer as Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Mazer currently serves as Investigative Counsel in the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice. She has served at the Justice Department for more than 14 years, including as Associate Deputy Attorney General. She will begin work at ODNI April 24.

Mazer received a J.D. from Catholic University and a B.A. from Syracuse University.

Janet L. Woodka Named Gulf Coast Rebuilding Coordinator

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced March 31 the appointment of disaster recovery veteran Janet L. Woodka, following the selection of Woodka by President Obama to be the Federal Coordinator of Rebuilding in the Gulf Coast Region. The appointment comes as part of the administration's ongoing commitment to improving federal, state and local coordination on Gulf Coast renewal efforts.

Prior to her appointment, Woodka served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the two most recent federal coordinators. Previously, she was Legislative Director to Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, during which time she was the lead staffer for the Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which provided Gulf Coast states with a share of oil and gas revenues. Woodka comes to DHS as a former resident of both New Orleans and Pensacola, Fla. She has been engaged on Gulf Coast recovery issues from the first days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, assisting on energy infrastructure projects.

The Federal Coordinator is independent from Federal Emergency Management Agency and reports directly to Napolitano. Woodka will also have a direct line of communication to the White House.

New Director of the Intelligence Staff Joins ODNI

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Lt. Gen. John F. (Jeff) Kimmons has joined the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as director of the intelligence staff. He arrived Feb. 28 from the Pentagon, where he served as the deputy chief of staff, G-2, the top intelligence officer on the U.S. Army Staff.

Kimmons' command assignments include commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, Ft. Belvoir, and commander, 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, Ft. Bragg. His other senior intelligence leadership assignments include duty with the U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, as the director for intelligence; deputy director for operations, National Military Command Center, the Joint Staff, and at Ft. Bragg as the director of intelligence, Joint Special Operations Command. Lt. Gen. Kimmons also served as an intelligence officer with the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-DELTA at Ft. Bragg.

Kimmons holds a B.A. from The Citadel and a M.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma.

Two other appointments at ODNI were announced:

Arthur H. House will serve as the first Director of Communications. The position combines public affairs and legislative affairs functions to ensure consistent, effective communication to all audiences.

House came from Connecticut-based Webster Bank where he was the managing director of public affairs. He also directed Webster's work in public issues, internal and external communications and community affairs. His background includes work with international public affairs consulting firm Meridian Worldwide, Tenneco, CIGNA and Aetna Insurance. House's government experience includes time as a White House Fellow serving on the National Security Council staff in 1975 and 1976, and later served on the staffs of Senators Abraham Ribicoff and Robert C. Byrd.

Wendy Morigi is the new director of public affairs. Morigi served as the communications director for Sen. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV for nearly eight years. Most recently, Morigi served as the national security spokesperson for President Obama's presidential campaign handling intelligence, foreign policy, defense and veterans issues. She began her new job Feb. 16.

Richard Willing, public affairs director since March 2008, joins the ODNI's Directorate of Analysis as senior projects coordinator.

Napolitano Appoints Deputy Under Secretary for National Protections Program Directorate

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced on March 11 her appointment of Philip Reitinger as the Deputy Under Secretary of DHS's National Protections Program Directorate. In this role, Reitinger will be charged with protecting the U.S. government's computing systems from domestic and foreign threats.

Reitinger currently serves as Chief Trustworthy Infrastructure Strategist at Microsoft Corp. As a current member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Advisory Council, Reitinger advises the FEMA administrator on aspects of cyber security related to emergency management. He is an expert on computer crime and policy, and previously was the Executive Director of the Department of Defense's (DOD) Cyber Crime Center, charged with providing electronic forensic services and supporting cyber investigative functions department-wide. Before joining DOD, Reitinger served as Deputy Chief of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property division at the Department of Justice.

Reitinger holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

DHS Privacy Officer Announced

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Mary Ellen Callahan became the Chief Privacy Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 9, 2009.

Before joining the Department, Callahan specialized in privacy, data security, and consumer protection law as a partner at Hogan & Hartson, LLP, where she worked for more than 10 years. She was the co-chair of Online Privacy Alliance, a self-regulatory group of corporations and associations established to create an environment of trust and foster the protection of individuals' privacy online.

Callahan also served as vice-chair of the American Bar Association's Privacy and Information Security Committee of the Antitrust Division. A frequent author and speaker on privacy issues, she was selected in 2008 as a "Band 1" privacy and data security lawyer in the United States by Chambers and Partners. Callahan holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh.

Napolitano Names DHS Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Programs

Friday, March 6, 2009

Secretary Napolitano announced March 5 her appointment of Juliette N. Kayyem to serve as Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Programs (IGP).

Kayyem was appointed as Massachusetts' first Under Secretary for Homeland Security in January 2007. When appointed she became the first Arab-American to serve as a homeland security advisor at the state level. As under secretary, she has been responsible for developing statewide policy on homeland security and specifically focused on preventing, protecting, responding to, and recovering from any and all critical incidents. Kayyem focused much of her time on coordinating efforts across local, state and federal entities.

Napolitano is focused on one unified DHS and ensuring all entities are communicating with each other efficiently and effectively. Earlier this year, she issued a an Action Directive that tasked IGP with developing a process to revitalize the department's working relationship with state, local, tribal and territorial governments.

Two Appointments at DHS Announced

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

President Obama announced on March 4 his intention to nominate Craig Fugate as Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). DHS Secretary Napolitano also announced that Jason R. McNamara will serve as the Chief of Staff for FEMA.

Fugate was appointed the Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management in 2001, a position he has held for eight years. In that time, he has presided over 23 Declared State Emergencies, 11 of which were Presidential Declared Disasters.  Fugate oversees the Division with a mandate to coordinate disaster response, recovery, preparedness and mitigation efforts with each of the state's 67 counties and local governments. From volunteer firefighter, paramedic, to lieutenant with Alachua County Fire Rescue, his 15-year career in local government included serving 10 years as the Emergency Manager for Alachua County, Florida.

McNamara serves as an Associate Vice President and Director of Emergency Management/Homeland Security in Dewberry's Emergency Management, Disaster and Mitigation Services Group. His focus is emergency management and homeland security preparedness, planning, interagency and intergovernmental relations, and congressional relations on the local, state, and federal levels. McNamara holds a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University, and a M.A from the University of Delaware.

Kansas Governor Selected HHS Secretary

Monday, March 2, 2009

President Obama on March 2 announced his intention to nominate Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as his Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Sebelius currently is serving her second term as Governor of Kansas. She previously served eight years as the state insurance commissioner, where she won praise for her decision to block the sale of Kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield for fear it would lead to higher premiums. She also served for seven years in the Kansas House. Sebelius is President Obama's second nominee for HHS Secretary; his earlier selection, Thomas Daschle, withdrew from consideration due to tax problems.

Sebelius received her B.A. from Trinity College and a master's degree from the University of Kansas.

DNI Names New Chair of National Intelligence Council

Friday,  February 27, 2009

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair announced on February 26 Charles W. Freeman, Jr. to be Chair of the National Intelligence Council (NIC). Freeman will be responsible for overseeing the production of National Intelligence Estimates (NIEs) and other Intelligence Community (IC) analytic products.

As a former United States negotiator, Freeman has worked with more than 100 foreign governments in East and South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and both Western and Eastern Europe.  He has served as assistant secretary of Defense for international security affairs, ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, principal deputy assistant secretary of State for African affairs, deputy chief of mission and charge´ d'Affaires in Bangkok and Beijing, director of Chinese affairs at. State Department, and distinguished fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Institute of National Security Studies.  Freeman received his J.D. from the Harvard School of Law.

DNI Names Acting Chief Information Officer

Thursday, February 26, 2009

The office of the Director of National Intelligence on February 25 announced Sherrill Nicely has been appointed Acting Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Intelligence Community (IC), effective February 23, 2009. Nicely served as Deputy CIO since November 2008, assisting the Acting CIO, Patrick Gorman, in managing the responsibilities of the office, formulating strategies and policies for CIO functions, and overseeing improvements to electronic information sharing.

Prior to her work as the Deputy CIO, Nicely served as the Deputy Associate Director of National Intelligence for IC Information Technology Governance, where she was responsible for formulating the policies and guidelines for the enterprise infrastructure that supports secure interoperability among IC organizations and customers, including the provision of a single identity for all IC personnel, and improvements to mechanisms for providing role-based access to information. In addition, she led CIO activities supporting improvements to the government's cybersecurity posture.

Gary Locke Nominated Commerce Secretary

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

President Obama on February 25 announced former Washington Governor Gary Locke as his choice for Secretary of Commerce.

Locke, the nation's first Chinese-American governor, served from 1997 to 2005. During his tenure he led several trade missions to Asia, Mexico, and Europe, and is credited with bringing thousands of jobs to Washington by securing a contract with Boeing Company. His previous government service includes three years as King County Executive and eleven years in the Washington State House of Representatives. He was most recently a partner at an international law firm.

Locke received a B.A. from Yale and a J.D. from Boston University.

Two DHS Appointments Announced

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

President Obama announced on Feb. 23 his intention to nominate John Morton to be the Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named Esther Olavarria as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy.

Morton is a career official at the U.S. Department of Justice with lengthy experience in immigration enforcement and criminal prosecution. He began his career as a trial attorney in the honors program in 1994 and now serves as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division.

From September 2007 until last month, he was Acting Chief of the Domestic Security Section and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, and prior to that, he was Deputy Chief of the Domestic Security Section. In these roles, he was responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases and the development of DOJ policy in the areas of immigration crime, particularly human smuggling and complex passport and visa frauds; human rights offenses, particularly torture, war crimes, genocide, and the use of child soldiers; and international violent crime, particularly violent crime under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act.

Esther Olavarria brings nearly 20 years of experience on immigration policy to her new job at the Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, she was a Senior Fellow and Director of Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress, where she was responsible for planning, developing and administering the organization's work on immigration issues, with a principal focus on policy and advocacy strategies on comprehensive immigration reform; planning and convening roundtables and other venues for discussion, and conducting research and write on immigration issues.

Prior to that, for nearly ten years, she was Counsel to Sen. Edward Kennedy and the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Refugees. In that capacity, she served as Kennedy's chief counsel on immigration, border security, refugee and nationality matters, working on myriad immigration proposals, including comprehensive immigration reform.

She has also served as the Managing Attorney of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Directing Attorney of the American Immigration Lawyers Association Pro Bono Project, and staff attorney at the Haitian Refugee Center, all based in Miami, Florida.

Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Nominee

Thursday, February 12, 2009

New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg, President Obama's choice for Commerce Secretary, has withdrawn from consideration, citing differences in his and the administration's views on the stimulus package, as well as plans for the 2010 census count.

The Secretary of Commerce is in charge of the Census Bureau; its decennial tally of the nation's population has implications for Congressional representation as well as federal funding to states. President Obama had indicated that the White House would have more involvement in next year's census.

Gregg was chosen on February 3 to be Commerce Secretary, after Obama's first selection, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, withdrew due to an ongoing state investigation.

Napolitano Appoints Special ICE Advisor at DHS

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

DHS Secretary Napolitano announced on Feb. 4 her appointment of Dora Schriro as her Special Advisor on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Detention & Removal. This is a new position created by Secretary Napolitano to focus exclusively on the significant growth in immigration detention over the last five years, and to focus on the arrest priorities at ICE.

Schriro is an expert on correctional policies in the country, receiving prestigious awards from both Harvard University and the National Governors Association for her recidivism reduction policies as the Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections for the last six years. She also served as the Director of the Missouri Department of Corrections for eight years.

HHS Nominee Daschle Withdraws

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Thomas A. Daschle, President Obama's choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services, on February 3 withdrew his nomination amid controversy surrounding unpaid taxes and his employment upon leaving the Senate.

Daschle recently admitted to failing to pay more than $100,000 in back taxes; his departure directly followed that of Nancy Killefer, who was nominated Chief Performance Officer for the Office of Management and Budget. She too withdrew from consideration following the revelation that she had failed to pay taxes for a domestic employee.

Ivan K. Fong Named DHS General Counsel

Thursday, January 29, 2009

President Obama announced his choice of Ivan K. Fong as General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security.

Fong is currently the Chief Legal Officer & Secretary for Cardinal Health, Inc., and served previously as Deputy Associate Attorney General for the Department of Justice. HE holds a B.A. and M.S. from MIT and a J.D. from Stanford University. Fong was a Fulbright Scholar at Oxford University, Magdalene College.

Napolitano announces several key members of her staff

Thursday, January 29, 2009

David A. Martin was named Principal Deputy General Counsel. Martin, a former member of President Obama's DHS agency review and transition team, Warner-Booker Distinguished Professor of International Law at the University of Virginia School of Law, and former General Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice.

Brian De Vallance was named Senior Counselor to the Secretary. De Vallance is former Director of Federal Relations for Governor Napolitano and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Federalism Officer for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sean Smith was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. Smith served in a variety of senior communications positions on campaigns and in the private sector. Most recently, he was the Pennsylvania Communications Director on the Obama campaign. He holds a M.P.A from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Lute Tapped for No. 2 Post at DHS

Friday, January 23, 2009

President Obama announced on January 23 his intention to nominate Jane Holl Lute as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. Lute has served under two presidents on the National Security Council staff at the White House and is currently the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General charged with coordinating efforts to build sustainable peace in countries emerging from conflict. Previously, as Assistant Secretary-General in both the United Nations Department of Field Support and Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Lute managed and provided critical support to all UN field missions, peacekeeping operations, and special political missions in over thirty countries around the world. She holds a PhD Stanford University and a J.D. from Georgetown University.

In addition, Napolitano announced the following appointments for her senior staff: Noah Kroloff, Chief of Staff for Policy; and Jan Lesher, Chief of Staff for Operations to the Secretary.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Ronald C. Ruecker to Head FBI Office of Law Enforcement Coordination

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller announced January 6 the appointment of Ronald C. Ruecker as Assistant Director of the FBI's Office of Law Enforcement Coordination. Most recently, Ruecker was the Director of Public Safety for the City of Sherwood, Oregon. He is also the immediate past president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Ruecker is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the FBI's National Executive Institute and the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Panetta to Head CIA; Blair tapped for DNI

Leon Panetta has been chosen as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Democratic aides said on January 5. Panetta, a native of Monterey, CA, served eight terms in the House representing his home region before becoming the chief budget adviser to President Clinton in 1993. He then served as Clinton's chief of staff from July 1994 to January 1997. He earned a B.A. magna cum laude from Santa Clara University and his J.D. from Santa Clara University Law School. Obama has also chosen Dennis Blair as his director of national intelligence. Blair, a retired admiral, formerly headed the Navy's Pacific Command. He is an Annapolis graduate and earned a master's degree at Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. If confirmed, Blair would be the third recently retired four-star officer nominated by Obama for a top post.

Richardson Withdraws as Commerce Secretary Nominee

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, President-Elect Obama's choice for Secretary of Commerce, withdrew from consideration for the post on January 4 due to a federal investigation involving the governor's office.

A federal grand jury has been investigating whether Richardson's office was involved in awarding a state contract to a company that had donated to Richardson's political action committees.

Richardson previously served as Energy Secretary and Ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton.

Rep. LaHood Tapped for Transportation

Representative Ray LaHood, Republican of Illinois, is President-elect Obama's choice to be Secretary of Transportation.

LaHood, 63, who is retiring after representing a rural downstate district in Congress since 1995, becomes the second Republican tapped for Obama's Cabinet. A moderate Republican, LaHood has not shied away from criticizing the Bush administration and has a reputation for working with leaders of both political parties.

The grandson of Lebanese immigrants, LaHood grew up in Peoria and earned a bachelor's degree from Bradley University.

Former Iowa Governor Chosen to Head Agriculture

President-Elect Obama on December 17 announced his selection of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to be his Secretary of Agriculture.

Vilsack currently works at a law firm in Iowa, where he specializes in energy conservation, renewable energy and agribusiness development. He served two terms as Governor of Iowa, from 1998 to 2006. Vilsack began his government service as mayor of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, followed by two terms in the Iowa State Senate. He also made a brief run for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2008 race.

Vilsack received his B.A. from Hamilton College and his J.D. from Union University.

President-Elect to Create White House Office for Health Care Reform

President-Elect Obama announced on December 11 his intention to create a White House Office on Health Care Reform, to be led by his designate for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle.

The deputy director of this office will be Dr. Jeanne Lambrew, who authored a book about health care reform with Daschle. Lambrew, a nationally recognized expert on Medicare, Medicaid and children's health care, is currently an associate professor of public affairs at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas and a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. From 1997 to 2001 she worked on health policy at the Office of Management and Budget and at the National Economic Council.

Lambrew received her bachelor's degree from Amherst College and her master's and PhD from the Department of Health Policy, School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Berkeley Lab Director Chosen to Head Energy Department

President-Elect Obama has selected Steven Chu to be his Secretary of Energy.

Chu has been the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the Energy department since 2004. An early advocate for finding scientific solutions to climate change, Chu has led Berkeley Lab on a mission to become a world leader in alternative and renewable energy research. With two other researchers he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997, for developing methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light. Chu previously has worked as a researcher at AT&T Bell Laboratories, and as a professor at Stanford University.

He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester and his master's and PhD from UC Berkeley.

Bill Richardson Selected Commerce Secretary

President-Elect Obama on December 3 selected New Mexico governor Bill Richardson to be the next Secretary of Commerce.

Richardson previously served as Secretary of Energy and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the Clinton administration. He also represented New Mexico in Congress for fifteen years, and is currently in his second term as Governor of New Mexico.

Richardson received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Tufts University.

Hillary Clinton Selected for State Dept. Slot

President-Elect Obama on December 1 announced that he has chosen Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to be the next Secretary of State.

Clinton, who has served as the junior senator from New York since 2001, challenged Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. She received a BA from Wellesley College and a law degree from Yale University. She is the first former First Lady to be nominated to be Secretary of State.

Eric Holder Tapped to Head Justice Department

Eric H. Holder Jr., a former Justice Department official, was chosen December 1 to serve as Attorney General. Holder was Obama's campaign co-chairman and is a partner in the law firm Covington & Burling.

He was an associate judge on the D.C. Superior Court for five years before being appointed U.S. Attorney for the District in 1993. In 1997 he was confirmed as deputy attorney general.

Holder received his BA and JD from Columbia University. If confirmed, Holder would be the first African American to serve as the nation's top law enforcement officer.

CBO Director to Lead OMB

President-Elect Obama on November 25 selected Peter R. Orszag to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in his administration.

Orszag currently serves as Director of the Congressional Budget Office. Prior to this, he held several positions at the Brookings Institution, including Director of the Hamilton Project, Director of the Retirement Security Project, and Co-Director of the Tax Policy Center. Orszag previously served during the Clinton administration as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, Senior Economic Adviser at the National Economic Council, and Senior Adviser and Senior Economist at the President's Council of Economic Advisers. Orszag received his bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from Princeton University, and his master's and doctoral degrees from the London School of Economics.

N.Y. Fed Bank President to Head Treasury

Timothy F. Geithner has been chosen to be the next Secretary of the Treasury by President-Elect Obama. Geithner, 47, became the ninth president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Nov.17, 2003. Geithner joined the Department of Treasury in 1988 and worked in three administrations for five Secretaries of the Treasury in various positions.

Geithner graduated from Dartmouth College and earned a master's degree from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He has studied Japanese and Chinese, and has lived in East Africa, India, Thailand, China, and Japan.

Arizona Governor to Head Homeland Security

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is President-Elect Obama's choice to head the Department of Homeland Security.

Napolitano, 50, an early supporter of Obama, was the only sitting governor and current elected official tapped to serve on his 12-member transition advisory board. Elected governor of Arizona in 2002 and reelected in 2006, she is first woman in the nation's history to serve as U.S. Attorney, State Attorney General and Governor in immediate succession. Napolitano came to national prominence in 1991 when she served as a lawyer for Anita Hill in her sexual harassment case against then-nominee and later Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

She is a graduate of Santa Clara University and the University of Virginia Law School.

Daschle to Lead HHS

President-Elect Obama has selected former Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle represented South Dakota in Congress from 1978 to 2005, first as a Representative and then as Senator, where he rose to the rank of Senate Democratic Leader. He has worked in the private sector since his unsuccessful reelection bid in 2004, and recently published a book outlining proposals to fix the health care system.

Daschle received his bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University. After college he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force Strategic Command.

Key White House Staffers Named

President-Elect Obama last week selected several people to fill key White House positions.

Valerie B. Jarrett will be Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison. Jarrett currently serves as co-chair of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team and was a senior advisor for the presidential campaign. She earlier served in city government in Chicago, first as Deputy Corporation Counsel for Finance and Development, then as Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Richard M. Daley, and finally as Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development. Jarrett also has served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. She received her bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a juris doctor degree from the University of Michigan.

Peter M. Rouse will be Senior Advisor to Obama. Until recently Rouse had been Chief of Staff to Senator Obama; Rouse also served for several years as Chief of Staff to Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, and prior to that to Representative Dick Durbin of Illinois. He received his bachelor's degree from Colby College, and master's degrees from the London School of Economics and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

James A. Messina will serve as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. He has served as Chief of Staff to Senators Max Baucus of Montana and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, and to Representative Carolyn McCarthy of New York. Messina was most recently Chief of Staff of Obama's presidential campaign. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Montana.

Mona Sutphen also will serve as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. Sutphen is a member of President-Elect Obama's transition team, and most recently worked at an international consulting firm. She was a Foreign Service Officer and served in the Clinton administration at the National Security Council and at the State Department. Sutphen received her bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College and a master's degree from the London School of Economics.

Gregory B. Craig will be White House Counsel. Craig earlier served in the Clinton administration as Assistant to the President and Special Counsel, and as Director of Policy Planning at the State Department. Craig also earlier served as Senior Advisor on Defense, Foreign Policy and National Security Issues for Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. He has spent the past several years in the private sector. Craig received his bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard. He followed that with a diploma from Cambridge University, and his juris doctor from Yale. Craig is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Philip M. Schiliro will be Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs. Schiliro currently serves as Director of Congressional Relations for the President-Elect's transition team and was a senior advisor to the presidential campaign. He worked for 22 years for Representative Henry Waxman of California, first as a top aide, and then as Staff Director of the House Government Reform Committee. He then served as a special policy advisor to Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota. Schiliro received his bachelor's degree from Hofstra University and his juris doctor from Lewis and Clark Law School.

Vice President-Elect Biden Selects Chief of Staff

Vice President-Elect Joe Biden on November 13 chose Ron Klain as his chief of staff.

Klain served in the Clinton administration as Associate Counsel to the President, Counselor and Chief of Staff to then-Attorney General Janet Reno, and finally as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to then-Vice President Al Gore. Klain previously worked with Vice President-Elect Biden, when Biden appointed him as Chief Counsel for the Senate Jucidiary Committee, which Biden chaired. Among Klain's other prior positions are law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Byron White, legislative staffer for Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, and staffer for Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana.

Klain received his bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from Georgetown University, and his juris doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Rahm Emanuel Selected as Next White House Chief of Staff

Rep. Rahm Emanuel on November 6 accepted the position of White House Chief of Staff for President-Elect Barack Obama.

Emanuel has represented the fifth congressional district of Illinois since 2003, and he has served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the Committee on Ways and Means and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Emanuel also served in the administration of President Clinton from 1993 to 1998, first as Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Communications and Director of Political Affairs, and then as Director of Special Projects and Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy.

Emanuel began his career with the consumer rights group Illinois Public Action. He received his bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College and his master's degree from Northwestern University.

Obama Wins the White House

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois on Nov. 4 was elected the nation's 44th president as the country chose him to become the first African American to reach the White House.

Obama, 47, the son of a white mother from Kansas and a Kenyan father, achieved a victory that appears likely to be the largest of any Democrat since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landside. His message of reform and hope resonated with Americans and helped him redraw the divide between red states and blue states.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama said after the election results were announced.