The administration that takes office this
coming January will seek to fill a wide range of politically appointed
positions in the executive branch. Many of those positions deal
with issues important to geoscientists. Indeed, many positions could
be filled by qualified geoscientists.
The American Geological Institute has compiled a
list (below) identifying positions that could be important to its
member societies - and the groups are being encouraged to use this
list to propose qualified individuals to the presidential transition
team.
Lee Gerhard, chairman of the Division of Professional
Affairs Government Action
Committee, said the list of appointments "are opportunities
where geologists could serve."
Gerhard said members who are interested in the positions
should contact the appropriate personnel office or their Congressional
delegation for guidance.
This list includes positions ranging from Cabinet
level to personal assistants found in many different departments
and independent agencies as well as the executive office of the
president.
There are three major types of appointed positions:
♦ Presidential
Appointments requiring Senate confirmation (H)- These
positions require approval by the appropriate Senate committee with
jurisdiction over that particular sector of the federal government
(e.g. the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
would have oversight on the assistant to the president for Science
and Technology Policy).
Most high-ranking positions in both departments and
independent agencies are this type of appointment.
♦ Schedule
C Appointment (q) - These positions are appointed under
Schedule C of the civil service rules, meaning that these positions
are appointed by the agency head. Many of the support and technical
positions within an office are filled by people in this group, such
as the senior policy advisor for environmental affairs at the Department
of Energy and the special assistant to the NOAA administrator.
♦ Non-Career
Senior Executive Service Appointment (m) - These appointment
are top-level executive, policy-making, managerial and supervisory
positions that do not fall under the general civil service hierarchy,
such as the associate chief for natural resources at the Forest
Service.
Senior Executive Service (SES) appointments do not
require congressional oversight but do require approval by the Office
of Personal Management.
In addition to the appointed positions listed here,
there are several regular civil service positions that are likely
to turn over in a new administration. For example, the Minerals
Management Service director is indicated as a career SES, but typically
this position has been filled by a political appointee.
This list was compiled by Margaret Baker, AGI Government
Affairs Program, from the Federal Yellow Book (Summer 2000 Edition)
and other sources. Please direct any questions to [email protected],
or 703-379-2480, ext. 212.
Executive Office of the President
Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Assistant
to the President for Science and Technology Policy - Neal
Lane
- Chief
of Staff - Holly Gwin
- Associate
Director for Environment - Rosina Bierbaum
-
Associate Director for Science - Arthur Bienenstock
-
Confidential Assistant - Elizabeth Gregory
Council on Environmental Quality
- Chair,
Council on Environmental Quality - George Frampton
-
Special Assistant to Chair of CEQ - Nancy Marlow
-
Associate Director for Toxics and Environmental Protection
- Gabrielle Tenzer
-
Deputy Assistant to the President for Environmental Initiatives
- Roger Ballentine
Office of Management and Budget
Department of Agriculture
- Under
Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment - James Lyons
-
Executive Assistant - Margaret Wetherald
-
Deputy Undersecretary for Conservation - Glenda Humiston
Forest Service
Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Associate Chief - Danny Sells
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
-
Under Secretary of Oceans and Atmosphere/Administrator -
James Baker
-
Counselor to the Under Secretary - Susan Fruchter
-
Special Assistant to the Under Secretary - Dana
Palmer
-
Assistant Secretary/Deputy Administrator for Oceans and
Atmosphere - Scott Gudes
-
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere
- Sally Yozell
-
Chief Scientists - vacant
-
Director, Office of Public and Constituent Affairs -
Barbara Semedo
-
Director, Office of Legislative Affairs - Brian
Wheeler
-
Director, Policy and Strategic Planning - Susan
Fruchter
National Ocean Service
Department of Defense
Defense Research and Engineering
- Director
for Defense Research and Engineering - Hans Mark
-
Confidential Assistant - Dede Anderson
Office of Acquisition, Technology and Logistics;
Environmental Security
- Deputy
Under Secretary - Sherri Goodman
-
Environmental Cleanup Assistant Deputy Under Secretary -
Karla Perri
Navy Research, Development and Acquisition
- Assistant
Secretary - Herbert Lee Buchanan
Department of Energy
- Secretary
of Energy - Bill Richardson
-
Senior Policy Advisor for Electricity and Energy Efficiency
- Richard Glick
-
Senior Policy Advisor for Environmental Affairs - Ellen
Livingston-Behan
-
Director, Office of Policy - Melanie Kinderdine
-
Assistant Secretary for International Affairs - David L.
Goldwyn
-
Chief of Staff - Matt Willis
-
Senior Advisor - Teresa Beeman
-
Deputy Secretary - T.J. Glauthier
-
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy - Dan Reicher
-
Chief of Staff - Brian Castelli
-
Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary - David Leiter
-
Special Assistant - Gregory Kats
-
Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy - vacant
-
Executive Officer - Gerald Reed
-
Senior Staff Assistant - Kristin Thorn
Natural Gas & Petroleum Technology
- Deputy
Assistant Secretary - Emil Pena
-
Special Assistant for Deputy Assistant Secretary -
Marti Thomas
-
Under Secretary for Energy, Science and Environment - Ernest
Muniz
-
Director, Office of Science - Mildred S. Dresselhaus
-
Special Assistant - Robert Sevigny
-
Staff Assistant - Stuart Goldstein
-
Assistant Director for Communications and Science Education
- Samuel Rodriguez
-
Special Assistant - Lourdes Tinajero
-
Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management - Carolyn
Huntoon
-
Special Assistant - Matt Nerzig
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
Energy Information Administration
Department of the Interior
- Secretary
of the Interior - Bruce Babbitt
-
Special Assistant - Elizabeth Johnson
-
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff - Katherine
Lapin
-
Assistant to the Secretary for Alaska - Marilyn Heiman
-
Special Assistant to the External Affairs Director -
Suzanna Hubbell
-
Deputy Secretary - David Hayes
-
Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks - Jamie
Rappaport Clark
National Park Service
- Deputy
Director - Denis Galvin
-
Assistant Secretary for Lands and Mineral Management
- Sylvia Baca
-
Special Assistant - David Alberwerth
Bureau of Land Management
- Director
of the Bureau of Land Management - Thomas Fry
-
Special Assistant - Gregory Evans
-
Special Assistant - Denise Ryan
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
- Director
- Katherine Henry
-
Chief of Staff - Margy White
-
Special Assistant - Richard Fiesta
-
Assistant Secretary for Water and Science - Mary Doyle
-
Counselor - David Cottingham
U.S. Geological Survey
- Director - Charles "Chip" Groat
Bureau of Reclamation
- H
Commissioner - Levi Martinez
-
Special Assistant - Christopher Thompson
Department of State
Environmental Protection Agency
- Administrator
- Carol Browner
-
Chief of Staff - Reid Wilson
-
Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resource
Management - Romulo Diaz
-
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation - Robert Perciasepe
-
Assistant Administrator for Research and Development - Norine
Noonan
-
Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response
- Timothy Fields
-
Assistant Administrator for Water - Charles Fox
-
Deputy Assistant Administrator - Dana Minerva
-
Deputy Assistant Administrator - Diane Regas
Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Director
of FEMA - James Lee Witt
-
Executive Assistant - Michael Coen
-
Deputy Director - vacant
-
Inspector General - George Opfer
-
Associate Director for Mitigation - Michael Armstrong
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Science Foundation
- Director
- Rita Colwell
-
Deputy Director - Joseph Bordogna
-
Head of the Polar Research Support Section - Erick Chiang
National Science Board
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Chair and commissioners (fixed terms)
- several