Appointments and Resignations
Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons: Who Is Charles Samuels Jr.?
Charles E. Samuels, Jr., appointed director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) by Attorney General Eric Holder on December 21, 2011, started at the bottom as a correctional officer (prison guard) more than 23 years ago.
Born circa 1965 in ... read more
Chair of the Federal Election Commission: Who Is Caroline Hunter?
The Federal Election Commission (FEC), an independent agency established by Congress in the wake of campaign finance abuses by the re-election campaign of President Richard Nixon, elected a new Chair to a one-year term on December 15, 2011. The FE... read more
Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy and Agricultural Affairs: Who is Robert Hormats?
On December 12, the State Department announced that the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs would be renamed the Office of Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs. The new offi... read more
Administrator of the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service: Who Is Mary Bohman?
On November 28, 2011, Mary E. Bohman took over as Administrator of the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), an agency that carries out economic research that helps public and private decision-makers stay informed of economic and policy issues inv... read more
Senate Republicans Block Confirmation of Head of Customs and Border Protection
For some in Washington, going home for the holidays will mean not returning to the nation’s capital in January.
Alan Bersin is one such person. The head of Customs and Border Protection will leave his post at the end of this month because Sena... read more
Administrator of the Farm Service Agency: Who Is Bruce Nelson?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA), which provides services to farm operations such as loans, commodity price supports, conservation payments, and disaster assistance, is led by a third generation Montana farmer. Bruce Ne... read more
Obama Finally Starts to Activate Privacy Oversight Board
President Barack Obama has finally brought the Civil Liberties and Privacy Oversight Board, an independent advisory group created at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, back to life with the nomination of three new members.
Dormant sin... read more
Senate Republicans Refuse to Confirm Head of Government Printing Office
The toxic partisanship fouling Washington, DC, has cost another Obama administration appointee his job.
William Boarman was nominated in April 2010 to head the Government Printing Office (GPO). The Senate Rules and Administration Committee una... read more
CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service: Who Is Wendy Spencer?
President Barack Obama on October 17, 2011, announced his intent to nominate Wendy Spencer to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees funding for Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Learn and Se... read more
Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: Who Is Gregory Parham?
Dr. Gregory L. Parham is the Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Parham, who became APHIS Administrator in April 2011, carries out the agency’s broad mission of conducting regula... read more
Ambassador from Guatemala: Who Is Julio Armando Martini?
Dr. Julio Armando Martini Herrera, a career diplomat in the Guatemala Foreign Service, took over as Ambassador of Guatemala to the United States on August 5, 2011. He presented his credentials to President Obama on September 9, 2011.
Over the ... read more
Ambassador from Mauritania: Who Is Mohamed Lemine El Haycen?
Appointed July 28, 2010, Mohamed Lemine Ould El Haycen presented his credentials to President Barack Obama as Mauritania’s ambassador to the United States on August 10, 2010.
Born in 1954 in Nouadhibou, Mauritania, El Haycen earned a degree at... read more
Ambassador from St. Kitts and Nevis: Who Is Jacinth Henry-Martin?
Jacinth Lorna Henry-Martin has served as ambassador to the United States from the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis since February 2011. St. Kitts and Nevis is the smallest independent nation in the Americas in both area and populatio... read more
Acting Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service: Who Is David Shipman?
Since August 2011, the Acting Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been David R. Shipman, who has more than thirty-five years’ experience in agricultural administration.
Born circ... read more
Ambassador from Swaziland: Who Is Abednego Ntshangase?
Reverend Abednego Mandla Ntshangase has served as the ambassador to the United States from the Kingdom of Swaziland since May 1, 2010. Impoverished and landlocked, Swaziland is the only African country still ruled by a royal family. It is border... read more
Ambassador to Togo: Who Is Robert Whitehead?
On October 17, 2011, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint as ambassador to the small West African nation of Togo a veteran diplomat who has spent years focusing on Africa–US relations.
Born circa 1954 in Indiana, Robert E. Wh... read more