President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced the appointment of the following individuals to key administration posts:

• Mimi A. Drew, State Representative, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
• Dave Stewart, State Representative, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
• Garret Graves, State Representative, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force was established by an Executive Order signed by the President on October 5, 2010.  EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was selected to chair the Task Force.  Each of the five Gulf State governors was asked to recommend an appointment to the panel.  Today’s announcement names three of the five governors’ choices for task force members.  The two remaining State Representatives will be appointed soon.

The task force’s mission is to coordinate efforts to implement restoration programs and projects in the Gulf Coast region.  It also will coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services on public health issues and with other federal agencies on ways to enhance the economic benefits that ecosystem restoration will bring to the region.  

President Obama announced the appointment of the following individuals to key administration posts:

Mimi A. Drew, Appointee for State Representative, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Mimi A. Drew is currently the Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She has been with the Department since 1977, and in that time has served in many different capacities, including Administrator of the original Clean Water Act Nonpoint Source Program, Deputy Director and Director of the Division of Water Facilities/Water Resource Management, and Division Director of Technical Services. In 2007, Ms. Drew was appointed the Deputy Secretary of Regulatory Programs.  As Deputy Secretary, she supervised and managed agency regulatory programs, interacted with all levels of government including the Florida Legislature on policy issues, and worked to effectuate practical solutions to ensure the protection of Florida’s environment and public health.  Ms. Drew received a B.A. in English and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Sciences from the University of Florida.
 
Dave Stewart, Appointee for State Representative, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Dave Stewart is currently the Chief of Staff to Alabama Governor Bob Riley.  Prior to being named Chief of Staff in 2006, he was Policy Director and then Senior Advisor to the Governor. Before joining Governor Riley’s administration in 2003, Mr. Stewart was Senior Advisor to Congressman Jo Bonner.  He also served as the Director of Business Development for Forestexpress, LLC, an e-commerce company in Atlanta, Georgia, and was Co-Founder and Senior Business Development Manager for Lumber Logic Corporation, an Internet start-up targeting the building materials industry. He also worked for Wells Fargo’s Energy Banking Group.  Mr. Stewart has a B.S. and an M.B.A. from the University of Alabama.

Garret Graves, Appointee for State Representative, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Garret Graves is currently the Chair of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana (CPRA).  The CPRA was established after Hurricane Katrina to streamline hurricane protection, flood control, ecosystem restoration and other community sustainability efforts.  Prior to joining the State of Louisiana, Mr. Graves served for 13 years as a policy advisor to Senator John Breaux, Congressman Billy Tauzin, as well as the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  During this time, he advised Members of Congress on energy, environment, water resources, transportation, maritime, defense, trade, foreign affairs, and budget issues.  Mr. Graves was also staff director of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Climate Change and Impacts.