President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

• James T. Ryan, Member, Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences

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

• Abbey Johnston, Member, Medal of Valor Review Board
• Sharon Long, Member, President's Committee on the National Medal of Science
• Alapaki Nahale-a, Member, Commission on Presidential Scholars
• Jeanne Unemori Skog, Member, Commission on Presidential Scholars
• Major General Errol R. Schwartz, Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy

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 individual to a key Administration post:

James T. Ryan, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences
James “Tim” Ryan is the Code Administrator for the City of Overland Park, Kansas.  In addition, he is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences, currently serving as a non-Presidential appointee.  Mr. Ryan has worked for Overland Park for the last three decades after initially joining as a field inspector in 1978.  He is a voting member of the International Code Council, the International Association of Electrical Inspectors, and the National Fire Protection Association, and is a Certified Building Official with 15 separate certificates in various disciplines of codes administration and enforcement.  Mr. Ryan was recently elected Chair of a newly created Steering Committee for the State of Kansas tasked with creating a program to oversee the energy code provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Mr. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Pittsburg State University in Construction Management and Technology.

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

Abbey Johnston, Appointee for Member, Medal of Valor Review Board
Abbey Johnston is the President of the Lynchburg Fire Fighters Association (LFFA), Local 1146, and serves as a Master Firefighter and paramedic for the Lynchburg Fire Department.  Mrs. Johnston previously served as the Secretary of LFFA and has been a member of the organization since she became a professional firefighter in 2004.  LFFA is an affiliate of the Virginia Professional Firefighters Association (VPFF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), which selected Mrs. Johnston to represent the IAFF membership as a guest of the First Lady at the 2009 State of the Union Address.  Mrs. Johnston is an instructor of several advanced-level emergency medicine courses including Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), International Trauma Life Support (ITLS), and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Paramedic-level instruction and CPR courses for certification.  In addition, she is certified to teach Firefighter I and II in the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as several other courses related to the fire service.  Mrs. Johnston received an Associates Degree in Applied Science from Central Virginia Community College.

Dr. Sharon Long, Appointee for Member, President's Committee on the National Medal of Science
Dr. Sharon Long is the Steere-Pfizer Professor of Biological Sciences at Stanford University.  Dr. Long works at the intersection of genetics, biochemistry and cell biology to study the symbiosis of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and legumes.  Her work aims to improve the use of plants and bacteria in energy conservation and sustainable agriculture, among other things.  During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Professor Long served as a science advisor to then-Senator Obama.  She served as Dean of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford from 2001 until 2007, and was appointed an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 1994-2001. She was awarded a Presidential Young Investigator award in 1987 and a MacArthur Fellowship in 1992. Her research has been recognized by election to the National Academy of Sciences and other honors.  Dr. Long was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at Harvard University.  She received her B.S. from Caltech and her Ph.D. from Yale University.

Alapaki Nahale-a, Appointee for Member, Commission on Presidential Scholars
Alapaki Nahale-a is Chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission and Director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, a Hawaiian state organization tasked with managing the Hawaiian Home Lands trust and developing homesteading opportunities for native Hawaiians. Mr. Nahale-a was the East Hawaii Island member of the Commission prior to his appointment as Chairman. From 2008 to 2010, he was board President and then Executive Director of the Hawaii Charter Schools Network. Mr. Nahale-a was Director of Ka ‘Umeke Ka’eo, Hawaiian Immersion Public Charter School in Keaukaha, a Hawaiian homestead community between 2003 and 2009.  Mr. Nahale-a also worked with Hawaii Community College, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, the County of Hawaii Legislative Auditor’s office and ‘Aha Punana Leo. Mr. Nahale-a was a member of the Hawaii County Charter Commission, a board member and volunteer mediator with the Kuikahi Mediation Center, and a member of the board of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools.
 
Jeanne Unemori Skog, Appointee for Member, Commission on Presidential Scholars
Jeanne Unemori Skog is currently President & CEO of the Maui Economic Development Board, Inc. (MEDB), a nonprofit organization.  Ms. Skog joined MEDB in 1984 and in 1999 was elected as the organization’s President & CEO.  Ms. Skog initiated the development of MEDB’s Women in Technology program.  In 2006, she led the formation of the Ke Alahele Education Fund, which provides grants and counseling to educators and organizations for projects that enhance the teaching and delivery of STEM education.  Ms. Skog serves as Chair of the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii.  She also serves on the board of the Hawaii Council for Economic Education.  Ms. Skog holds a B.A. in English Literature with an emphasis on secondary education from the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Major General Errol R. Schwartz, Appointee for Member, Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy
Major General Errol R. Schwartz is the Commanding General of Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard, and is responsible for operational readiness of the D.C. Army and Air National Guard units.  He began his military career in 1976 when he enlisted in the D.C. Army National Guard.  Following his commission in June 1979, General Schwartz was appointed a platoon leader in the 104th Maintenance Company, and served in many leadership capacities as a staff officer and commander.  He has received numerous awards and accolades for his outstanding service to his country, including the Legion of Merit, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Service Medal.  General Schwartz is a member of the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee, the Adjutants General Association of the United States, and is on the Board of Directors for the National Guard Association of the United States.  General Schwartz received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the District of Columbia, a Master of Art degree from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University.