President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley – Ambassador to the Republic of Malta, Department of State
• Julissa Reynoso – Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Department of State
• Wendy Spencer – Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for National and Community Service
• Robert E. Whitehead – Ambassador to the Togolese Republic, Department of State

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

• Robert L. Blazs – United States Commissioner, Canadian River Commission
• Jayne D. Greenberg – Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

President Obama said, “These dedicated individuals bring a wealth of experience and talent to their new roles and I am proud to have them serve in this Administration.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.

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

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Malta, Department of State
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, currently serves as Deputy Coordinator for Policy, Programs, and Budget in the Office of the Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism. Prior to this role, she was Director of the Office of Egypt and the Levant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.  Her previous positions include: Chairwoman for Middle East Area Studies at the Foreign Service Institute, Consul General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Senior Advisor for Middle Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Director for Near East South Asian Affairs, and Director for Legislative Affairs at the National Security Council.  Her earlier posts include: Political Officer at the Embassy in Tel Aviv with responsibility for the Gaza Strip, Consul in Baghdad, and postings in Jakarta and Cairo.  She joined the Foreign Service in 1985 after serving as a Presidential Management Fellow at the United States Information Agency.  Ms. Abercrombie-Winstanley received a B.A. from George Washington University and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. 

Julissa Reynoso, Nominee for Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Department of State
Julissa Reynoso is Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central America and the Caribbean in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.   Prior to her appointment in November 2009, Ms. Reynoso practiced law with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York, focusing on international arbitration and antitrust law.  During this time, she also served as a Fellow at New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School.  In 2006, Ms. Reynoso worked as Deputy Director of the Office of Accountability at the New York City Department of Education.  Ms. Reynoso holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard University, a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

Wendy Spencer, Nominee for Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for National and Community Service
Wendy Spencer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, an organization that administers AmeriCorps grants throughout the state and is responsible for coordinating volunteers and donation management in times of disaster. Ms. Spencer  was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006, and awarded the President's Call to Service Award in 2005 due to her dedication to finding innovative solutions to Florida’s community challenges.  She previously served as Director of the Florida Park Service, where she oversaw natural resource management for Florida’s 158 state parks.  Prior to her work with the Florida Park Service, Ms. Spencer was Campaign Director of the United Way of the Big Bend.  Ms. Spencer has also worked as Director of Marketing for the Macon County, Georgia, Chamber of Commerce and as a District Representative for Congressman Charles Hatcher of Georgia.  She is the current Chair of the American Association of State Service Commissions. Ms. Spencer holds a B.A. in Fine Arts and Speech Communications from Valdosta State University.

Robert E. Whitehead, Nominee for Ambassador to the Togolese Republic, Department of State
Robert E. Whitehead, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has served at the Department of State for 27 years.  From 2009 to 2011, Mr. Whitehead served as the Chargé d'Affaires in Khartoum, Sudan.  Other overseas assignments have included Deputy Chief of Mission in the Central African Republic, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Additionally, Whitehead served briefly as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Rwanda in 1994 and as the first consul general in Juba, Southern Sudan in 2006.   His assignments in Washington have included Director of the Office of African Analysis in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Senior Inspector in the Office of the Inspector General, and Desk Officer in the Office of West African Affairs.  Before entering the Foreign Service, he was a Fulbright lecturer at the University of Zaire.  Mr. Whitehead received a B.A. from Taylor University and an M.A. from Southern Illinois University.

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

Robert L. Blazs, Appointee for United States Commissioner, Canadian River Commission
Robert L. Blazs is a professional engineer who recently retired from the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS).  Prior to his January 2010 retirement, Mr. Blazs spent the last decade of his career as the Assistant Director and Data Operations Chief at the Oklahoma Water Science Center.  He also previously served as the Field Office Chief for Water Sciences in Washington State from 1982 to 1990 and in California from 1976 to 1982.  Mr Blazs began his career with USGS as a Hydrologic Technician.  Prior to joining the USGS in 1970, he spent four years in the United State Marine Corps. He has served as the Chairman of the Arkansas-White-Red River Basins Interagency Committee, and has represented the USGS on multiple river compacts including the Canadian River Commission.  Mr. Blazs received his B.A. from California State University, Long Beach in 1975.

Dr. Jayne D. Greenberg, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition
Dr. Jayne D. Greenberg is the District Director of Physical Education and Health Literacy for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.  Previously, she served as Special Advisor on Youth Fitness to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and as President of the Florida Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance, and Driver Education.  Dr. Greenberg assisted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in developing the “I Can Do It, You Can Do It Program,” addressing physical activity for youth with disabilities.  Dr. Greenberg received the March 2009 Point of Light Award by the Governor of Florida and was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness in 2009.  She was named the 2005 National Physical Education Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Sport and Physical Education and received the 2005 Highest Recognition Award by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Dr. Greenberg has a B.S. in Physical Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; an M.S. in Sports Psychology from Florida International University; and an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership in Physical Education from Florida International University.