NOAA Transition: Career Leadership
Mary M. Glackin
Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere
Mary M. Glackin has been the Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere since December 2, 2007. In this role she is responsible for the day-to-day management of NOAA’s domestic and international operations.
Glackin has more than 15 years of senior executive level experience working in numerous NOAA line offices. She served as the acting Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and Director, National Weather Service from June 12, 2007, through September 15, 2007. Before that, she was the Assistant Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Program Planning and Integration. From 1999 until 2002, she served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service of NOAA. From 1993 to 1999, she worked as the Program Manager for the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) with the National Weather Service (NWS), NOAA. Prior to this, Ms. Glackin was both a meteorologist and computer specialist in various positions within NOAA where she was responsible for introducing improvements into NWS operations by capitalizing on new technology systems and scientific models.
She is the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award (2001), Charles Brooks Award for Outstanding Services to the American Meteorological Society, the NOAA Bronze Medal (2001), the Federal 100 Information Technology Manager Award (1999), the NOAA Administrator’s Award (1993), and the Department of Commerce Silver Medal Award (1991). She is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society and a member of the National Weather Association and the American Geophysical Union.
Ms. Glackin has a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland.
Richard W. Spinrad, P.h.D., CMarSci
Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
Dr. Spinrad is the Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). He is a native of New York City, and a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University (B.A.). Spinrad has broad experience in marine science, technology, operations and policy. During his career he has worked in a wide range of positions in government, academia, industry and non-governmental organizations. Spinrad earned an M.S. in physical oceanography and a Ph.D. in marine geology from Oregon State University. As a research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences he developed and published concepts critical to our understanding of the relationship between water clarity and marine biological productivity. Spinrad served as President of Sea Tech, Incorporated during that company’s development of several now-standard oceanographic sensors. He went on to manage oceanographic research at the Office of Naval Research (including serving as the Navy’s first manager of its ocean optics program), eventually becoming the Division Director for all of the Navy’s basic and applied research in ocean, atmosphere and space modeling and prediction.
In 1994 he became the Executive Director of the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) where he led the development of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl for High School Students, and he co-authored, with Admiral James D. Watkins, "Oceans 2000: Bridging the Millennia", which served as the guiding document for the establishment of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP).
In 1999 Spinrad became the Technical Director to the Oceanographer of the Navy. In this position he provided leadership and guidance for the development of the U.S. Navy’s oceanographic and meteorological operational support to Naval forces. Spinrad has served as the United States permanent representative to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and co-chairs the White House Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, where he helped lead the publication of our nation's first Ocean Research Priorities Plan.
Spinrad is the President of The Oceanography Society, a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, and of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, and was Editor in Chief of Oceanography magazine. Spinrad also served on the faculties of the U.S. Naval Academy and George Mason University. He has spent over 300 days at sea conducting research, and has published more than 50 scientific articles. Spinrad is the editor of a textbook on ocean optics and several special issues of marine science journals. In 2003 Spinrad was awarded the Department of Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the highest civilian award given by the Navy Department, and he has received a Presidential Rank Award. Spinrad lives in Falls Church, Virginia with his wife Alanna and two beagles.
Alexander E. (Sandy) MacDonald
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes (OAR)
Dr. MacDonald is Deputy Assistant Administrator for Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. He concurrently serves as Director of the Earth System Research Laboratory, in Boulder, Colorado. A Montana native, Dr. MacDonald’s interest in weather began at age eight, when his mother gave him a subscription to Scientific American, and he became fascinated with a nearby weather disaster. He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Physics from Montana State, before joining the U.S. Air Force as an officer, serving from 1967 to 1971.
After the service, Dr. MacDonald earned both his Master of Science degree and Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Utah. Knowing that he wanted to work in the atmospheric sciences and determining that NOAA conducted the best science in this area, Dr. MacDonald sought a position at the newly formed agency (1970), beginning his career with NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Western Region in 1973. While at the NWS, he received a bronze medal for his work on the automated weather information system. Dr. MacDonald’s leadership role in NOAA began in the 1980s when he led a group within NOAA’s research laboratories that developed and tested systems to bring data streams and models together for operational forecasters. He led the research/development group, later the Forecast System Laboratory (FSL), until his present assignment, and received the Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award for his role in the development of the National Weather Service AWIPS (Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System) model in 1993.
Dr. MacDonald’s contributions to the science of weather and climate include bringing parallel computing to FSL, which led to the development, installation and operation of a High-Performance Computing System called JET; developing a new, unique mesoscale weather prediction model; and originating the idea of diagnosis of three-dimensional water vapor using a GPS (Global Positioning System). His work in the White House with Vice President Al Gore to start the GLOBE program, an educational web-based program involving classrooms worldwide in atmospheric sciences, earned him the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award in 1998. In the new century, Dr. MacDonald invented a unique way of showcasing NOAA science. His Science on a Sphere™ – a multimedia system using high-speed computers, advanced imaging techniques, and strategically placed projectors to display full-color animated images of satellite, geophysical and astronomical data on a sphere – is being placed in museums and science centers across the U.S. More recently, Dr. MacDonald is leading efforts within NOAA to use Unmanned Aircraft Systems to improve the accuracy of weather and climate predictions.
Dr. MacDonald lives in Boulder with his wife, Susan, and enjoys spending time with six young grandchildren.
Craig N. McLean
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Programs and Administration (OAR)
Craig McLean is the deputy for NOAA’s Oceanic and Atmospheric Research programs and administration. He is responsible for daily operations and administration of NOAA’s research enterprise, and the execution of NOAA programs including the Climate program, National Sea Grant, and Ocean Exploration. He has previously served in NOAA as Executive Officer of the National Ocean Service, and was the founding Director of NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration.
McLean served in uniform for nearly 25 years, retiring from NOAA’s Commissioned Corps in the grade of Captain after service at sea, underwater, and in operational, legal, and marine resource management positions. McLean served aboard hydrographic, oceanographic, and fisheries research ships and was the first commanding officer of NOAA’s largest fisheries research vessel, the 224-foot Gordon Gunter.
A life long diver, he began exploring deep shipwrecks through decompression diving while in junior high school. These experiences have taken him to the Amazon River searching for freshwater dolphins and to the RMS Titanic searching for solutions in shipwreck management. Craig McLean is also an attorney and has practiced marine resource law for NOAA.
McLean has been awarded the Departmental Silver and Bronze Medals, the NOAA Corps Commendation Medal, Special Achievement Medal, and recognized as the NOAA 2005 Senior Leader of the Year. He is a Fellow in the Explorers Club, Chairman of the Marine Law and Policy Committee of the Marine Technology Society, and is Chairman of the Board of the Sea-Space Symposium.
James W. Balsiger Ph.D.
Acting Assistant Administrator of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Dr. Balsiger was appointed the Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries on February 17, 2008. He oversees the management and conservation of marine fisheries and the protection of marine mammals, sea turtles and coastal fisheries habitat within the United States exclusive economic zone. The National Marine Fisheries Service protects and preserves the Nation’s living marine resources through scientific research, fisheries management, law enforcement, and habitat conservation.
Dr. Balsiger began his career with NOAA in 1977 and has held other leadership roles in the National Marine Fisheries Service during his tenure. Since May 2000, he has served as the Alaska Regional Administrator in Juneau, Alaska. He was the Regional Science and Research Director at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA, where he also served as Deputy Science Director from 1991 through 1995. Prior to that, he was the Program Leader for the Status of Stocks Task within the Center’s Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division from 1977 to 1991.
Dr. Balsiger holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan; a Master of Science degree in Forest Silviculture from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana; and a Ph.D. in Quantitative Ecology and Natural Resource Management from the University of Washington in Seattle. In 2002, President Bush awarded him a Meritorious Award for sustained superior accomplishments throughout his career.
John Oliver
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations (NMFS)
Mr. Oliver serves as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations at NOAA Fisheries, a position he has held since January 2001. As the Principal Deputy for NOAA Fisheries he serves as the Chief Operating Officer responsible for the day-to-day management of the Agency's operations.
From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Oliver served as the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer for NOAA's National Ocean Service. Prior to that position, he was the Director of the NOAA Fisheries Management and Budget Office. Mr. Oliver has more than 30 years of experience in Department of Commerce/NOAA management and policy positions.
Samuel D. Rauch
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs (NMFS)
Mr. Rauch began serving as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs at NOAA Fisheries in June of 2006. In this capacity he oversees all of NOAA Fisheries' regulatory actions, including those to support protected resources, sustainable fisheries, and habitat conservation. From January 2004 to June of 2006, Mr. Rauch served as the Assistant General Counsel for Fisheries where he supervised a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff responsible for providing legal counsel to NOAA Fisheries.
Prior to joining NOAA Fisheries he served as a trial attorney and the Assistant Section Chief for the Wildlife and Marine Resources Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division for the United States Department of Justice. In this role, he either conducted or managed most of the litigation brought against NOAA Fisheries Service.
Mr. Rauch holds a J.D. from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, and M.S. from University of Georgia, and a B.A. from University of Virginia. He has also been the recipient of many honors during his career, including: NOAA General Counsel's Award (1998, 2002, 2004, 2005); and Department of Justice Special Achievement Awards (1997, 1998, 2000, 2002).
Dr. Steve Murawski
Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor (NMFS)
Dr. Murawski serves as Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor for NOAA Fisheries. He is responsible for about 30 laboratories, eight offshore research vessels, and 1,400 staff throughout the United States. His organization’s mission is to provide the scientific basis for conservation and management of living marine resources and their ecosystems. Dr. Murawski was previously the Director of the Office of Science and Technology, a position he held since October 2004.
Prior to coming to NOAA Fisheries headquarters, Dr. Murawski served as Chief Stock Assessment Scientist for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (1990–2004). His research background is in fisheries biology and stock assessment. He has published in several journals, including the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Bulletin of Marine Science, and Ecological Applications.
During his career, Dr. Murawski has been a key representative on several committees and councils. His current roles include official U.S. delegate to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, member on the Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (GLOBEC) Program Steering Committee, and Project Manager for NOAA Fisheries’ Ecosystem Management Pilot Projects. Dr. Murawski has also been the recipient of many honors during his career, including: NOAA Fisheries Employee of the Year (2002); three NOAA Bronze Medal Awards (1994, 1999, and 2003); Distinguished Alumni Award from the Department of Natural Resource Conservation, University of Massachusetts (2003); and the David Belding Marine Conservation Award from the Massachusetts Divisions of Marine Fisheries (2004). He received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst.
John H. Dunnigan
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Services
National Ocean Service (NOS)
Mr. Dunnigan is NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Oceans and Coastal Services, responsible for the overall execution of activities in NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS). NOS is one of the Nation’s premier institutions in marine navigation, operational oceanography and geopositioning, and marine and coastal management and science. Mr. Dunnigan is also the U.S. Representative to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, a flag-ship program of UNESCO. The IOC is the United Nations’ focal point for ocean sciences and services in collaboration with 136 member countries.
Mr. Dunnigan previously served as NOAA’s Ecosystem Goal Team Lead, responsible for planning, programming and overall coordination across NOAA of its nine ecosystem goal programs. He led NOAA’s efforts in the utilization of ecosystem approaches to management of ocean and coastal resources. In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Dunnigan served as Director of NOAA’s Office of Sustainable Fisheries, providing national coordination and oversight of the agency’s fisheries conservation and management policy. In total Mr. Dunnigan has over 20 years of service within NOAA. Mr. Dunnigan served for 11 years as the Executive Director of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, building coalitions among member states to develop and implement conservation programs for shared coastal and marine fishery resources.
Dr. William Corso
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Services
National Ocean Service (NOS)
Dr. William Corso is the Deputy Assistant Administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. Dr. Corso has worked in government, industry, academic, and non-profit settings. Prior to coming to NOAA, Dr. Corso worked for seven years at Lockheed Martin where he directed a diversified project group at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. While at Lockheed Martin, he managed their remote sensing program. Dr. Corso also served as the Director of Research & Education for the New Jersey Marine Science Consortium/New Jersey Sea grant College, a non-profit organization of 29 member colleges and universities in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He was responsible for the research, education, and development activities of the Consortium and the New Jersey Sea Grant College Education Program. Dr. Corso also worked as an oceanographer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as a professor at Stockton State College in New Jersey, and as a Senior Scientist for the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Dr. Corso holds a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.S. in Marine Geology and Geophysics from the University of Miami, and a B.S. in Earth Sciences from Adelphi University. He is currently completing a Masters in Public Administration at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Dr. John L. “Jack” Hayes
Assistant Administrator for Weather Services
Director, National Weather Service (NWS)
John L. "Jack" Hayes is the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and National Weather Service Director. In this role, he is responsible for the day-to-day civilian weather operations for the United States, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Guam.
Dr. Hayes rejoined the National Weather Service in 2007 after serving as the director of the World Weather Watch Department at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations located in Geneva, Switzerland. In that position, he was responsible for the global observing, telecommunications, and data processing and forecasting systems.
Before joining the WMO, he served in several senior executive positions at NOAA. As the Deputy Assistant Administrator for NOAA Research, he was responsible for the management of research programs. As Deputy Assistant Administrator of the National Ocean Service (NOS), he was the chief operating officer dealing with a multitude of ocean and coastal challenges, including NOS's response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster in August 2005. As Director of Office of Science and Technology for the National Weather Service, he was responsible for the infusion of new science and technology essential to weather service operations.
Dr. Hayes was also an executive in the private sector and the military. He was general manager of the $500 million Automated Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) program at Litton-PRC from 1998 through 2000. AWIPS is the interactive computer system utilized by all weather service forecasters. From 1970 through 1998, he held a variety of meteorological positions with the United States Air Force, beginning as a weather forecast officer in 1970 and culminating his career as Commander of the Air Force Weather Agency and Air Force Global Weather Center.
He received both his Ph.D. and Master of Science degrees in meteorology from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. He is a Fellow in the American Meteorological Society.
Vickie L. Nadolski
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Weather Services
Deputy Director, National Weather Service (NWS)
Vickie Nadolski was appointed Deputy Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and Deputy Director of the National Weather Service in December 2007. Her career spans more than three decades of dedicated public service. Ms. Nadolski began her NWS career as a staff meteorologist in 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio, where she issued public, aviation, and marine weather forecasts and warnings for 32 counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Lake Erie.
In the early 1980s, Ms. Nadolski began development of sensors and algorithms to support automation and managed demonstration test bed projects at the NWS’ Sterling, Virginia, Test and Development Center. She served more than a decade in both program management and as the manager of the $230 million tri-agency acquisition of the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) at National Weather Service Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. This entailed managing the collaborative efforts of the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, and Department of Transportation to define, develop, and implement more than 900 ASOS sites.
In January 1999, Ms. Nadolski was appointed Director of the National Weather Service Western Region. She was responsible for the management and operation of twenty-four Weather Forecast Offices (WFO), three River Forecast Centers (RFC), and four Aviation Center Weather Service Units.
Ms. Nadolski holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science equivalent in Meteorology from Pennsylvania State University. She received the honorable Fellow status with the American Meteorological Society in January, 2006. Her numerous awards include the Department of Commerce Silver Medal and several awards from local, state, and national organizations for her work on automating surface observations.
Ms. Nadolski serves on the AMS Board for Women and minorities. She also serves as the gender focal point for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), WMO Commission for Basic Systems, and WMO Commission on Instruments and Methods of Observations.
Mary E. Kicza
Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
Mary E. Kicza is the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services. NOAA Satellite and Information Service is dedicated to providing timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources to promote, protect, and enhance the Nation’s economy, security, environment, and quality of life.
In this role, Ms. Kicza leads the acquisition and operation of the Nation’s civil operational environmental satellite system. She also leads efforts for research and development of products and programs to archive and provide access to a variety of Earth observations via three national data centers.
Ms. Kicza is a leader in the international Earth observation community, serving as Chair of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Strategic Implementation Team. In this capacity, she leads efforts to coordinate global satellite-based observations among international space agency partners to further the development of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems. In addition, Ms. Kicza serves as the Co-Chair of the NOAA Observing Systems Council, a group which coordinates observing systems requirements and provides resource recommendations for NOAA’s observation platforms. She is also a member of the NOAA Executive Council, NOAA’s executive decision making body.
Before coming to NOAA, Ms. Kicza was the Associate Deputy Administrator for Systems Integration at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a senior leader within NASA, she was responsible for assuring that the mission and mission support elements were effectively aligned and integrated. She served previously as the Associate Administrator for Biological/Physical Research, the Associate Center Director for Goddard Space Flight Center, the Assistant Associate Administrator for Space Science, and the Deputy Director of the Solar System Exploration Division. Ms. Kicza began her career as an engineer at McClellan Air Force Base in California, before joining NASA in 1982 as a lead engineer supporting the Atlas Centaur and Shuttle Centaur launch vehicles.
Ms. Kicza has served with distinction in a variety of technical, managerial, and leadership posts, supporting the development, launch, and operation of satellite systems as well as multi-faceted research and development programs. She has significant experience in building and maintaining effective relationships with the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Defense Department, Congress, the aerospace industry, and a diverse research community. Ms. Kicza has earned two SES Meritorious Service Awards, NASA’s Distinguished Service and Scientific Achievement Medal, and numerous other awards.
Ms. Kicza received her Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from California State University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Charles S. Baker
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Satellite & Information Services
National Environmental Satellite, Data & Information Service (NESDIS)
Charles Baker was appointed NOAA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services in March 2007. In that capacity, he serves as chief operating officer for NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), an organization with 850 staff members, a budget of nearly $1 billion a year, and 15 satellites on orbit. Within NESDIS, his areas of responsibility include customer service, performance management, satellite operations, processing and distribution of time-critical satellite data, development of new satellite data products, archiving environmental data, information technology, regulation of the U.S. commercial remote sensing industry, human capital management, and regional collaboration. From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Baker served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of NESDIS. In that role, he served as the overall business manager for NESDIS, having responsibility for budget, strategic planning, cost estimating, earned value management, human resources, training, facilities, property accounting, and safety.
From 1987 to 2004, Mr. Baker worked in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), for 13 years as a budget examiner and for four years as Associate Director for Investment, his first position in the Senior Executive Service. As Associate Director, he had oversight of Navy and Air Force research, development, and acquisition budgets totaling nearly $100 billion per year. He provided leadership to a team of budget examiners who conducted program-by-program budget reviews and recommended budget adjustments to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Following the events of September 11, 2001, Mr. Baker led the formulation of the investment portions of the emergency budget request.
Mr. Baker began his civil service career with the Department of the Navy in 1974, holding a series of positions in the Naval Sea Systems Command, the Naval Supply Systems Command, the Naval Material Command, and the Office of the Navy Comptroller.
Mr. Baker is a life-long resident of the Washington DC metropolitan area, graduating from Annandale High School in Annandale, Virginia. His undergraduate degree is from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a double major in History and Spanish. Mr. Baker is a member of the Senior Executives Association, the American Meteorological Society, and the American Geophysical Union. He has taught numerous courses on the Defense budget process and on the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution System (PPBES).
Abigail Harper
Deputy Assistant Administrator of Systems
National Environmental Satellite, Data & Information Service (NESDIS)
Ms. Harper is currently on a two year detail from NASA as the NESDIS Deputy Assistant Administrator for systems. She is responsible for the overall policy direction, coordination and management of NOAA’s satellite acquisitions, including the ground systems.
Before joining NOAA, Ms. Harper was Assistant Systems Program Manager for GOES-R at NASA, where she provided systems engineering and programmatic support for the NOAA Systems Program Director. In that role, she also supported the development of business and technical structures, and provided oversight of risk reduction and procurement efforts.
Ms. Harper has diverse experience in space development, from mission assurance, systems engineering and program/project management for both earth and space science missions. As the Acting Director and Deputy Director of Systems Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, she was responsible for ensuring the development and application of rigorous processes for mission success.
Prior to that, Ms. Harper held increasingly responsible positions in engineering and technical management, serving as Chief of Electronic Parts and Materials Office, Observatory Manager for Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Project Manager for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), and Program Manager for the Solar Terrestrial Probes Program.
Both TRMM and STEREO research satellites have provided valuable operational data for NOAA users. Ms. Harper is delighted by the application of the research data by NOAA users and enthusiastic about her own transition to operational satellites.
Ms. Harper holds a MS in Mechanical Engineering from George Washington University, a BS in General Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a year of bioengineering study at the University of Sussex in Sussex England.Laura K. Furgione
Assistant Administrator for Program Planning and Integration (PPI)
Since August 31, 2008, Laura Furgione has served as the Assistant Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Program Planning and Integration. In this role, she is responsible for corporate management to coordinate the many lines of service of this $4 billion agency dedicated to understanding and predicting changes in the Earth’s environment and conserving and managing coastal and marine resources. She is responsible for annual planning as well as long term strategic planning, performance evaluation, program integration through matrix management, and policy integration including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Her efforts are directed to ensuring NOAA’s investments and actions are guided by a strategic plan; are based on sound social and economic analysis; adhere to executive and legislative science, technology and environmental policy; and integrate the full breadth of NOAA’s resources, knowledge and talent to meet its stated mission goal.
From October 2004 to August 2008, Ms. Furgione served as Director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, Alaska Region. Alaska Region is headquartered in Anchorage with responsibility for 20 offices throughout the state. As Director, Ms. Furgione was responsible for all operational and scientific climatological, meteorological, hydrological, volcanic ash and tsunami warning programs for the state of Alaska and its surrounding waters.
Other positions Ms. Furgione has held within the NWS include meteorological intern at the Kodiak, Alaska, Weather Service Office; intern at the Fairbanks, Alaska, Weather Forecast Office (WFO); aviation meteorologist at the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit; warning coordination meteorologist at WFO Morehead City, North Carolina; meteorologist in charge of WFO Juneau, Alaska; and Alaska Deputy Regional Director.
Ms. Furgione holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Alaska-Southeast. Her husband, Tim, and she became the proud parents of twins in October 2004.
Rear Admiral Jonathan W. Bailey, NOAA
Director, NOAA Corps
Director, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)
RADM Jonathan W. Bailey is the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. He was appointed by Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez on October 1, 2007, after nomination for the position by President George W. Bush, confirmation by the U.S. Senate, and subsequent promotion by the Secretary to the rank of rear admiral.
NOAA is a science agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that conducts research and gathers data about the global oceans, atmosphere, space, and sun, and applies this knowledge to science and service that touch the lives of all Americans. NOAA provides these services through five major organizations: the National Weather Service; the National Ocean Service; the National Marine Fisheries Service; the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service; and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations and the NOAA Corps provide ship and aircraft support and operational expertise to these organizations.
The NOAA Corps is one of the nation’s seven uniformed services. Its officers hold college degrees—many of them advanced— in science, engineering, or mathematics. These officers command NOAA ships and aircraft and bring their operational and technical expertise to land assignments, where they can help program managers plan their research strategies aboard NOAA platforms.
A commissioned officer for nearly 28 years, RADM Bailey has had a balanced operational career, with seven years of sea duty aboard five NOAA ships and almost nine years of flight duty piloting three NOAA aircraft.
From 2006 to 2007, RADM Bailey served as Executive Director to the Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. In 2003, he became Director of the Commissioned Personnel Center, where he directed the management of a complex system of policies, including compensation and benefits. His efforts had positive impact across the Service. RADM Bailey played a critical role in developing innovative strategies to improve the NOAA Corps workforce. These strategies included the establishment of NOAA Corps core values, new officer evaluation and billet systems, and new training to educate officers and supervisors about NOAA Corps policies.
In 1999, he became the Chief of NOAA’s National Ocean Service Remote Sensing Division. There he led technology advancement in the simultaneous collection and processing of digital aerial photography, airborne laser mapping data, and airborne imaging spectroscopy for NOAA’s shoreline mapping program and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Survey Program. He also introduced innovative processes for rapid shoreline change detection to correct gross nautical chart anomalies in a very short period of time. At the time of the September 11 terrorist attacks, he oversaw NOAA’s aerial- and ground-based mapping operations that aided search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. He received the Commerce Gold Medal group award for technical skill and coordination in 2002 for his role following the attacks. RADM Bailey has a master’s degree in aeronautical science and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources. He is a graduate of Harvard’s Senior Executive Fellows and The Art and Practice of Leadership Development programs.
RADM Bailey lives in Maryland with his wife Cindy and their three sons.
William F. Broglie
Chief Administrative Officer
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Bill Broglie joined NOAA in August 2003. A career member of the Senior Executive Service since 1992, he is responsible for overall leadership and management of a wide-range of administrative services and programs for NOAA, including the following:
- Facilities management--including real property (construction, maintenance, facility condition assessments), logistics and personal property programs;
- Environmental compliance, and health and safety;
- Civil rights;
- Executive secretariat;
- Deemed exports and
- Freedom of Information Act, competitive sourcing and OIG/GAO audit liaison.
Mr. Broglie began his career with the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA; currently the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services) in March 1977. His responsibilities ranged from overall management of a multi-million dollar research & demonstration budget and grant/contract program integral to the successful conduct of the Agency's research and demonstration program, to directing CMS’s information technology (IT) investment management program,. He was responsible for overseeing the operations of the Medicare managed care program, including oversight of contracts accounting for over 2.5 million Medicare enrollees and more than $8 billion in annual disbursements. Mr. Broglie served as Director of Human Resources, and Director of the Office of Financial and Human Resources, and was responsible for the Agency's financial management, procurement, human resources, and administrative services programs. Mr. Broglie played an instrumental role in the development of the CMS IT Modernization Initiative – a 10-year capital investment plan for modernizing the systems environment for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Since joining NOAA, Mr. Broglie has been instrumental in reengineering NOAA’s financial and administrative support operations, including completing the Agency’s transition to a functional management model for these services, and providing executive leadership to the NOAA-wide business process reengineering initiative designed to improve and streamline these functions.
Mr. Broglie led the development of the Agency’s first long-range facility modernization plan, and has been instrumental in strengthening NOAA’s corporate management and planning processes. He also serves as the Leadership and Corporate Services Sub-Goal lead under NOAA’s planning, programming, budget, and execution systems (PPBES); and chairs the Agency’s Safety Council.
Maureen E. Wylie
Chief Financial Officer
Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Ms. Wylie assumed her current position in February 2004. She serves as the principal financial manager for an organization whose appropriated resources approach nearly $4 billion and whose recorded capital asset value exceeds $5 billion. Ms. Wylie is the lead for Budget and Financial Execution in NOAA’s Planning Programming Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES). The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) also has the responsibility under the CFO Act to provide the leadership necessary for NOAA to obtain a yearly-unqualified opinion in the audit of its consolidated financial statements. Ms. Wylie previously served as the G8, Army National Guard (ARNG), responsible for resource management for the Army National Guard from October 2001. Ms. Wylie has also held a number of PPBES related positions as a Management or Program Analyst.
Ms. Wylie began government service in 1985 as an Army Presidential Management Intern in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Program Analysis and Evaluation Directorate. Her tenure included work on the FY 87-91, FY88-92, and FY 90-94 Army Programs. Developmental assignments during this period included stints at HQ, US European Command J-5, the Congressional Research Service, and the House Armed Services Committee Staff.
Ms. Wylie graduated with honors from Rutgers University with a BA in Political Science in 1982, from Yale University with an MA in International Relations in 1984, and was a 1999 Distinguished Graduate from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, with an MS in National Resource Strategy. She is also a member of the 1997 class of the Defense Leadership and Management Program and a 2003 graduate of the Federal Executive Institute.
Her awards include the 1994 Pace Award for her leadership in developing the Army Stationing Strategy. She also holds the Meritorious Civilian Service medal, four Superior Civilian Service Medals; two Commander’s Awards for Civilian Service, and the Army Achievement Medal. She was named the 1980 Harry S. Truman Scholar from New Jersey, a Rutgers University Scholar, and a Yale University Fellow. Ms. Wylie is married to Mr. Ross Campbell, a senior program analyst with the Government Accountability Office. Their son, Ian, is 12 years old.
Joseph Klimavicz
Chief Information Officer (CIO) and
Director, High Performance Computing and Communications
Mr. Joseph F. Klimavicz was named National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Director, High Performance Computing and Communications in January 2007. In this position, he is responsible for implementing the Clinger-Cohen Act, Federal Information Security Management Act, and other statutory requirements regarding the acquisition, management, and use of NOAA's information and information technology (IT) resources to include NOAA’s high performance computing and communications infrastructure.
Mr. Klimavicz is also responsible for NOAA’s Homeland Security Program to ensure business continuity in the event of a terrorist attack, major disaster, or other emergency and he serves as the Department of Commerce Senior Agency Official for Geospatial Information (SAOGI). He previously served in the Department of Defense (DOD) as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Deputy CIO, and as the DOD SAOGI.
Mr. Klimavicz has served over 20 years in the federal government. He began his career with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as an imagery scientist, developing photogrammetric math models in the National Photographic Interpretation Center, and subsequently, served in line management positions within the CIA and the DOD; leading the development of IT investment plans, and managing IT acquisitions and operations.
Mr. Klimavicz received a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1983, and a Master of Engineering degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1988. Major areas of study included geodesy, photogrammetry and imaging systems.
Mr. Klimavicz lives in Vienna, Va., with his wife, Brenda and their three daughters.Louisa Koch
Director, NOAA Office of Education (OED)
Louisa Koch became NOAA’s Director of Education in October 2005. NOAA’s education program is focused on developing the next generation of professionals educated in the NOAA sciences and related areas and educating the public about role of the oceans, coasts and atmosphere in the global environment. Ms. Koch served as NOAA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Research in Silver Spring, Maryland from 1998 through 2005
Before joining NOAA, Ms. Koch served as the Commerce Branch Chief at the Office of Management and Budget. She also served as a Presidential Management Intern at the Department of Defense and an economist at the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress.
Samuel P. Williamson
Director, Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services (OFCM)
Mr. Samuel P. Williamson is the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. He is accountable to the U.S. Congress and the Office of Management and Budget for systematic coordination and cooperation among 15 Federal departments, independent agencies, and executive offices with meteorology programs or interests to ensure the Federal Government provides the best possible weather information and user services to the Nation. He directs the analysis and evaluation of Federal weather programs, operational requirements, and supporting research to facilitate executive and legislative funding decisions for more than $3.8 billion annually. He reports directly to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, who is also the chairperson of the Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR).
Mr. Williamson chairs the Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR) and serves as a member and principal advisor to the FCMSSR and the Committee for the Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) under the National Science and Technology Council. Mr. Williamson began his career as a Weather Officer in the United States Air Force Air Weather Service and has served the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in numerous positions for over 30 years.
For the 1996-1997 academic year, Mr. Williamson was a visiting Executive Fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government where he explored national security issues involving science, technology, and public policy.
As a Senior Staff Associate for the National Science Foundation, Mr. Williamson enhanced science education. As a Senior Science Advisor to the Committee on Science of the United States House of Representatives, he helped shape the legislative agenda for science, space, and technology policy.
For more than 12 years, Mr. Williamson was the principal planner for the tri-agency Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Program from conception through the initial deployment of the Weather Surveillance Radar, Doppler (WSR-88D), weather radar system. He directed the NEXRAD Joint System Program Office, bringing together the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and Transportation, where he guided the design, development, test, manufacture, and initial deployment of the WSR-88D
His education includes Bachelor of Science degrees in mathematics and meteorology from Tennessee State University and North Carolina State University, respectively, a Master of Arts degree in management from Webster University, post graduate studies in engineering technology management at American University, and science, technology and public policy studies at Harvard.
Stephen D. Austin
Director, Program Analysis and Evaluation (PAE)
Steve Austin serves as the Director of Program Analysis and Evaluation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He is the chief programmer for NOAA.
Steve has 28 years of experience in the government and private industry in operations, engineering, programming, and analysis. Before joining NOAA, he was a program manager and senior analyst for the Science Applications International Corporation in McLean, Virginia. His focus was Biometrics and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction for the Department of Defense.
Steve retired from the Army in 2006 after serving for 27 years. Commissioned as an Engineer from the United States Military Academy in 1979, he has served in the United States, Germany, Korea, and the Middle East. He deployed to Northern Iraq in 1991 as the Staff Engineer for Joint Task Force - Bravo. He served in positions of increasing responsibility in engineer line units, ultimately commanding the 2200 person Korean Service Corps Battalion. Assigned to the Pentagon in 2000, he served in Army Program Analysis and Evaluation as the coordinator for the $11 billion per year installation program. Subsequently, he was the Deputy Director of the Army Environmental Program. He retired as the senior Army officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Program Analysis and Evaluation. His portfolio included the integration of the Budget and Program Reviews, Global Posture, Landmine Alternatives, and Non-Lethal Weapons.
Steve holds master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, National Security and Strategic Policy from the Naval War College, and National Resource Policy from the National Defense University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.
Eduardo (Eddie) Ribas
Director, NOAA’s Workforce Management Office (WFMO)
Eduardo (Eddie) J. Ribas was named Director for Workforce Management at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in November 2004. In this position Mr. Ribas coordinates all areas of human resources operations and strategic human capital management programs to ensure NOAA has a diverse, highly skilled, motivated and effective workforce capable of accomplishing its’ mission. Under his leadership, NOAA developed the first ever Strategic Human Capital Management Plan and reduced hiring cycle times for SES actions in half and non-SES actions by 28%. This is his second tour of duty with NOAA, as he previously served as the Human Resources Program and Policy Team Leader from 1998 to 1999.
Before joining NOAA, he served as the Deputy Associate Director for the Human Capital Management Services at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Under his leadership, OPM was one of the first Federal agencies to achieve a “green” status for Human Capital under the President’s Management Agenda. He also re-engineered recruitment processes to reduce the hiring cycle time from 70 to 36 days.
Prior to this assignment, Mr. Ribas served 4 years as the Director of Workforce Management and Human Resources Support for the National Institutes of Health where he was responsible for managing human resources programs in the areas of policy and program development, and lead efforts to create NIH as an employer of choice through its’ corporate recruitment programs. He also served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture where between 1989 and 1998 he held a variety of progressively responsible positions including Chief of the Rural Development Human Resources Operations Branch.
Mr. Ribas is certified in Public Human Resource Management (IPMA-CP) by the International Personnel Management Association. He is fluent in Spanish, and earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland.
Mr. Ribas resides in Laytonsville, Maryland with his wife, Patti, and three young sons, Nicholas (10), Stephen (8), and Patrick (6). For the past 19 years he has co-coached a 7/8th girls basketball team with his wife, Patti – and this year the husband and wife duo were inducted into the Catholic Business Network Coaches Hall of Fame.
Dr. James M. Turner
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Affairs
Director, NOAA Office of International Affairs (OIA)
Dr. James M. Turner leads NOAA's international scientific and environmental efforts associated with the global oceans, atmosphere, and space. He serves as the principal advisor to the Under Secretary and Administrator on international policy issues, represents NOAA and the United States with foreign governments and international fora, establishes policies, guidelines, and procedures for NOAA’s international programs, and provides support and coordination to NOAA’s lines offices. These efforts help us to better understand, predict, and take steps to respond to changes in the Earth's environment, conserve and manage coastal and marine resources, protect life and property, and to provide decision makers with reliable scientific information.
Dr. Turner comes to NOAA from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) where he served as the Acting Director (September 2007 to September 2008) and Deputy Director (from April to September 2007). NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology.
Prior to joining NIST, Dr. Turner served as the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Nuclear Risk Reduction in the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. In that position he was responsible for major projects in Russia to permanently shut down their last three weapons-grade plutonium-production reactors. He also worked with foreign governments and international agencies to reduce the consequences of nuclear accidents by strengthening their capability to respond to nuclear emergencies. Turner has also held several senior management posts at DOE concerned with laboratory oversight and with nuclear safety and the safeguarding of nuclear weapons both here and abroad.
He holds degrees in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D.) and Johns Hopkins University (B.A.), and taught for five years as an Associate Professor of Physics and Engineering at Morehouse College.
Among other honors, he has received the U.S. Government Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service, three times received the U.S. Department of Energy Exceptional Service Award, and earned the Secretary of Energy Gold Award and the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Gold Medal. Dr. Turner is an active member of the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society, the American Nuclear Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, ASTM, the Council on Foreign Relations, IEEE, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and the World Affairs Council.
Dr. Turner is a native of Washington, DC is married, and has five children and one grandchild. He enjoys doing yoga and Tai Chi. He and his wife, Paulette, reside in Olney Maryland.