PCAST Staff

Ashley Predith is the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The Council advises the President on topics across all fields of science and technology and regularly issues reports on areas of critical national interest. Before joining the White House Office of Science and Technology as the PCAST Assistant Executive Director, Dr. Predith was the Associate Director for Programs at a DOE Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC). Led by the University of Maryland in collaboration with two national labs and three universities, the EFRC investigates fundamental nanoscience to underpin next generation energy storage technologies. Dr. Predith previously was a science policy consultant for the Science & Engineering Workforce Project at the National Bureau of Economic Research and for the American Chemical Society. Ashley Predith has a PhD in Materials Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BS in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jennifer Michael is the Program Support Specialist for the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). Prior to joining the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, she provided administrative support to the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center’s, Space & Terrestrial Communications Directorate Headquarters Office.  She also serves in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer with a Civil Engineering Squadron. During her 12-year reserve career she has served one tour overseas supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jennifer completed a BFA in Visual Communication from Indiana University at the Fort Wayne campus.