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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

  • Bruce A. Heyman – Ambassador to Canada, Department of State
  • Kathryn Thomson – General Counsel, Department of Transportation
  • Kevin Whitaker – Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia, Department of State

President Obama also announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a key Administration post:

  • Jim Powell – Representative of the United States to the Southern States Energy Board

President Obama said, “I am proud that such experienced and committed individuals have agreed to serve the American people in these important roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

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

Bruce A. Heyman, Nominee for Ambassador to Canada, Department of State
Bruce A. Heyman is Managing Director of Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs & Co., a position he has held since 1999.  Mr. Heyman first joined Goldman Sachs & Co. in 1980.  He is the Business Leaders Council Advisor for The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and Fix the Debt Coalition.  Mr. Heyman is a Civic Committee Member for Expo for Chicago and a Chicago Advisory Board Member of Facing History and Ourselves.  He serves on a number of boards, including the Executive Committee for The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute Advisory Council, and Director of the Northwestern Memorial Foundation.  Mr. Heyman received a B.A and an M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

Kathryn Thomson, Nominee for General Counsel, Department of Transportation
Kathryn Thomson has served as the Acting General Counsel at the Department of Transportation since May 2013.  She also serves as the Chief Counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration, a position she has held since January 2012.  Previously, Ms. Thomson served as Counselor to the Secretary of Transportation from 2009 to 2012. She was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP from 1998 to 2009 and an associate from 1990 to 1998.  Ms. Thomson received a B.A. from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Kevin Whitaker, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia, Department of State
Kevin Whitaker, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South America in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State (DOS), a position he has held since 2011.  From 2008 to 2011, he served as the Director of the Office of Andean Affairs in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at DOS.  From 2007 to 2008, he served as the Deputy Executive Secretary in the Office of the Secretary of State, and from 2005 to 2007, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela.  In addition, Mr. Whitaker has previously served in a number of other positions at DOS, including Office Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Cuban Affairs, Deputy Director of the Office of Mexican Affairs, and Desk Officer in the Office of Western European Affairs.  Mr. Whitaker received a B.A. from the University of Virginia.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a key Administration post:

Jim Powell, Appointee for Representative of the United States to the Southern States Energy Board
Jim Powell is the owner and Principal Consultant at Norava Consulting, a position he has held since 2007.  Prior to this, from 1986 to 2007, Mr. Powell served in a variety of roles at the U.S. Department of Energy, including Program Manager; Regional Director for the South East; Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary; Deputy Director; Chief for Finance and Accounting; and Chief for Management Evaluation.  From 1983 to 1986, Mr. Powell held several positions with the U.S. Department of the Navy, including Audit Manager, Senior Management Consultant, Internal Review Officer, and Auditor.  Mr. Powell received a B.A. and M.B.A. from the University of North Florida.