President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

•          Marcela Escobari – Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, United States Agency for International Development
•          Charlotte Power Kessler – Member, National Council on the Arts
•          Esperanza Spalding – Member, National Council on the Arts  

President Obama also announced his appointment of the following individuals to key Administration posts:

•          Tom A. Bernstein – Chairperson, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
•          Allan M. Holt – Vice Chairperson, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

President Obama said, “I am confident that these experienced and hardworking individuals will help us tackle the important challenges facing America, and I am grateful for their service.  I look forward to working with them.”

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

Marcela Escobari, Nominee for Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, United States Agency for International Development

Marcela Escobari is Executive Director of Harvard University’s Center for International Development, a position she has held since 2007.  From 2001 to 2007, Ms. Escobari worked at the OTF Group, an international consulting firm, as a Manager and as a Director.  She began her career at J.P. Morgan as a Financial Analyst from 1996 to 1998.  Ms. Escobari received a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Charlotte Power Kessler, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Arts

Charlotte Power Kessler is an arts and library patron who currently serves as a Trustee of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation Board, a member of the board of Columbia Gas of Ohio, and a Life Trustee of Denison University.  She has been a Member of the National Council on the Arts since 2006. She previously served as the Vice President of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, President of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Board, and President of the Players Theatre.  Ms. Kessler also served on several boards, including the Wexner Center for the Arts Foundation, Ohio Dominican University, the James Madison Council at the Library of Congress, the Columbus School for Girls, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, and the Ohio Arts Council.

Esperanza Spalding, Nominee for Member, National Council on the Arts

Esperanza Spalding is an American composer, singer, and bassist.  Ms. Spalding is the recipient of four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist in 2011, Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2012, and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist in 2012 and 2013.  She was named Best Contemporary Jazz Artist at the Soul Train Music Awards in 2012 and won the Boston Music Award for Jazz Artist of the Year in 2011.  She taught at Berklee College of Music from 2005 to 2008.  Ms. Spalding began her career as a self-taught violinist with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at age 5, departing as Concertmaster ten years later.  She is an active contributor to Free the Slaves, an organization that works to combat human trafficking around the world.  Ms. Spalding received a B.A. from Berklee College of Music. 

President Obama announced his appointment of the following individuals to key Administration posts: 

Tom A. Bernstein, Appointee for Chairperson, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
Tom A. Bernstein is President and Co-Founder of Chelsea Piers, L.P., a company formed in 1992 to develop and operate the Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex along Manhattan’s Hudson River.  He is also Co-Chairman of Chelsea Piers Connecticut, a position he has held since 2012.  Previously, Mr. Bernstein was a principal at Silver Screen Management, Inc. and affiliated Silver Screen companies.  Mr. Bernstein was appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council in 2002 and has served as Chairperson since 2010.  Mr. Bernstein has been a Board Member of Human Rights First, where he now serves as Vice-Chair.  In 2010, Mr. Bernstein was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fund for Cities of Service, an initiative formed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  Mr. Bernstein also serves as Chair of the Partnership for Public Service and is a member of the Yale University Council, the Board of Directors of City Year New York, and the Board and Executive Committee of the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, GA.  Mr. Bernstein received a B.A. from Yale College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Allan M. Holt, Appointee for Vice Chairperson, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Allan M. Holt is a Senior Partner, Managing Director, and Co-Head of the U.S. Buyout group at The Carlyle Group.  Previously, he was Head of Carlyle’s Global Aerospace, Defense, Technology and Business/Government Services team.  From 1987 to 1992, he worked at Avenir Group, Inc.  Prior to this, he was Director of Planning and Budgets at MCI Communications Corporation.  Mr. Holt serves on a number of boards, including The Hillside Foundation, Inc. and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.  He has been a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and its Executive Committee since 2014, and also serves on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Committee on Conscience.  Mr. Holt received a B.A. from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.