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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 2/23/10

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

  • Stephen T. Ayers, Architect of the Capitol
  • Eduardo M. Ochoa, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, Department of Education
  • Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
  • Adam Gamoran, Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
  • Bridget Terry Long, Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
  • Margaret R. (Peggy) McLeod, Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to join my administration at this important time for our nation. I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

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

Stephen T. Ayers, Nominee for Architect of the Capitol
Stephen T. Ayers is Deputy Architect of the Capitol and Chief Operating Officer, a position he has held since 2005; he has served as the Acting Architect of the Capitol since February 2007.  He previously served as Superintendent of the Library Buildings and Grounds and Deputy Superintendent for the Senate Office Buildings.  Prior to joining the Architect of the Capitol in 1997, Mr. Ayers was a General Engineer with Voice of America, leading the organization’s construction efforts at several sites in Greece and Germany.  He also served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.   Mr. Ayers is a licensed architect in California, a member of the American Institute of Architects, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and an Accredited Professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. He completed his Master's of Science degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture at the University of Maryland.

Eduardo M. Ochoa, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, Department of Education
Dr. Eduardo M. Ochoa has served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Sonoma State University since 2003.   He is responsible for the University’s academic programs, strategic planning, and overall diversity initiative. He is also involved with the California State University Graduation Initiative. As a member of the CSU Academic Council, Dr. Ochoa contributes to CSU’s academic administration and plays a significant role in system-wide strategic planning and academic technology initiatives.   Prior to his position at Sonoma, he served for six years as Dean of the College of Business Administration at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and for thirteen years as Professor of Economics at California State University-Los Angeles.  Dr. Ochoa is a graduate of Reed College (B.A., Physics, Philosophy), Columbia University (M.S., Nuclear Engineering), and the New School for Social Research (Ph.D., Economics).

Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Nominee for Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
Deborah Loewenberg Ball is currently Dean of the School of Education and William H. Payne Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan. She conducts research on mathematics instruction and on professional education to improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Michigan, she was on the faculty at the College of Education at Michigan State University from 1988-1996, and an elementary classroom teacher in East Lansing, Michigan from 1976–1988. Dr. Ball has authored or co-authored over 150 publications and has lectured and made numerous major presentations around the world. Her research has been recognized with several awards and honors, and she has served on several national and international commissions and panels focused on policy initiatives and the improvement of education. She serves on the Board of the Spencer Foundation, is a trustee of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, California, and was elected to membership in the National Academy of Education in 2007. Dr. Ball holds a B.A. in French and education from Michigan State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in education, with specializations in teacher education, education policy, and mathematics education, also from Michigan State University.

Adam Gamoran, Nominee for Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
Adam Gamoran is the John D. MacArthur Professor of Sociology and Educational Policy Studies and Director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He has been on the University faculty since 1984.  From 2001-2004, he served as chair of the department of sociology, and from 2008-2009 he served as interim dean of the School of Education.  Dr. Gamoran is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and has served on several committees of the National Research Council, including the Board on Science Education.  He also chairs the Independent Advisory Panel of the National Assessment of Career and Technical Education for the U.S. Department of Education.  Dr. Gamoran received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago.

Bridget Terry Long, Nominee for Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
Bridget Terry Long is currently a Professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.  Dr. Long is also a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and a Research Affiliate of the National Center for Postsecondary Research (NCPR). As an economist specializing in the study of education, Dr. Long examines the transition from high school to higher education and beyond.  Her work focuses on college access and choice, factors that influence student outcomes, and the behavior of postsecondary institutions.  Dr. Long received the National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship and has been awarded numerous research grants and awards, including the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award for excellence in research and published works on student financial assistance.  Dr. Long received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the Harvard University Department of Economics and her A.B. from Princeton University.

Margaret R. (Peggy) McLeod, Nominee for Member, National Board for Education Sciences, Department of Education
Dr. Margaret R. (Peggy) McLeod is currently Executive Director of Student Services and Special Education in the Alexandria City Public Schools.  She has also worked as a consultant to national advocacy and professional organizations, universities, states, and school districts. She served as Assistant Superintendent for Special Education in the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education. In D.C., she has also served as State Title III Director, Director of the Office of Bilingual Education, Title VII Coordinator, Bilingual Program Developer, and ESL teacher. From 2002 - 2003, she served as Deputy Director of the National Organization for Bilingual Education. She worked at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services from 1995 - 2001. In her native Puerto Rico, she taught in two Montessori schools and owned a center that provided after school services to students with disabilities.  Dr. McLeod holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Puerto Rico, an M.A. in Special Education from New York University, and an Ed.D. in Bilingual Special Education Leadership from the George Washington University.