President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts 09/24/09

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

President Obama said, "I am honored that these talented individuals have chosen to serve their country at this important moment in our history. They will be valued voices in my administration, and I look forward to working them in the coming months and years."

Robert R. King, Nominee for Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, with the rank of Ambassador, Department of State
Bob King has worked on Capitol Hill for the last 25 years, and for 24 of those years he was Chief of Staff to Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA).  He was concurrently Staff Director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives (2007-2008), Democratic Staff Director of the Committee (2001-2007) and held various professional staff positions on the Committee since 1993.  After Congressman Lantos’ death, Mr. King continued as Committee staff director for Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-CA) for one year.  As Staff Director of the Committee, Mr. King supervised committee staff on all aspects of its legislative, oversight and investigative work.  Mr. King was heavily involved in the planning and conduct of Congressman Lantos’ human rights agenda, including the establishment and supervision of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, which recently became the Tom Lantos Congressional Human Rights Commission.   Prior to his service on Capitol Hill, Mr. King served on the National Security Council Staff as a White House Fellow during the Carter Administration.  He was Assistant Director of Research and Analysis at Radio Free Europe in Munich, Germany.  Mr. King has also taught courses in U.S. foreign policy and international relations at the University of Southern California German Study Program, Brigham Young University Study Abroad, American University in Washington, D.C., New England College, and other institutions.  He is author of five books and some 40 articles on international relations issues.  He earned a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a B.A. from Brigham Young University.  Among his honors and recognitions, he received the Knight’s Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.  He is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Carolyn W. Colvin, Nominee for Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, Social Security Administration
Carolyn W. Colvin is Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation.  Prior to this position, she was the CEO of AMERIGROUP Community Care, a company dedicated to caring for the financially vulnerable, seniors and people with disabilities through publicly-funded programs.  Colvin served as the Director of Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services for over three years and as Cabinet Director of the Department of Human Services for the District of Columbia for over two years.   She also brings over six and a half years experience working for the Social Security Administration, serving as the Deputy Commissioner for Operations and the Deputy Commissioner for Programs and Policy.  In those roles, she provided executive leadership and directed the work of nearly 50,000 employees and the policy and programs of Social Security.  She currently is a member of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the Arundel Community Development Services, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Marisa Lago, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Markets and Development, Department of the Treasury
Marisa Lago was most recently the Chief Executive Officer and President of Empire State Development (through June 2009), and has had a distinguished career in international securities regulation, federal and municipal government, international financial services, and law.  As the head of New York's chief economic development agency,  She pushed forward important long-term development projects including the revitalization of Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo, the expansion and renovation of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, and the construction of Brooklyn Bridge Park.  Immediately before joining New York State government, Lago spent five years as the Global Head of Compliance for Citigroup's corporate and investment bank.  Before joining Citigroup, Lago headed the Office of International Affairs for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  As the head of the office responsible for all aspects of the SEC's international activities, Lago played a key role in numerous international initiatives involving trade in financial services, international accounting standards, securities activities on the internet and enhancing financial regulation in off- shore financial centers.  In addition to her financial services experience, Lago has served in senior economic development positions in two major cities.  As Boston's Chief Economic Development Officer from 1994 to 1997, she headed the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and was also responsible for the city's public housing, affordable housing, neighborhood development and job training agencies.  From 1990 to 1994, she was General Counsel for New York City's Economic Development Corporation.  In the mid-1980's, Lago worked for the Chairman of the New York City Planning Commission.  She began her legal career as a clerk to Judge Hugh. H. Bownes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.  Lago earned a J.D. cum laude in 1982 from Harvard Law School, and a B.S. in physics from Cooper Union in 1977.