Press Release - Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate four individuals and appoint sixteen individuals to serve in his Administration:

The President intends to nominate Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, of New Jersey, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Benin. Ms. Brown, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, currently serves as Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in Pretoria, South Africa. Prior to this, she served as Consul General and United States Deputy Permanent Observer to the Council of Europe at the Consulate General of the United States of America in Strasbourg, France. Earlier in her career, she served as a Foreign Service Officer at Embassies in Cote d' Ivoire, France, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. She also served at the Department of State in the Bureaus of Economic and Business Affairs, African Affairs, and European and Canadian Affairs. Ms. Brown received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Howard University.

The President intends to nominate Peter R. Coneway, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Switzerland, and to concurrently serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Principality of Liechtenstein. Mr. Coneway currently serves as Advisory Director for Goldman Sachs and Company, where he has worked for over 35 years. Formerly, he served as Chairman of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors. Earlier in his career, he also served as the Vice Chairman of the Governor's Business Council. Mr. Coneway received his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his master's degree from Stanford University.

The President intends to nominate Christina B. Rocca, of Virginia, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as United States Representative to the Conference on Disarmament. Ms. Rocca currently serves as Senior Advisor for Policy Planning at the Department of State. Prior to this, Ms. Rocca served as Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. Previously in her career, she served as a Professional Staff Member and Foreign Policy Advisor to Senator Sam Brownback. Ms. Rocca also was a Staff Operations Officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, where she worked for 15 years. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of London.

The President intends to nominate William H. Tobey, of Connecticut, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation in the National Nuclear Security Administration at the Department of Energy. Mr. Tobey currently serves as Director of Counterproliferation Strategy for the National Security Council. Prior to this, he worked for several investment banking firms. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of Defense Policy and Arms Control for the National Security Council. Mr. Tobey received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and his master's degree from Harvard University.

The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee:

Arthur E. Johnson, of Virginia

Walter B. McCormick, Jr., of Missouri

The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Commission on Presidential Scholars:

Robert A. Gleason, Jr., of Pennsylvania

Richard R. Kilgust, of Texas

J. Bryan Pickens, of Texas

Linda O. Shaw, of North Carolina

Harvey W. Schiller, of New York

The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad:

Linda Leuchter Addison, of Texas, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring February 27, 2007

Ronald H. Bloom, of California, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring February 27, 2007

David A. Burke, of Connecticut, for the remainder of a thee-year term expiring February 27, 2007

Mordechai E. Gobioff, of New Jersey, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring February 27, 2007

Andrew M. Klein, of Maryland, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring February 27, 2007

Elizabeth May Stern, of New York, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring February 27, 2007

Robert Zarnegin, of California, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring February 27, 2007

Martin Berson Gold, of the District of Columbia (Recommended by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate), for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 13, 2008

Harley Lippman, of New York (Recommended by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate), for the remainder of a three-year term expiring August 9, 2007