Press Release - President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

•      Maria Sally Matiella, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management, Department of Defense

•      Paul L. Oostburg Sanz, General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense

•      Solomon B. Watson IV, General Counsel of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense

•      Kathleen S. Tighe, Inspector General, Department of Education

•      Orlan Johnson, Chair, Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

•      Sharon Y. Bowen, Vice-Chair, Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

President Obama said, "These talented and dedicated individuals will be valued additions to my administration as we work to put our country back on the path to prosperity. I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years."

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals today:

Maria Sally Matiella, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management, Department of Defense

Mary Sally Matiella has 29 years of Federal employment, working in accounting and budget positions with the Army, Air Force, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, and Office of the Secretary of Defense. She most recently served as Assistant Chief Financial Officer for Accounting at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and has previously served as Chief Financial Officer for U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Staff Accountant for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), and Financial Manager for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Over her Federal career, Ms. Matiella has worked on military installations in the United States, Panama, and Germany. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree and M.B.A. from the University of Arizona.

Paul L. Oostburg Sanz, Nominee for General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense

Paul L. Oostburg Sanz is currently the General Counsel of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services where he has advised on the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act; detainee policy; the activities of the Department of Defense to counter the illicit narcotics trade; matters related to the Southern Command, and international legal issues. From 2001-2006, he was the Deputy Chief Counsel for the Democratic Staff of the Committee on International Relations in the House (HIRC) where he focused on foreign and security assistance as well as the Western Hemisphere, in addition to his counsel responsibilities. From 1999-2001, Mr. Oostburg Sanz clerked for the federal district court in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1994, he conducted political party training in South Africa during the first all-inclusive national elections, as a Project Officer for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. From 1991-1993, he served in the Peace Corps in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, teaching English in secondary schools. Mr. Oostburg Sanz holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.P.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University, and a B.S.F.S. from the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University.

Solomon B. Watson IV, Nominee for General Counsel of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense

From 1989 until 2005, Solomon B. Watson IV served as General Counsel of The New York Times Company. As General Counsel, Mr. Watson was responsible for the management of the legal, governance, and compliance functions of the company and its operating units. Mr. Watson joined the legal department of The Times Company in December 1974, and became Corporate Secretary in 1979. Mr. Watson was also a member of the company's management executive committee. Mr. Watson retired from the company as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer in December 2006. Mr. Watson, member of the New York and Massachusetts State Bar Associations, was an Associate in the Boston law firm of Bingham, Dana & Gould before joining The Times Company. Among other professional activities, Mr. Watson was a member of the Advisory Board of the Agent Orange Settlement Fund. Mr. Watson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate degree from Harvard Law School. Mr. Watson served in the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant in Military Police Corps from 1966 to 1968 and was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation medals for service while stationed in Vietnam.

Kathleen S. Tighe, Nominee for Inspector General, Department of Education

Kathleen S. Tighe is currently the Deputy Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She assists the Inspector General in overseeing the office, evaluating priorities, and collaborating with the Department, Congress, and the public. She previously served as Counsel and Assistant Counsel to the Inspector General at the General Services Administration for fourteen years. From 1988 to 1991, Ms. Tighe was a Trial Attorney in the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice Civil Division. She litigated cases under the civil False Claims Act and related statutes. Prior to her government service, Ms. Tighe was in private practice with the law firm Lewis, Mitchell & Moore in Vienna, Virginia where she practiced government and private contract litigation. She earned her B.A. with distinction from Purdue University in 1976, her M.A. in international relations from American University in 1979, and her J.D. with honors from George Washington University in 1983.

Orlan Johnson, Chair, Nominee for Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

Orlan Johnson is a Partner in the Business Department of the Law firm Saul Ewing LLP. His practice focuses on general corporate and securities matters, complex business transactions and federal and state regulatory issues in business and securities transactions including proxy solicitations, bankruptcy, equity and debt offerings. Prior to joining Saul Ewing, Mr. Johnson was Of Counsel at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, LLP where he served as co-head of its regulatory practice in the Washington, DC office. Previously, he served as a Staff Attorney and Branch Chief in the Division of Investment Management for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr. Johnson is an adjunct professor of law at Howard University School of Law where he has taught Securities Regulation classes. Mr. Johnson received his B.A. from Andrews University and his J.D. from Howard University School of Law.

Sharon Y. Bowen, Nominee for Vice-Chair, Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

Sharon Y. Bowen is a corporate partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins LLP. Ms. Bowen has counseled clients and handled transactions in a wide range of industries, including financial services, retail and REITs on both domestic and international matters. She has represented some of the leading investment banks, corporations and private equity firms. Her breadth of experience encompasses many areas such as finance, acquisitions, private equity and corporate governance. Ms. Bowen serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Diversity Committee and Chair of the Diversity Hiring Subcommittee. She serves on the Boards of Northwestern Law School (Chair), the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and PENCIL, and was selected to the DirectWomen Board Institute. She has also served on various city, state and national bar association committees and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Ms. Bowen earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, with distinction, and J.D. and M.B.A. from Northwestern University.