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:

•      Anne M. Harrington, Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy

•      Laurence D. Wohlers, Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Department of State

President Obama said, "I am pleased that such talented and dedicated individuals have chosen to take on these important roles and devote their talents to serving the American people. 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 administration posts:

Anne M. Harrington, Nominee for Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy

Anne M. Harrington currently serves as Director of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Committee on International Security and Arms Control. From 1990-2005, Ms. Harrington served at the U.S. Department of State as an expert on nonproliferation and cooperative threat reduction and was responsible for developing policy and implementing programs aimed at preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missile expertise in Russia and Eurasia. While at the Department of State, Ms. Harrington also launched similar efforts in Iraq and Libya. The positions she held at the Department of State included Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Proliferation Threat Reduction, Senior Coordinator for efforts to redirect former Soviet WMD/missile experts, Senior Advisor to the preparatory committee of the International Science and Technology Center, and Science Analyst at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Ms. Harrington is also a member of the Intelligence Council Associates Network. Ms. Harrington holds an A.B degree from St. Lawrence University, an M.A. from the University of Michigan, and an M.S.S. from the National Defense University National War College.

Laurence D. Wohlers, Nominee for Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Department of State

Laurence D. Wohlers is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service. He is currently serving as Senior Advisor for International Programs at the Smithsonian Institution. Previous assignments include Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union and Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Other overseas assignments include Belgium, Madagascar, Japan, Central African Republic, Mauritania and Benin. Wohlers received an M.S. from the National War College and a B.A from Washington University in St. Louis.