Press Release - President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

•     David Benton – Member, Arctic Research Commission

•     Phyliss J. Anderson – Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

•     Mandy Broaddus – Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

•     Dahkota Kicking Bear Brown – Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

•     Joely Proudfit – Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

•     Robert O. Carr – Member, National Infrastructure Advisory Council

•     Keith T. Parker – Member, National Infrastructure Advisory Council

President Obama said, "I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to serve our country. They bring their years of experience and expertise to this Administration, and I look forward to working with them."

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts: 

David Benton, Appointee for Member, Arctic Research Commission

David Benton is a marine resource consultant. From 2004 to 2010, he served as Executive Director of the Marine Conservation Alliance. From 2000 to 2003, he served as the Chair of the North Pacific Management Council. He has held a number of positions in the State of Alaska government from 1987 to 2000, including Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game from 1994 to 2000. Mr. Benton was appointed to be a United States Commissioner on the U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Commission in 1995 and also serves on the North Pacific Research Board. Mr. Benton volunteers as President of the Alaska Lighthouse Association and is involved in restoring Point Retreat Lighthouse on Admiralty Island. Mr. Benton received a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Phyliss J. Anderson, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

Phyliss J. Anderson is Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tribal Government, a position she has held since 2011. Previously, she was Tribal Council Representative for the Red Water Community from 2003 to 2011 and Director of the Tribe's Department of Natural Resources from 1984 to 2003. Ms. Anderson chairs the boards of the Choctaw Resort Development Enterprise, Chahta Enterprises, the Choctaw Residential Center Enterprise, and the Choctaw Shopping Center Enterprise. She is a member of the boards of United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc., the National Congress of American Indians, Choctaw Missions, and the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Advisory Board. Ms. Anderson received an A.A. from East Central Community College.

Mandy Broaddus, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

Mandy Broaddus serves as Director of Indian Education at the Montana Office of Public Instruction, a position she has held since 2009. She held other roles at the Montana Office of Public Instruction, including School Transformation Director from 2011 to 2013 and Indian Education Specialist from 2005 to 2009. From 2002 to 2005, Ms. Broaddus worked as a Principal and Dean of Students in Frazer, Montana. She taught at Fort Peck Community College in 1999, 2001, and 2005. Ms. Broaddus also served as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Montana from 2001 to 2002, the University of Colorado from 2000 to 2001, and the University of California, Los Angeles in 1999. Ms. Broaddus received a B.A. from Pepperdine University and an M.F.A. from the University of Montana.

Dahkota Kicking Bear Brown, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

Dahkota Kicking Bear Brown is co-founder of Native Education Raising Dedicated Students (NERDS), an organization of peer to peer youth study groups founded in 2012. After co-founding NERDS, he was named a Champion for Change at the age of 14 in 2013 by the Center for Native American Youth. He is also a Member of the White House Steering Committee for Generation Indigenous, the Center for Native American Youth's Executive Board, and the National Congress of American Indians National Native Youth Cabinet.

Dr. Joely Proudfit, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education

Dr. Joely Proudfit is an Associate Professor in the Department of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos, a position she has held since 2008. She has been Director of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center since 2009 and Department Chair of American Indian Studies since 2015. From 2004 to 2008, Dr. Proudfit was an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Director of the Tribal Government, Management, and Leadership MPA Program at California State University, Santa Barbara. From 2003 to 2005, she was a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of San Diego and from 1996 to 2004, she was an Associate Professor in the Department of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State University (SFSU). From 1999 to 2000, Dr. Proudfit was Interim Chair of the Department of American Indian Studies at SFSU and from 1998 to 2002, she was Director of American Indian Studies Community Service Learning. She began her career as a Lecturer in the Department of American Indian Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Proudfit received a B.A. from California State University, Long Beach and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Northern Arizona University.

Robert O. Carr, Appointee for Member, National Infrastructure Advisory Council

Robert O. Carr is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Heartland Payment Systems, Inc., a position he has held since 2000. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer of HPS, LLC from 1997 to 2000. Prior to that, Mr. Carr was a software consultant and founded Credit Card Software Systems, Inc. in 1987. He began his career at the Bank of Illinois and as a professor at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. Mr. Carr received a B.S. and an M.S. from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Keith T. Parker, Appointee for Member, National Infrastructure Advisory Council

Keith T. Parker is General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, a position he has held since 2012. Mr. Parker was President and CEO of VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas, from 2009 to 2012. Prior to that, Mr. Parker was CEO of Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) from 2007 to 2009, Assistant City Manager for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina from 2004 to 2007, and Chief Operating Officer of CATS from 2000 to 2004. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles with the Clark County Transit Authority in Vancouver, Washington and the Greater Richmond Transit Company in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Parker received a B.A. and an M.U.R.P. from Virginia Commonwealth University and an M.B.A. from the University of Richmond.