President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

• Huban A. Gowadia – Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection, Department of Homeland Security
• Geoffrey L. Haskett – United States Commissioner, U.S. – Russia Polar Bear Commission
• Gary Frazer – United States Alternate Commissioner, U.S. – Russia Polar Bear Commission 

President Obama also announced his appointment of the following individual to a key Administration post:

• Douglas Frantz –  Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of State 

President Obama said, “These fine public servants both bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles.  Our nation will be well-served by these individuals, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.” 

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

Dr. Huban A. Gowadia, Appointee for Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection, Department of Homeland Security

Dr. Huban A. Gowadia is currently the Acting Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), a role she has held since June 2012.  From 2010 to 2012, she served as the Deputy Director of the DNDO.  Her prior roles within the DNDO include: Assistant Director for Mission Management from 2007 to 2009, and Assistant Director for Assessments from 2005 to 2007.  From 2009-2010, while on detail to the Department of Defense, she was Principal Deputy for Countering Nuclear Threats to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters.  From 2003 to 2005, Dr. Gowadia served as an Engineering Advisor for the Science & Technology Directorate within DHS.  Prior to her work with DHS, Dr. Gowadia was Checkpoint Program Manager with the Transportation Security Administration from 2001 to 2003 and an engineer with the Federal Aviation Administration from 2000 to 2001.  Dr. Gowadia received a B.S. from the University of Alabama and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.

Geoffrey L. Haskett, Appointee for United States Commissioner, U.S. – Russia Polar Bear Commission

Geoffrey L. Haskett is the Regional Director for the Alaska Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a position he has held since 2008.  Previously, Mr. Haskett served as Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System from 2006 to 2008 in Washington, D.C.  He has served as Deputy Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southwest Region, Chief of Realty and Secretary to the Department of the Interior’s Migratory Bird Commission.  He was an Alaskan Supervisory Realty Officer and Deputy for the National Park Service Alaska Lands Program.  In 2003, he received the Secretary of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Honor Award.  Mr. Haskett served as Commissioner on the U.S. – Russia Polar Bear Commission from 2009 to 2013.  Mr. Haskett received a B.A. from San Francisco State University and an M.P.A. from Portland State University.

Gary Frazer, Appointee for United States Alternate Commissioner, U.S. – Russia Polar Bear Commission

Gary Frazer is Assistant Director for Ecological Services at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a position he has held since 2009.   From 2008 to 2009, he was the Assistant Director for Fisheries and Habitat Conservation, and from 2004 to 2007, he served as the liaison to the U.S. Geological Survey.  Mr. Frazer began his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1984 as a field biologist in the Ecological Services field office in Virginia.  He served as United States Alternate Commissioner on the U.S. – Russia Polar Bear Commission from 2010 to 2013.  Mr. Frazer received a B.S. from Iowa State University and an M.S. from Purdue University.

President Obama announced his appointment of the following individual to a key administration post:

Douglas Frantz, Appointee for Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of State

Douglas Frantz served as the National Security Editor for the Washington Post from 2012 to 2013.  He was a Managing Director at Kroll Advisory Solutions from 2011 to 2012.  From 2009 to 2011, he served as Deputy Staff Director and Chief Investigator for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  He was Senior Writer at Conde Nast Portfolio from 2007 to 2009.  From 2003 to 2007, he worked at the LA Times as an investigative reporter before becoming managing editor in charge of news content in 2005.  Mr. Frantz worked at the New York Times as a business reporter, investigative reporter, foreign correspondent, and investigations editor from 1994 to 2003.  He was a business reporter at the LA Times, and then an investigative reporter in the Washington Bureau from 1987 to 1994.  Mr. Frantz was an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune both in Chicago and Washington from 1978 to 1987.  He is the author and co-author of non-fiction books covering topics such as nuclear proliferation, urban planning, and bank fraud.  Mr. Frantz was a Pulitzer Prize finalist twice and was a member of the New York Times team that received the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2002 for coverage of the aftermath of 9/11.  He received a B.A. from DePauw University and an M.A. from Columbia University School of Journalism.