President Biden Announces Key Nominees

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve in key roles:

• Erik K. Raven, Nominee for Under Secretary of the Navy, Department of Defense
• Kristyn E. Jones, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Department of Defense
• Ventris C. Gibson, Nominee for Director of the Mint, Department of the Treasury

Erik K. Raven, Nominee for Under Secretary of the Navy, Department of Defense

Erik K. Raven is the Majority Clerk of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, where he oversees more than $700 billion of annual spending by the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. Prior to joining the Appropriations Committee in 2007, he served as national security adviser and legislative director to Senator Robert C. Byrd, fellow to Senator Ted Kennedy, in several positions for Senator Dianne Feinstein, and as an English teacher in China. Raven holds Associate of Arts degrees from the College of Marin, a Bachelor of Arts with honors and distinction in International Relations from Connecticut College, and a Master of Science with merit in International History from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He resides with his family in Washington, D.C.

Kristyn E. Jones, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Department of Defense

Kristyn E. Jones is a Managing Director in KPMG’s Federal Advisory practice, where she supports the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal agencies on financial management, business management, and technology projects. Prior to her current role, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Information Management. Previously, Jones held a variety of positions in DoD and in industry. From June 2007 to 2008, Jones was Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) for Cost Management Transformation. Prior to this role, Jones was the Director of Enterprise Transition Planning at the DoD Business Transformation Agency (BTA) and served as a Financial Manager at the Office of Naval Research.

Earlier in her career, Jones held management positions at two Fortune 500 companies, Capital One and Advanced Micro Devices. Jones also served as a Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army, where she held a variety of leadership positions. She is a Certified Defense Financial Manager, Project Management Professional, and Certified Technology Business Management Executive. Jones has received numerous government and industry awards, including the Government Technology Research Alliance (GTRA) Women in Technology Award and was a recipient of a “Fed 100” award. She earned a Master’s in Business Administration from George Mason University and is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.  

Ventris C. Gibson, Nominee for Director of the Mint, Department of the Treasury

Ventris C. Gibson is the Deputy Director of the United States Mint and is also serving as the Acting Director. If confirmed, she will be the first African-American to lead the U.S. Mint. A U.S. Navy veteran with decades of senior leadership experience in the federal government, Gibson joined the Mint from District of Columbia government, where she served as the Director of Human Resources. In this role, Gibson provided executive oversight and execution of human capital programs and services for nearly 37,000 employees. Prior to that, Gibson served as an Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She was responsible for the development, articulation, and delivery of Department-wide human resources policies, plans, and programs affecting nearly 92,000 employees. Gibson’s career with the federal government includes significant leadership roles in the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Gibson is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations including the VA’s Exceptional and Meritorious Service Awards, FAA Manager Association’s Leadership Award, National Hispanic Coalition’s President’s Award, and the Northern New Jersey Metropolitan Area’s prestigious “Woman of the Year” award. Gibson has three children, four grandchildren, and two golden retrievers.