Labor-Friendly Choices Continue
The Obama Administration is picking
Deborah Hersman to lead the National Transportation Safety Board...
a move (like the choice of Babbitt for the FAA Admin) that is
expected to gain great favor with organized labor, especially with
the additional announcement renominating former airline union
executive Harry Hoglander to a new term on the National Mediation
Board.
Both choices are still subject to Senate confirmation, but are
also seen as being heavily engineered to win favor from organized
labor -- which concerns a number of industry observers.
Deborah A. P. Hersman was sworn in as the 35th Member of the
National Transportation Safety Board on June 21, 2004.
Since her appointment to the Board, Member Hersman has been the
member on scene at a number of aviation accidents:
- September, 2008 - crash of a Maryland State Police EMS
helicopter in Forestville, Maryland;
- August, 2007 - crash of a chartered floatplane in Ketchikan,
Alaska;
- October, 2006 - crash of a private aircraft into an apartment
building in New York City;
- August, 2006 - crash of a commercial aircraft in Lexington,
Kentucky;
- February, 2005 - crash of a chartered aircraft into an airport
warehouse at Teterboro, NJ;
In October, 2004, Member Hersman participated in the on-scene
investigation of the crash of an aircraft in Jefferson City,
Missouri. Member Hersman has chaired a number of public events
hosted by the Board. In July, 2006, she chaired a two-day public
hearing investigating the February, 2006 fire on board UPS Airlines
flight 1307. She also chaired a three-day public hearing in June,
2005, on the Jefferson City crash.
Before joining the NTSB, Member Hersman was a Senior
Professional Staff Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science and Transportation from 1999 to 2004 where she was
responsible for the legislative agenda and policy initiatives
affecting surface transportation issues, including economic and
safety regulation of railroads, trucks, buses, pipelines, and
hazardous materials transportation. Prior to that appointment, she
served as Staff Director and Senior Legislative Aide to Congressman
Bob Wise of West Virginia from 1992 to 1999.
Member Hersman earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political
Science and International Studies from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg,
Virginia, in 1992, and a Master of Science degree in Conflict
Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in Fairfax,
Virginia, in 1999. She is married and is the mother of three
sons.