| Joan W. Bauerlein,
FAA's director of Aviation Research and Development,
took this position in 2003 – a time
of budget and personnel cuts - and revitalized this
essential aviation safety organization. Using its Program
Assessment Rating Tool (PART), the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) gave FAA's R&D program a score of 92.5,
one of the highest scores OMB has given and the highest
for any Department of Transportation entity. In nominating
her for the award, Dr. Theresa L. Kraus said that Bauerlein
"has not only undertaken performance-based budgeting
and developed a portfolio assessment process that relies
on customer input, she has also instilled a new passion
in her workforce - a passion to work smarter, better,
and more efficiently." |
| |
| Under her vision and leadership, FAA is making major strides to improve aviation safety. In 2004, FAA's research program developed a low-cost fuel tank inerting system to prevent fuel tank explosions (as happened with TWA 800). Because of this fire research program, FAA believes it will increase the fire resistance of aircraft interiors by a factor of 10 by 2007. |
| |
| While at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Bauerlein created the new car assessment program to provide information to the public regarding the crashworthiness of various automobile makes and models. Because of her commitment to diversity, she has received multiple EEO awards; she also received the President's Meritorious Award for members of the Senior Executive Service (SES).
|
| |
| Former FAA administrator Allan McArtor (who now serves as chairman of Airbus) chose Ms. Bauerlein to head FAA's new Office of Government and Industry Affairs. He credits her broad understanding of aviation and how it relates to other modes of transportation and her diplomatic skills with enabling her to work so well with Congress and the aviation community. He adds, "She had a unique ability to understand the views being expressed by other groups, to find a consensus, and then to facilitate an acceptable agency response or action.
|
| |
| Ms. Bauerlein's international experience has paid many dividends. Under her guidance, international collaboration in human factors research has led to development of a new technique to analyze aviation incidents and runway incursions. Several countries now use this technique to increase their understanding of aircraft incidents and determine appropriate mitigation programs. In November 2001, while on loan to the InterAmerican Development Bank, she obtained $25 million for programs to strengthen aviation safety and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
|
| |
| Ms. Bauerlein sets an example for public servants to give back to their community. She has led a group of employees to work at a local soup kitchen and worked with her staff to send care packages to U.S. soldiers in Iraq. She volunteers as a teacher of English as a second language and recently went back to college to earn a certificate in teaching in this important field. She has also served two terms on the Washington DC Aero Club Board and now serves on the Board's Education Foundation.
|
| |
| Theresa L. Kraus, a research and development coordinator for FAA, nominated Ms. Bauerlein
|
| |
| Annabelle T. Lockhart, Director of the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) Civil Rights Center, directs an external civil rights compliance and enforcement system that is designed to ensure nondiscrimination and equal opportunity by state and local governments and thousands of other entities that receive financial assistance from DOL
|
| |
| She believes in compliance through cooperation. Ms. Lockhart created the federal government's first National Annual Conference for Equal Opportunity Professionals, which is now in its 17th year and attracts more than 350 people from all states and U.S. territories. This program is unique to the federal government and has been recognized by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission as a model to educate recipients of federal financial assistance about their nondiscrimination and equal opportunity responsibilities.
|
| |
| Ms. Lockhart developed a strategic plan that called for a comprehensive compliance assistance program, which envisions integrating technology into means and strategies that provide online training, training videos to view and download, tools and aides, satellite broadcasts, and custom-designed training on the full range of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity areas. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) instrument that DOL developed under her leadership has contributed to the decline in complaints and is one of the reasons that DOJ is considering using this approach with other federal agencies. The voluntary compliance approach was an important component in persuading Congress to retain broad nondiscrimination provisions in the Workforce Investment Act.
|
| |
| In 2003, the Secretary of Labor charged Ms. Lockhart with implementing the DOL policy to prevent harassing conduct in the workplace. She developed a system for reporting, investigating, and responding to harassing conduct by ensuring coordination with several DOL sub-agencies and groups. In 2005, the EEOC recognized this program as one of two that can serve as a model for the federal government. Former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman noted that Ms. Lockhart is "batting a thousand" in all of the areas for which the NPSA recognizes individual achievement. She added that, "Her input and impact on the Glass Ceiling Commission and [Ms. Herman's] Diversity Task Force review were the underpinning for DOL's position as a model employer and for the manner in which equal opportunity is integrated into the management fabric of the Department at all levels."
|
| |
| Ms. Lockhart led the effort to introduce mediation in the Department's EEO complaint process, which required extensive coalition building with management and the employee unions - all of whom needed to perceive the process as neutral. She established a pilot program in the national office, and after two-and-a-half years it was implemented throughout the Department, with the support of management and unions.
|
| |
| Ms. Lockhart also volunteers at the Community of Hope, which assists homeless families with housing; provides health care for the un- or under-insured; and offers after-school programs. Noting that she has served on the group's board for more than 10 years (and currently chairs it), Executive Director Kelly McShane said that Ms. Lockhart's support for Community of Hope has helped the organization greatly increase its funding and program offerings, including development of a 10-unit building to house low-income individuals and families, which will open this year. Ms. Lockhart has also served for over 20 years as a member of the Board of Trustees of Family and Child Services of D.C., Inc., a community service organization that serves youth and the elderly through family oriented programs. She currently serves as President of that Board. Ms. Lockhart has received many awards, including the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service.
|
| |
| Patrick Pizzella, assistant secretary for administration and management at DOL, nominated Ms. Lockhart.
|
| |
| L. Ralph Mecham, director of the Administrative Office (AO) of the U.S. Courts, has stressed enhancing support to the Judicial Conference of the United States, the federal judiciary's policy-making entity; providing high-quality services to judges and the courts; focusing on excellence and achievement in judiciary programs; and building relationships both within and outside the judiciary. He focused on improving compensation and benefits for judges and staff. He created an extensive system of advisory groups to promote court input on policy and program decisions.
|
| |
| While many senior managers
hold onto control (especially budget resources), Mr.
Mecham established, in 1986, the "3-D" campaign to decentralize,
delegate, and divest agency functions and activities
that could be eliminated or reassigned. This administrative
innovation resulted in a major shift in administrative
authority from the AO to the courts themselves for managing
funds and personnel. Decentralization reflected the
trust Mr. Mecham has that senior court managers are
in the best position to address their needs and priorities.
The courts can spend allotted funds as they see fit
for staffing, technology and other purposes, but funds
are provided to the courts under an equitable formula
system. Because much of the judiciary's budget is expended
for salaries, one of Director Mecham's main administrative
reforms was developing scientifically-derived staffing
formulas. They are based on functions and work requirements
of court offices and are updated periodically to ensure
staffing formulas reflect current work. Corresponding
formulas address other spending areas. |
| |
| Decentralization required better financial tools for the courts and enhanced oversight by the AO. Under Mr. Mecham's leadership, the judiciary developed the Financial Accounting System for Tomorrow (FAST) and a robust system of internal controls and audits to meet this need. A 2004 KPMG independent assessment of budget decentralization found that it has also promoted cost efficiencies. The program has saved the judiciary about $1.75 billion since 1994.
|
| |
| Realizing the potential of new technologies, Mr. Mecham revolutionized court administrative operations by implementing numerous systems, most recently the electronic case filing and management systems. Under his leadership, the AO improved service to the public and saved taxpayer dollars by developing Public Access to Court Records (PACER). It provides electronic access to case-related records and has 552,000 subscribers. The electronic case filing and management systems already have saved the Judiciary many millions of dollars each year, and these major savings will be multiplied many times over in future years.
|
| |
| Mr. Mecham is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and was president of ASPA's Utah chapter in 1967. He has been a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association from 1985-present. He was president of the Washington, DC Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for six years, and is a former president of the American Heart Association of Utah and the Salt Lake County Cancer Society
|
| |
| Among the many awards Mr. Mecham has received are the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Utah's College of Social and Behavioral Science and the Citation for Visionary Commitment and Extraordinary Service, from the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administrative Office. In 1992, Mr. Mecham was honored by Brigham Young University as its "Outstanding Public Administrator of the Year." In addition, the entire June 1995 edition of the American University Law Review was dedicated to Mr. Mecham's achievements in judicial administration.
|
| |
| Clarence A. (Pete) Lee, Jr. of the AO nominated Mr. Mecham.
|
| |
| Jane G. Pisano, Ph.D., president and director of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, has transformed the institution in her four years of leadership. When she arrived, the museum had a traditional curatorial perspective, one that focused on collection and static display of world-class objects. Dr. Pisano involved the community and reached beyond traditional museum parameters; the museum now produces dynamic exhibits that connect directly with major public-policy channels, such as ecological sustainability. Her leadership is restoring formerly failing finances and overseeing facility renovation.
|
| |
| Dr. Pisano's career has been in the public and university sectors, and in either one she has wrestled with complex issues related to governance and social programs often in Los Angeles, but also at the national level. Positions with the University of Southern California included senior vice president for external relations and dean of the School of Public Administration. She was president of the Los Angeles 2000 Committee, whose report was considered a strategic plan for the complex city. Shortly after receiving her Ph.D. Dr. Pisano spent a year as a special assistant for national security affairs at the National Security Council.
|
| |
| In endorsing her nomination, ICMA Executive Director Robert O'Neill noted "that less well known is the work that Jane led to connect USC with the communities of color that surround the campus. Her personal commitment of time and energy has changed forever the role USC plays in the many neighborhoods that surround the university."
|
| |
| Dr. Pisano's civic involvements include serving as president of the Board of Trustees of the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which distributes up to $3 million in grants and scholarships to various institutions to encourage study and research into the underlying causes of social problems in Los Angeles and to recommend ways to address them. She has also served as chair of the Board of Directors (and remains on the board) of the California Community Foundation, and is a member of the California Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force. Dr. Pisano is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and chaired its Board of Directors. She will soon assume the presidency of the Los Angeles ASPA chapter.
|
| |
| Past awards have included a Doctor of Humane Letters from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion and Doctor of Humane Letters from Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Pisano is an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations and was selected as a White House Fellow.
|
| |
| Chester A. Newland, USC's Duggan Distinguished Professor, nominated Dr. Pisano.
|
| |
| Howard A. Young, Ph.D., principal investigator in the Laboratory of Experimental Immunology of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is currently investigating new methods to combine cytokine treatment with use of chemotherapeutic drugs in the preclinical development of possible new protocols to treat cancer. Cytokines are "co-stimulatory molecules" that can modulate the immune response of natural killer cells - in lay person's terms, his research will help our bodies fight off invading cells related to illness. He has also been involved in collaborative projects with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, which led to important findings on the mechanisms involved in the host response to Ebola virus infection and anthrax toxin. His many other scientific accomplishments are reflected in more than 240 peer-reviewed papers.
|
| |
| While Dr. Young's scientific achievements may lead to new approaches for the treatment of difficult diseases, his work, as Robin Winkler-Pickett of NCI puts it, also reflects his "firm belief that it is vital to the future of science to embrace, encourage, and cajole a younger generation to become scientists by making available 'real world' scientific experiences." Dr. Young was instrumental in developing the prestigious Werner Kirsten Student Intern Program, which brings high school seniors into NCI's laboratories for a year and pairs them with a scientific mentor. In addition to being the scientific advisor to the program for many years, he has personally been a mentor to student interns.
|
| |
| Dr. Young developed a summer student seminar series that brings 50-100 students together once a week to hear seminars on current scientific topics. The format includes pizza and gives the students a comfortable environment in which they can interact with guest speakers. One of the topics that Dr. Young personally presents to students is the ethics of performing scientific research. Most recently, he has developed an on-line scientific ethics course for students that will be made accessible to all the NIH institutes.
As a mentor and member of the evaluation board of the NCI Introduction to Cancer Research Career Program, Dr. Young has also helped expose minority students to biomedical research. He has helped select and place the disadvantage minority students in this program, and is sponsoring a student in his laboratory.
|
| |
| Dr. Young also brings humor to his work with young people. In speaking to student groups, he often presents "The Top 12 Rules to Remember for Working in a Laboratory." Three of them are: take your work seriously, but not yourself seriously; only work with people who like chocolate; and you can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a rack of centrifuge tubes.
|
| |
| Dr. Young is a two-time recipient of the National Institute of Health's Merit Award. He is an elected fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology, past-president of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research and was the first recipient from the National Cancer Institute of the NIH Directors' Award for Mentoring.
|
| |
| Robert H. Wiltrout, Ph.D., director of the Center for Cancer Research at NCI, nominated Dr. Young.
|
| |
| KEEPER OF THE FLAME
|
| |
| Thomas S. McFee, former assistant secretary for personnel at the Department of Health and Human Services (which was the only federal entity to have this position), oversaw the human resources needs of this far reaching department for seven Cabinet secretaries. When he retired from the department in the mid-1990s, it was inevitable that he would remain active in his profession and community. The only question was, how?
|
| |
| At the National Academy of Public Administration, McFee has been an active member of the Academy's Human Resources Management (HRM) Consortium, which undertakes projects that assist public-sector organizations in improving their performance and mission accomplishment through effective use of their human capital. He became chair of the Human Resources Management Panel in 2003 and oversaw the development of the 21st Century Manager Series.
|
| |
| In 2003/4, he led the effort by the Academy to provide practical information and guidance for agencies planning to implement performance-based pay and more flexible classification systems. This led to the report Recommending Performance-Based Federal Pay. His credibility in all of these areas contributed greatly to agencies adopting improved and modernized human capital management policies and systems.
|
| |
| A number of McFee's colleagues (most Academy Fellows) honored his service in 2005 by sponsoring him as an "Academy Luminary." This places his name with other illustrious Fellows on the Wall of Luminaries near the Academy entrance.
|
| |
| McFee has served on the Selection Committee for the National Public Service Awards for more than a decade and chaired the committee in 2005. His work with the committee brought much more than continuity; his perspective on the complexities of the federal work environment often helped 'interpret' a nomination for non-federal committee members.
|
| |
| In retirement, Mr. McFee has continued to not only interact with but advise senior government officials. As former Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James said, "I believe that our form of government works well, when the professional career civil servants and the political appointees work together on behalf of the American people. Tom continued to protect the core values of the civil service even after retiring. During the time that I was privileged to serve as the head of the civil service, we experienced a period of dramatic change. Tom continued to give of his wisdom, experience, and judgment during this period of transformation. He certainly is a 'Keeper of the Flame' of our American Civil Service."
|
| |
| In addition to his public service
volunteering, Mr. McFee has continued to remain active
in local community affairs of Zoning, Land Planning
and Education as well as his church. He is one of the
Elders at the Church of Christ in Olney, Maryland. |
| |
| The NPSA Selection Committee nominated Mr. McFee for the Keeper of the Flame Award. |
| |
|
* * * |
| |
|
For additional information on the award, please contact Elaine Orr, NPSA coordinator
(npsa@napawash.org) or Eric Landau, Communications
Associate for the Academy (
elandau@napawash.org) . Both can be reached at 202-347-3190. |
| |
| For general information on the awards, go to www.napawash.org, and click on Awards on the left. Correspondence can be addressed to: |
| |
| National Public Service Awards
c/o National Academy of Public Administration
1100 New York Avenue, Suite 1090E
Washington, DC 20005
|
