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For Immediate Release
Janet Eissenstat, Director
(202) 395-4522 June 19, 2007
President Bush Appoints 2007-2008 Class Of White House Fellows
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2007 – The White House today announced the appointment of 15 outstanding individuals from across the country to serve as White House Fellows. The
2007-2008 Class of White House Fellows represents a diverse cross-section of professions including medicine, law, finance, media, engineering, education and state government. Additionally, three branches of the military are represented among the Fellows. The list of the 2007-2008 Class and their biographies are included below.
The White House Fellows Program, founded in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, offers exceptional young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government. Fellows participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with leaders from the private and public sectors, and study trips to examine U.S. policy in action. Following the Fellowship year, the Fellows repay the privilege by contributing to the country as better national leaders and public servants.
Selection as a White House Fellow is highly competitive and based on a record of remarkable professional achievement, evidence of leadership skills, a strong commitment to public service, and the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully at the highest levels of the federal government. The program has fostered leaders in many fields, including Former Secretary of State Colin Powell; Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao; Former CNN President Tom Johnson; United Nations Foundation President and Former U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin; Former Supreme Allied Commander for Europe Wesley K. Clark; U.S. Senator Samuel Brownback; and U.S. Representative Joe L. Barton.
Additional information about the program is located at /fellows.
2007-2008 Class of White House Fellows
Jaime Areizaga, 37. Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jaime Areizaga serves as a Global Project Finance Senior Associate attorney with Clifford Chance LLP. In private practice, he structures and negotiates cross-border infrastructure project finance transactions for major US and international companies in Latin America. He also serves as a US Army Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps at the Joint Forces Headquarters of the District of Columbia National Guard, where he is a legal advisor to commanders and soldiers. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he participated in the negotiation and approval of the Emergency Management Assistance Compacts between the District of Columbia and the States of Louisiana and Mississippi. He founded a not-for-profit association to promote baseball as a sport and entertainment for low-income teenagers in São Paulo, Brazil. He has served as an election observer in Nicaragua and Venezuela. He lectures overseas regularly at universities and at the American Chamber of Commerce on developing infrastructure projects, the rule of law and international trade and investment. He received his B.S. with distinction from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and his M.A. in Latin American Studies and J.D. from Stanford University. He is admitted to the practice of law in New York and Washington, DC.
Louis Bremer, 37. Hometown: Bossier City, LA. Louis Bremer serves as a Vice President in Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles. As an investment banker, he advises Boards of Directors and senior executives of Fortune 500 companies on a myriad of strategic and financial decisions and executes complex financial transactions on their behalf. Previously, he was an investment banker at J.P. Morgan in New York, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions in the aerospace, defense and homeland security industries. Prior to launching a career in finance, he served for eight years as an active duty Naval Officer and U.S. Navy SEAL. As a SEAL Platoon Commander, he was handpicked to lead SEAL Team EIGHT’s inaugural winter warfare platoon. While forward deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as the Quick Reaction Force Commander, he strategically planned, executed and led 18 sensitive, multinational operations in direct support of Operation Joint Forge. He is a Co-Founder and Director of the Navy SEAL Warrior Fund and has helped spearhead two fundraising galas that have collectively raised $4.2 million for the families of fallen SEALs. He holds a BS from the United States Air Force Academy and a MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Patrick Conway, 33. Hometown: College Station, TX. Patrick Conway is a pediatrician and health services researcher focused on improving health care quality. He was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and completed a Master’s in Health Services Research at University of Pennsylvania. Previously, he was a management consultant at McKinsey, serving mainly health care clients on strategy projects. He completed his pediatrics residency at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston. He has published multiple articles and given national presentations on topics including pediatric quality of care, adherence to evidence-based medicine, hospitalist systems, and nurse staffing. He is one of two pediatricians on the Society of Hospital Medicine Research Committee helping to guide the nation’s inpatient research agenda. He was a pediatric hospitalist attending at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is now an Assistant Professor in the Center for Health Care Quality and Division of General Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He plans to continue to lead research programs and initiatives that improve the quality of care delivered to our nation’s children. He has done medical volunteer work in multiple countries including Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, and Ghana. He graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University and with High Honors from Baylor College of Medicine.
Bobbi Doorenbos, 37. Hometown: Carroll, IA. Bobbi Doorenbos serves as a Major in the Air National Guard and is amongst the first female F-16 pilots in the U.S. She most recently attended the National Defense Intelligence College where she was a candidate for a Master’s degree in Strategic Intelligence. As an F-16 pilot, she served in Operations IRAQI FREEDOM AND SOUTHERN WATCH, scrambled on September 11, 2001 to provide Presidential protection, and performed combat air patrol over the nation’s capital. As Branch Chief of Deployment Execution she oversaw the training and contingency deployments of the Air National Guard’s 88 flying wings, and supervised components of the Guard’s Crisis Action Team which responded to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. For her contributions to the Global War on Terror, she was nationally recognized by the Federally Employed Women’s organization with their 2006 Meritorious Service Award. Formerly an American Airlines pilot, she is also a small business owner and part-time leadership consultant. She has served her community extensively as a volunteer and board member for the Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support, as a member of the Red Cross’ Disaster Response and Emergency Services teams, and as a mentor and tutor. Doorenbos is a graduate of Iowa State University.
Dawn Dunlop, 40. Hometown: Huntington, NY. Dawn Dunlop serves as a Lieutenant Colonel and test pilot in the United States Air Force with over 3,000 flight hours in 33 aircraft. She currently serves as the commander of the 586th Flight Test Squadron conducting advanced avionics and weapons test for the DoD. In 1993, Dawn was one of the first women selected for a combat aircraft assignment and has flown F-15E missions in Iraq and in military exercises throughout Europe. She was the top graduate from Test Pilot School, the chief pilot for the largest F-15 avionics and weapons upgrade, and the Operations Officer for the F-22 test force during the two years prior to aircraft fielding. She also served as Deputy Chief for Air Operations in Kosovo and Chief of Counter Air Defense Systems at the Pentagon. Throughout her military service, Dawn has been an active organizer and supporter of education and mentorship programs to include the Antelope Valley Air and Space Exploratorium and the Air Force Academy Falcon Heritage Forum. She has been interviewed by Smithsonian Magazine for her historic work with the Wright Flyer and was presented with the General Yeager International Aeronautical Achievement Award in 2006. Dawn is a Guggenheim Fellow who received a M.S. in Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University, is an Academic All-American and Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and holds an M.A. in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University.
John Gallagher, 38. Hometown: San Jose, CA. John Gallagher serves as a Major in the U.S. Army and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point. Originally from San Jose, California, he is an infantry officer and Army strategist who has served with the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and the 1st Armored Division in Germany, including deployments to the Sinai, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kosovo. John is the director of West Point’s national-merit scholarship program and has mentored twenty-two scholarship winners in the past two years of competition. He has taught (and helped create) courses on topics that include the philosophical foundations of Western liberal democracy and political Islam, the challenges of terrorism in the global security environment, post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction, and an interdisciplinary seminar on domestic and international affairs. John is a 1994 graduate of West Point and holds two master's degrees with honors from The University of Chicago, one in Public Policy and one in Political Theory. He is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, president of the West Point Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and was recently selected as a 2007 Young Leader by the American Swiss Foundation.
Stacey Hawkins, 38. Hometown: Bastrop, LA. Stacey Hawkins serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force. Currently serving as a Squadron Commander, he recently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and received the Meritorious Service Medal for leading a multi-service aircraft recovery mission in Al Anbar province. Previously, he served tours with the Air Force Presidential Honor Guard and the Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron—“The Thunderbirds.” A recipient of the Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award, he was the #1 of 3,000 graduates from the Air Force’s Squadron Officer School. While stationed near the Korean demilitarized zone, he was named Pacific Air Forces’ top munitions officer. Hawkins was recently honored nationally as one of the US Jaycees’ “2006 Ten Outstanding Young Americans” for lifetime community service. Married with two children, he holds a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and is an avid musician. He received his BS from the US Air Force Academy and a MA, with distinction, from The George Washington University. Hawkins earned additional graduate degrees from the Air Command and Staff College and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies where his published thesis on fighter aircraft procurement received the Air Armament Museum Foundation Research Award.
Julissa Marenco, 31. Hometown: North Bergen, NJ. Julissa Marenco serves as the General Manager of Telemundo WZDC-25 in Washington DC, where she manages the station’s day-to-day operations, 25 employees and an annual multi-million dollar budget. Marenco has successfully positioned WZDC as the premier Spanish-language station in the Washington DC market by growing the station’s news products, programming, events and revenue base. Under Marenco’s leadership, the station has expanded its community outreach via grassroots initiatives such as La Buena Vida, an overall wellness campaign designed to encourage viewers to live a healthier lifestyle. In 2006, Marenco was awarded the ZGS Communications Leadership Award, “Ziggy” for outstanding leadership, vision and the pursuit of excellence. Marenco has served on several boards of local community organizations, including the YWCA-National Capital Area Chapter, The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the George Mason University Diversity Advisory Board. In 2001, Marenco was selected as the youngest visiting professor for Howard University’s Media Sales Institute, where she mentors young graduates entering the broadcast industry and future industry leaders. Marenco graduated from Rowan University with a B.A. in Communications Radio/Television/Film and a minor in Spanish. Marenco is a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington and a fellow of the National Association of Broadcasters Educational Fund.
Travis Matheson, 36. Hometown: Olympia, WA. Travis Matheson serves as a Lieutenant in the Washington State Patrol (WSP). He is the commander of the Homeland Security Section, responsible for coordinating all homeland security related initiatives, including $33 million in federal grants. Previously, he was an assistant division commander of the Vessel and Terminal Security Division. As a sergeant, Travis was the statewide Bomb Squad coordinator, responsible for creating, managing, and leading one of the largest contingents of explosive detection canines in the United States. As a trooper, he was named the Norma Thompson Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He received several awards of commendation for DUI and drug enforcement, and for apprehending an armed bank robbery suspect who had shot another officer. He serves as the President of the WSP Memorial Foundation and is the statewide coordinator of the WSP Combined Fund Drive. He received a Defender of Freedom certificate from the Washington State Army National Guard for coordinating work groups and fund drives for deployed military personnel. He is a mid-career, cum laude graduate of the University of Washington with a B.A. in Business Administration and an Executive M.B.A. degree. Travis has completed 26 triathlons, and is training for the 2007 Ironman Canada.
Anne Neuberger, 31. Hometown: Brooklyn, NY. Anne Neuberger serves as a Senior Vice President of Operations at American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, where she is responsible for directing operations administering 15 million shareholder accounts including dividend and complex mergers and acquisitions distributions. While at AST, she earned a MBA, Beta Gamma Sigma, from Columbia University as well as a Master’s of International Affairs with a concentration in Energy and Security Policy in the Persian Gulf. Her masters thesis topic, “The Ramifications of Rising Saudi Oil Sales to China on U.S. Influence in the Persian Gulf” predicted the rising oil prices of 2005-2006. A passionate and committed community leader, Anne founded and leads Sister to Sister, a not-for-profit organization that assists several hundred single mothers in becoming financially independent, and Operation HomeFront – NY and NJ, which provides emergency assistance for families of deployed soldiers in NY and NJ. She was awarded a NY State Senate Hometown Hero award for her leadership. Anne graduated from Touro College, summa cum laude, where she was awarded the Hannah Lander Award for Academic Excellence and a Merit Scholarship. A full member of the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs and the CIO Summit, Anne speaks fluent Arabic, Hebrew and French.
Eric Patterson, 35. Hometown: Fallbrook, CA. Eric Patterson serves as an Assistant Director of the Berkley Center for Religion and World Affairs at Georgetown University. Prior to this he was Assistant Professor of Political Science at Vanguard University in California. At Vanguard he also served as Coordinator for Institutional Research and on the university accreditation committee. For 2005-2007 he was awarded a Foster Fellowship at the U.S. State Department where he was a visiting scholar on the issue of the illicit international trade in small arms and light weapons. Patterson is the author or editor of books and articles on religion and politics, just war theory, and international affairs. Patterson has been a Rotarian for a decade, including service as Club President and Membership Chair. He holds the rank of Captain in the California Air National Guard (ANG), where he serves as Commander/Conductor of the ANG Band of the Southwest. His degrees include a Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara, a MS from the University of Wales at Aberystwyth, and baccalaureate degrees from Evangel University. He has been a Calihan Fellow, a Rotary Scholar, and he earned the Royal Ranger Gold Medal of Achievement. Patterson is married to his college sweetheart and is the father of two children.
Jaewon Ryu, 33. Hometown: Chicago, IL. Jaewon Ryu serves as a board-eligible physician in the specialty of Emergency Medicine. He completed his post-graduate training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a high-acuity county hospital and Trauma Center serving an ethnically diverse, predominantly indigent population in Los Angeles County. Prior to his career as a physician, Jaewon was admitted to the State Bar of California and practiced as a corporate health care attorney with the law firm McDermott, Will & Emery, focusing on transactional and regulatory issues facing large entities in the health care industry. Throughout his career, Jaewon has demonstrated steadfast dedication to community activism, whether by helping to establish a health clinic specifically addressing the needs of African-American men, coordinating legal aid services at a public health clinic, volunteering with public interest legal groups, or teaching jail inmates. He also spent a year in the national service program, AmeriCorps, as a teacher, mentor, and community liaison for inner-city youth. An avid cyclist, he has bicycled from Washington, DC to San Francisco as part of a team that raised donations to help build a Habitat for Humanity home. Jaewon received a B.A. in History from Yale University and a J.D. and M.D. from the University of Chicago.
Kristine Singley, 32. Hometown: Celebration, Florida. Kristine Singley is a Program Engineer with Walt Disney World Design and Engineering, responsible for portfolio management of global and local engineering efforts. Previously as a Sr. Project Engineer, Advanced Technology, Walt Disney World, she supported the generation of new guest experiences using innovative technology applications. In 2005, Kristine relocated to Hong Kong as Engineering Services Manager for Hong Kong Disneyland’s Opening Team Task Force, affording her continual opportunities to expand her cultural, leadership, and technical knowledge. Passion led to developing a health and wellness group and ongoing leadership and heritage speaker series within the engineering organization. She currently facilitates leadership development classes at the Disney University. Community efforts include mentoring K-12 and college students, and public speaking engagements increasing interest in science and engineering. Early experiences included electro-optical research with the US Army Night Vision Labs, and Senior Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin for the US Army’s first distributed interactive simulation system, Close Combat Tactical Trainer. While in school, Kristine sang with A Cappella groups and has since performed with a semi-professional vocal group. She received a BS in Electrical Engineering and MBA from Duke University, and a MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Andrew Smarick, 31. Hometown: Arnold, MD. Andrew Smarick serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools where he oversees daily operations of a national nonprofit organization committed to expanding high-quality public school options, particularly for low-income families. Previously he served as a legislative assistant to a Member of Congress and as an aide to several members of the Maryland state legislature. He has served on the transition teams of Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich and Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold and as a member of Governor Ehrlich’s Commission on Quality Education. Andy is a co-founder and board member of KIPP Harbor Academy, a college-preparatory charter school serving disadvantaged students from Annapolis, MD. His articles on education matters have appeared in major publications, including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, and the National Review Online. In 2006, Andy won his party’s primary election for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates before losing narrowly in the general election. He graduated summa cum laude and with honors from the University of Maryland with a degree in Government and Politics. He earned a Master’s degree from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.
Kathryn Spletstoser, 39. Hometown: Eau Claire, WI. Kathryn Spletstoser serves as a Major in the United States Army and an Ordnance Officer. She served numerous deployments to both Afghanistan and Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom as an Operations Officer, Liaison Officer, and Executive Officer in support of joint and tactical operations. She assisted in the development and training of both Afghan and Iraqi security forces and has worked with multiple government agencies and our embassies in both countries. She currently serves in the Regular Army on active duty in Iraq with the 25th Infantry Division where she is second in command of an Aviation Support Battalion providing logistics support to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, Quick Reactionary Forces to a major military installation, security and community outreach programs to the local population. She leads the unit’s efforts in procuring and distributing school supplies and toys. Her master’s thesis contributed to the merging of all separate logistics branches in the Army into a Logistics Officer Corps. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from DePaul University and holds two graduate degrees; a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University.
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