Another Triumph of Politics Over Mission?

When Marion Blakey was appointed head of the NTSB (prior to her appointment as FAA Administratrix), we pointed out that, according to then-current job postings, she would not have been eligible for most of the jobs in her Agency. Well, it's happened again. One has to wonder if the NTSB doesn't have any qualified "underlings" -- the President has to keep going outside...

Ellen G. Engleman was sworn in Monday as a Member and as the 10th Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Chairman Engleman was Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) from September 2001 until this week. RSPA has responsibilities for safe and secure movement of hazardous materials to industry and consumers by all transportation modes, including the nation's pipelines; rapid response to transportation emergencies by government agencies; training for transportation safety professionals; and applying science and technology to meet national transportation needs.

The official release says, "With nearly 20 years of experience in public and governmental affairs, public policy and administration, Engleman is a business leader, attorney and accredited public relations professional. Before assuming her post at RSPA, Engleman was chief executive officer of Electricore, Inc., an Indiana-based non-profit consortium for research and development of advanced transportation and energy technologies through federal private/public partnerships."

(From official release at appointment to RSPA): "Engleman's career includes almost 20 years of experience in public and governmental affairs, public policy and administration. Prior to her appointment she served as president and chief executive officer of Electricore, Inc., a non-profit research and development consortium responsible for developing advanced transportation and energy technologies through federal private and public partnerships." Nothing much has changed...

The current release continues, "Chairman Engleman previously served as both Director of Corporate and Government Affairs and as a Member of the Board of Directors at Direct Relief International, the nation's oldest non-sectarian medical relief agency. She co-founded the Vitamin Angel Alliance, which focuses on international nutritional relief for children and women in need. She served as governmental affairs executive for GTE North, Inc., with responsibilities for federal and state telecommunications public policy and corporate communications in a 10-state region from 1987 to 1992. She was a Congressional Fellow in the office of Senator Richard G. Lugar and was Personal Assistant to former Secretary of Labor Lynn Martin."

Engleman is, of course, "eminently qualified" to run such a technical operation: she holds a Master's in Public Administration; she's a lawyer; and she earned a degree in English.

Her term as Chairman runs until December 31, 2007; her two-year term on the Board started Monday.

She has deep experience at using public money for closely-held private enterprises, and knows how government offices work. The real experts and true professionals whose careers she holds in her hand can only hope she will learn something about how to direct an impartial investigation.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov