New Chairman Sworn in for the National Transportation Safety Board

March 25, 2003
Ellen G. Engleman was sworn in today as a member and as the 10th chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

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.

During her tenure at RSPA, Engleman successfully directed the organization to increase its efficiency and effectiveness in its safety mission. Among the agency's recent accomplishments:

  • Aggressively cleaned up the record of unresolved NTSB safety recommendations to RSPA's Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), which resulted in the removal of OPS from the NTSB's "Most Wanted" list for the first time in 12 years;
  • Significantly increased safety enforcement actions for both OPS and the Office of Hazardous Material Safety; and
  • Developed a Crisis Management Center to provide 24/7 support to the Secretary of Transportation to enhance emergency coordination at the federal, state and local levels.

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.

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 graduated from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1993 with a Master's in Public Administration. She was awarded a J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law in 1987, and admitted to the bar in the State of Indiana and the Federal Court system. She graduated from Indiana University in 1983 with a B.A. in English and Communications.

She will serve a 5-year term as member, which expires on Dec. 31, 2007. Her two-year term as chairman, which required separate nomination by the president and confirmation by the Senate, began March 24.

In other NTSB news, Mark V. Rosenker was sworn in March 24 as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Beginning Jan. 20, 2001 until the announcement of his nomination to the Board, Mr. Rosenker served as deputy assistant to the president and director of the White House Military Office. In this capacity, he had responsibility for policies, personnel and plans that involve Department of Defense assets in direct support of the president. He also held a temporary assignment at the Transportation Security Administration, where he served as an advisor for the roll out of the federal screener program.

Prior to his White House appointment, Rosenker was managing director of the Washington, D.C. office for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), overseeing the development, implementation and management of a national public information program dealing with all facets of organ transplantation in the United States. Before joining UNOS, Rosenker served 23 years as vice president, Public Affairs, for the Electronic Industries Alliance.

His interest and experience in transportation safety dates back more than three decades to his time at a major national public affairs organization. His clients there included the American Safety Belt Council, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, and the Safety Helmet Council of America. He later served as director of Communications for the American Moped/Motorized Bicycle Association.

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