PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA NOMINATES PHIL GORDON AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS AND MELANNE VERVEER AS AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR GLOBAL WOMEN'S ISSUES AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Two key positions of interest regarding the United States and Ukraine
U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), Wash, D.C., Thu, Mar 19, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. President Barack Obama has nominated Dr. Philip (Phil) Gordon for Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs and nominated Melanne Verveer for Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues at the U.S. Department of State. Both of these positions are of special interest to those involved in matters related to the United States and Ukraine under the Obama Administration.
Dr. Philip (Phil) Gordon, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, would fill a position previously held by Daniel Fried, a person well-known in Ukrainian circles in Washington. Gordon would be responsible for the large number of countries in the European and Eurasian region, all of the countries except for the five countries in Central Asia. Dr. Philip Gordon is presently Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, in Washington, D.C.,
A Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs will be appointed soon who would have more specific responsibilities directly related to Ukraine under the Assistant Secretary. (Note: See the two White House press announcements below for more information on Dr. Phil Gordon.)
Melanne Verveer, a very well-known, honored Ukrainian American, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, would fill a newly created position at the State Department, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. Melanne Verveer is Co-Founder, Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership.
The White House said in their announcement about the new position, "The President’s decision to nominate an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues is unprecedented and reflects the elevated importance of global women’s issues to the President and his entire Administration." (Note: See the two White House press announcements below and an article from The Ukrainain Weekly newspaper for Sunday, March 15th for more information on Melanne Verveer.)
"The U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), and its over 100 members, sincerely congratulates Dr. Phil Gordon and Melanne Verveer on their nomination by U.S. President Barack Obama for these two very important positions at the U.S. Department of State, said Morgan Williams, SigmaBleyzer, who serves as President/CEO of USUBC. "The U.S. government has been a strong supporter of Ukraine ever since independence in 1991 and USUBC looks forward to working with the Obama Administration to continue the U.S. support for a strong, independent, democratic, prosperous Ukraine," Williams stated.
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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2009
PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNOUNCES KEY STATE DEPARTMENT NOMINATIONS
WASHINGTON – Today, President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key State Department posts: Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary for International Organizations; Phil Gordon, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs; and Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.
President Obama said, "Each of these individuals brings a deep knowledge and expertise in their field, along with a commitment to strengthen American diplomacy to meet 21st century challenges. They will be joining a leadership team at the State Department which will be at the forefront of our effort to renew America’s security and standing in an uncertain world."
Secretary Clinton said, "In my testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I spoke about the use of smart power. At the heart of smart power are smart people, and these talented individuals are among the smartest I know. Along with the entire State Department team, I will count on and turn to these individuals for their expertise, experience, and creative vision to make good on the promises of this new Administration."
President Obama announced his intent to nominate the follow individuals today:
Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary for International Organizations
Dr. Esther Brimmer is the Deputy Director and Director of Research at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at The Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Brimmer specializes in transatlantic political and security affairs.
From 1999-2001, Dr. Brimmer was a Member of the Office of Policy Planning at the U.S. Department of State working on the European Union, Western Europe, the UN, and multilateral security issues. Dr. Brimmer also served on the United States delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Spring 2000 and from 1995-1999, Dr. Brimmer managed projects as a Senior Associate at the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict. From 1993-1995, Dr. Brimmer was a Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs. Dr. Brimmer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and was formerly a member of the Executive Board of Women in International Security.
Dr. Philip (Phil) Gordon, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs
Dr. Philip Gordon is Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, in Washington, D.C., where he has worked since 2000. Prior to joining Brookings, Dr. Gordon was Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton. At the NSC he played a key role in developing and coordinating NATO policy in the run-up to the Alliance's 50th Anniversary summit in Washington, D.C. He has held teaching and research posts at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC; INSEAD, in Fontainebleau, France and Singapore; and the German Society for Foreign Affairs in Bonn.
Dr. Gordon has a Ph.D. and M.A. in European Studies and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University (SAIS) and a B.A. in French and Philosophy from Ohio University. His working languages include French, German, Italian and some Spanish. He has published a number of books and articles on international relations and foreign policy and is a frequent contributor to major publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, and Financial Times. From 2007-08 he was a foreign policy advisor and leader of the Europe expert group for the Obama for America campaign.
Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues
Melanne Verveer is Co-Founder, Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit that invests in emerging women leaders – pioneers of economic, political and social progress in their countries. Prior to founding Vital Voices, Verveer served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then First Lady Hillary Clinton in her international activities. Verveer also took the lead in establishing the President’s Interagency Council on Women, which serves as a model for governments to address issues of concern to women.
Previously, Verveer served as Executive Vice President of People for the American Way, a civil rights and constitutional liberties organization where she played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights bills. She was Coordinator for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference, Field Manager of Common Cause and worked in the U.S. House and Senate as Legislative Director and Special Assistant respectively. Verveer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, the Washington Institute on Foreign Affairs and Women In International Security.
The President’s decision to nominate an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues is unprecedented and reflects the elevated importance of global women’s issues to the President and his entire Administration.
LINK: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-Key-State-Department-Appointments/
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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release March 11, 2009
NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:
Esther Brimmer, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (International Organization Affairs), vice Brian H. Hook, resigned.
Jonathan Z. Cannon, of Virginia, to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, vice Marcus C. Peacock, resigned.
Ivo H. Daalder, of Virginia, to be United States Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Karl Winfrid Eikenberry, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Ivan K. Fong, of Ohio, to be General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, vice Philip J. Perry, resigned.
Philip H. Gordon, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (European and Eurasian Affairs), vice Daniel Fried, resigned.
W. Scott Gould, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, vice Gordon H. Mansfield, resigned.
Christopher R. Hill, of Rhode Island, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iraq.
Richard Rahul Verma, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Legislative Affairs), vice Matthew A. Reynolds, resigned.
Melanne Verveer, of the District of Columbia, to be Ambassador at Large for Women's Global Issues.
LINK: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Nominations-Sent-to-the-Senate-3/11/09/
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MELANNE VERVEER NOMINATED TO BE U.S. AMBASSADOR
FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES WORLDWIDE BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
The Ukrainian Weekly, Ukrainian National Association (UNA)
Parsippany, New Jersey, Sunday, March 15, 2009
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Melanne Verveer, a Ukrainian American known for her work with emerging women leaders of the world, has been tapped by President Barack Obama to serve as ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues.
The announcement of the appointment to this newly created position within the State Department headed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came on March 6. The official announcement from the White House provided the following information:
“Melanne Verveer is co-founder, chair and co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international non-profit that invests in emerging women leaders -
pioneers of economic, political and social progress in their countries.
“Prior to founding Vital Voices, Verveer served as assistant to the president and chief of staff to the first lady in the Clinton administration, and was chief
assistant to then First Lady Hillary Clinton in her international activities. Verveer also took the lead in establishing the President’s Interagency Council on
Women, which serves as a model for governments to address issues of concern to women.
“Previously, Verveer served as executive vice-president of People for the American Way, a civil rights and constitutional liberties organization where she
played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights bills. She was coordinator for civil rights and urban affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference, field manager of Common Cause, and worked in the U.S. House and Senate as legislative director and special assistant, respectively.
Verveer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, the Washington Institute on Foreign Affairs and Women
in International Security.
“The president’s decision to nominate an ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues is unprecedented and reflects the elevated importance of global
women’s issues to the president and his entire administration.”
Ms. Verveer, nee Starinshak, traces her Ukrainian heritage to her maternal and paternal grandparents, who arrived in the United States more than 100 years
ago. She was raised in Shamokin, Pa., where she attended Transfiguration Ukrainian Catholic School, and she received her high school diploma from St. Mary’s Villa Academy in Sloatsburg, N.Y. Both institutions are run by the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate. Ms. Verveer attended Georgetown University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in languages and a master’s in Russian studies.
She was the highest ranking Ukrainian American in the Clinton administration, and she accompanied President Bill Clinton (1995) and Mrs. Clinton (1998) on their visits to Ukraine.
On April 16, 2008, Ms. Verveer received Ukraine’s Princess Order of Olha during a special ceremony and reception in her honor at the Embassy of Ukraine. (See Yaro Bihun’s report in The Ukrainian Weekly, April 27, 2008.)
Ambassador Oleh Shamshur, [Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States] who presented the award on behalf of President Viktor Yushchenko, cited Ms. Verveer’s work at Vital Voices, which, he said, “plays an especially important role in the world in promoting the equality of women, helping the empowerment of women, combating such things as trafficking of women and promoting many other very noble causes.”
Ambassador Shamshur praised the third-generation Ukrainian-American for never having forgotten Ukraine. “(She) made sure that people in power in Washington understand Ukraine and help Ukraine to solidify its independence, promote reforms and democratic change in Ukraine — which was very
important.”
The Ukrainian ambassador also noted the honoree’s work in helping the victims of the Chornobyl disaster through the Children of Chornobyl Relief and
Development Fund (CCRDF), in which she serves on the board of directors.
Speaking at the awards ceremony at the Embassy, Ms. Verveer said her grandparents and parents “raised me to value my heritage, to cherish my heritage
and to always care about Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
“That’s a huge part of who I am, and why this is especially meaningful to m,” she said. “I think I was very privileged o be in the U.S. government when Ukraine was newly independent and the U.S. was in a position to help.”
LINK: http://www.ukrweekly.com/archive/2009/The_Ukrainian_Weekly_2009-11.pdf
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VERVEER RECALLS VISIT TO UKRAINE
The Ukrainian Weekly, Ukrainian National Association (UNA)
Parsippany, New Jersey, Sunday, March 15, 2009
In his April 27, 2008, report in The Ukrainian Weekly about the awards ceremony at the Embassy of Ukraine during which Melanne Verveer was presented the Order of Princess Olha, Yaro Bihun reported the following.
Ms. Verveer said there are many memories she cherishes from those years, the most memorable among them was accompanying President Clinton to Ukraine in 1995 — the first-ever official visit of an American president to a democratic and free Ukraine.
“I will never forget standing with the American delegation in front of Mariyinskyi Palace and the band playing the American national anthem and then the Ukrainian national anthem, ‘Sche Ne Vmerla Ukraina,’ ”the anthem she sang so many times as a child.
“And I thought of my parents and I wished they were alive, because they would have been so proud of that moment,” Ms. Verveer said. “There I was, the granddaughter of four people — my paternal and maternal grandparents came from Ukraine, and they had to immigrate to the United States in search of a
better life — and their granddaughter returned with the president of the United States.”
“It was an especially meaningful moment that I know they would have been proud of. And I think they would be proud of this afternoon, too,” she added.
LINK: http://www.ukrweekly.com/archive/2009/The_Ukrainian_Weekly_2009-11.pdf