Obama Taps NTSB Member as Chairman of Agency

President Obama plans to name Deborah Hersman as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, according to a White House announcement Tuesday.

Hersman has been a member of the board since June 2004, serving as its representative in 15 accidents. Mark Rosenker has been chairman or acting chairman of the agency since March 2005.

A commercial drivers license holder and a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, Hersman has chaired several public events at the board, including a two-day forum on motorcycle safety and a public hearing on motor coach safety.

Prior to coming on board with the NTSB, Hersman served as a senior professional staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. In this position, she led legislative agenda and policy initiatives related to surface transportation, including economic and safety regulation of railroads, trucks, buses, pipelines and hazardous materials transportation. From 1992 to 1999, she worked for Congressman Bob Wise of West Virginia as staff director and senior legislative aide.

Hersman earned undergraduate degrees in Political Science and International Studies from Virginia Tech, followed by a Master of Science in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in Virginia.