Federal Maritime Commission

Miriam A. Trudelle Becomes an Administrative Law Judge

at the Federal Maritime Commission

Washington, D.C. 20573

NR 03-08

CONTACT: BRYANT L. VANBRAKLE, SECRETARY (202) 523-5725

FOR RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 25, 2003

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Steven R. Blust, announced today that Miriam A. Trudelle has joined the Commission as an Administrative Law Judge. Judge Trudelle is replacing Judge Michael A. Rosas who recently left the Commission to serve at another federal agency.

Judge Trudelle was born in Bremerton, Washington and has undergraduate degrees from Olympic College in Bremerton and the University of Washington in Seattle. She earned her law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, and is a member of the Washington State Bar. She has worked in private practice, as an administrative law judge for the State of Washington for ten years, and later as a federal administrative law judge for the Social Security Administration, from which agency she has come to the Commission. Her experience includes a wide variety of cases under various state laws as well as the Social Security Act.

Prior to entering the legal profession Judge Trudelle worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines for twenty years and served as an officer in the Airline Pilots Association - Steward and Stewardess Division. She has two children living in Washington State. Her daughter Sonja, is teaching first grade and working on her master's degree in computer education., Tom, her son, is a student at Western Washington University and working on his master's degree in English.

Chairman Blust remarked that: "Judge Trudelle has extensive experience that will benefit the Commission and those who practice before the agency. We welcome her to the Commission.”