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Honorable Deborah Hersman, NTSB Board MemberHONORABLE DEBORAH A. P. HERSMAN
MEMBER

Deborah A. P. Hersman was sworn in as the 35th Member of the National Transportation Safety Board on June 21, 2004.

Since her appointment to the Board, Member Hersman has been the member on scene at 13 major transportation accidents:

  • September, 2008 - crash of a Maryland State Police EMS helicopter, Forestville, Maryland;
  • September, 2008 - crash of a business jet in Columbia, South Carolina;
  • August, 2008 - crash of a chartered motorcoach in Sherman, TX;
  • November, 2007 - allision of a container ship with the San Francisco Bay Bridge resulting    in the release of 58,000 gallons of fuel;
  • August, 2007 - crash of a chartered floatplane in Ketchikan, Alaska;
  • November, 2006 - school bus crash in Huntsville, Alabama;
  • October, 2006 - crash of a private aircraft into an apartment building in New York City; 
  • August, 2006 - crash of a commercial aircraft in Lexington, Kentucky;
  • July, 2005 - head-on collision of two freight trains at Anding, Mississippi;
  • April, 2005 - collision of a school bus with a trash truck in Arlington, Virginia;
  • February, 2005 - crash of a chartered aircraft into an airport warehouse at Teterboro, NJ;
  • January, 2005 - freight train collision and hazardous material release in Graniteville, SC;
  • November, 2004 - collision of two Washington Metro trains at the Woodley Park Station in Washington, D.C; and

In October, 2004, Member Hersman participated in the on-scene investigation of the crash of an aircraft in Jefferson City, Missouri. 

Member Hersman has chaired a number of public events hosted by the Board.  In October, 2008, she chaired a two-day public hearing on an accident in Victoria, TX involving a motorcoach that did not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.  In September 2006, she chaired a two-day public forum on motorcycle safety.  In July, 2006, she chaired a two-day public hearing investigating the February, 2006 fire on board UPS Airlines flight 1307.  She also chaired a three-day public hearing in June, 2005, on the Jefferson City crash.

Member Hersman holds a commercial drivers license with passenger, school bus, and air brake endorsements. She successfully completed a motorcycle basic rider course and holds a motorcycle endorsement.  Member Hersman is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.  She has also completed the 40-hour HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard) training course.

Before joining the NTSB, Member Hersman was a Senior Professional Staff Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation from 1999 to 2004 where she was responsible for the legislative agenda and policy initiatives affecting surface transportation issues, including economic and safety regulation of railroads, trucks, buses, pipelines, and hazardous materials transportation.  Prior to that appointment, she served as Staff Director and Senior Legislative Aide to Congressman Bob Wise of West Virginia from 1992 to 1999.

Member Hersman earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and International Studies from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, in 1992, and a Master of Science degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, in 1999.  She is married and is the mother of three sons.

Member Hersman’s term expires December 31, 2008.

 

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