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DOT Key Officials - Recent Political Appointees

	Marlise Streitmatter joins the Department as the Deputy Chief of Staff.  Previously, Marlise served as Senior Advisor for North American Affairs at the World Bank, a multilateral institution whose mission is to reduce poverty around the world.
	Olivia Alair joins the Departments in the Office of Public Affairs as Deputy Press Secretary.  Olivia previously was a Regional Communications Director for the Obama-Biden Campaign in Ohio.
	Shailen Bhatt joins Federal Highway Administration as Special Assistant to FHWA Administrator.  Shailen comes to FHWA with a diverse background in transportation.
	Georgette Brammer joins the Department as Special Assistant to the White House Liaison and Scheduling and Advance.  Georgette previously worked for Obama for America on the Florida Finance Team.
	Kevin Chapman joins the Department as Director of Scheduling and Advance in the Office of the Secretary. Kevin previously served at DOT as a Special Assistant to the Secretary for Scheduling and Advance from 2001-2003.
	Sarah Cottingham joins the Department as Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of Policy.  Sarah previously served as a Legislative Assistant in the Office of Congressman LaHood.
	Christa Fornarotto joins Department as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs.  Christa previously was the Legislative Director to Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) and was professional staff on the House Aviation Subcommittee.
	Alex Friendly joins the Office of Scheduling and Advance as a Special Assistant.  Alex grew up in Washington D.C. where he graduated from Edmund Burke High School.
	Curtis Johnson joins the Department as Associate Director for Governmental Affairs.  Curtis was a Legislative Correspondent for Congressman Bobby L. Rush (IL-1).
	Chelsea LaMar joins the Office of Scheduling and Advance as a Special Assistant.  Chelsea LeMar is from Denver, CO and earned her Bachelor’s degree from Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska.
	Bob Letteney joins the Department as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs responsible for congressional affairs.  Bob previously was the Senior Advisor to Chairman John W. Olver, Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing, US House Committee on Appropriations.
	David Matsuda joins the Department as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy.  He rejoined DOT in March 2009, after seven years on Capitol Hill.
	Justin Nisly joins the Office of Scheduling and Advance as a Special Assistant.  Justin previously worked on the Obama for America field program in Reno, Nevada (as well as in five primary states).
	Katie Thomson joins the Department as the Counselor to the Secretary.  Prior to joining DOT, Katie spent more than 18 years in private law firm practice.
	Candice Tolliver joins Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as Director of Communications.  Early in her career, she worked for CNN (Atlanta and Washington Bureaus) and CBS.
	Nate Turnbull joins the Department as the White House Liaison in the Office of the Secretary.  Nate previously held posts on the Presidential Inaugural Committee and Obama for America where he was the Northeast Finance Director.
	Joanna Turner joins the Department as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs responsible for intergovernmental affairs.  Previously, Joanna was Legislative Director for the Economic Development and Commerce Committee at the National Governors Association, where she led NGA’s legislative efforts on transportation.
	Yasmin Yaver joins the Department as Associate Director for Governmental Affairs.  Yasmin previously worked for current White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel when he was Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus as Deputy Policy Director, and prior to that served as Legislative Aide for Senator Bob Menendez.

Last updated: 5/8/2009