President Biden takes charge amid crises

New leader at DOD; acting chiefs at GSA, SBA, etc.; Emily Murphy, Carranza out

      President Joe Biden took the oath of office on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, and immediately issued more than a dozen orders to address multiple crises, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown, while also taking steps to fill key positions in his administration.

      Biden’s choice for Secretary of Defense, former general Lloyd Austin, was confirmed on Jan. 22. The president has named more than two dozen executives who will serve immediately in an “acting” capacity to lead federal agencies while the Senate goes through the process of approving his nominations for his Cabinet.

Small Business Administration

      At the Small Business Administration, Chief Financial Officer Tami Perriello, a career executive, is serving as acting administrator, replacing Jovita Carranza, who resigned on Jan. 20.

      Implementing the massive Paycheck Protection Program pandemic relief loans was Carranza’s main focus throughout her one-year term. She became SBA administrator in January 2020, eight months after the departure of Linda McMahon.

General Services Administration

      The Biden Administration has selected officials to fill senior positions at the General Services Administration, but has not yet nominated a new GSA administrator.

      The previous administrator, Emily Murphy, named by former President Donald Trump, was the center of a recent controversy because of her decision to hold off on initiating the official presidential transition activities until Nov. 20, nearly three weeks after the Nov. 3 election. She also has been criticized for her role in GSA’s decision to not relocate the FBI’s headquarters, despite years of preparation for the move.

      The other GSA personnel changes include:

• Katy Kale, who was GSA's chief of staff during the Obama administration, has been appointed deputy administrator and is serving as acting head of the agency.
• Sonny Hashmi is serving as commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service. He was CIO at the GSA under President Obama.
• Dave Zvenyach, another former Obama appointee, is now Director of Technology Transformation Services within the Federal Acquisition Service
• Brett Prather is now chief of staff at GSA.

Other federal agencies

      Other acting agency heads, most of whom are career executives, include:

• CIA: David Cohen
• USDA: Kevin Shea
• Commerce Dept.: Wynn Coggins
• Education Dept.: Phil Rosenfelt
• Energy Dept.: David Huizenga
• HHS Dept.: Norris Cochran
• DHS: David Pekoske
• HUD: Matt Ammon
• Interior Dept.: Scott de la Vega
• Justice Dept.: Monty Wilkinson
• Labor Dept.: Al Stewart
• State Dept.: Dan Smith
• Transportation Dept.: Lana Hurdle
• Treasury Dept.: Andy Baukol
• Veterans Affairs Dept.: Dat Tran
• DNI: Lora Shiao
• EPA: Jane Nishida
• OMB: Rob Fairweather
• U.S. Trade Rep.: Maria Pagan
• NASA: Steve Jurczyk
• OPM: Kathy McGettigan
• SSA: Andrew Saul
• USAID: Gloria Steele

More information:
See the complete list of acting officials at: https://bit.ly/39SoVja
See Biden Cabinet nominees at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet/

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