For Immediate Release
April 18, 2002

The White House Announces National Finalists For 2002-2003 White House Fellowships

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2002 - The White House announced today its selection of 30 national finalists who will compete for the 2002-2003 White House Fellowships, America's most prestigious fellowship for leadership and public service. This year's national finalists represent a diverse candidate group including: finalists from each branch of the military, two finalists from the non-profit sector, three from the business sector, two from the management consulting sector, one from the corporate finance sector, a policeman, a firefighter, two professors, two teachers, four physicians, and two attorneys.

The mission of the non-partisan White House Fellows program, as established by President Johnson in 1964, is to develop our nation's future leaders by giving Fellows first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the Federal government and increasing their sense of participation in national affairs. Every year, between 11 and 19 Fellows are selected to serve for one year as full-time, paid assistants to members of the Cabinet and senior White House staff. In return for the privilege of participating in the Fellowship year, Fellows are expected to apply what they have learned by contributing to the nation as greater leaders in their respective communities, professions, and in public service.

Selection as a White House Fellow is based on a record of remarkable professional achievement early in a career, evidence of leadership potential, a proven commitment to public service, and the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully at the highest levels of the federal government. In its 38-year history, the program has fostered leaders in many fields, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Wall Street Journal Editor Paul Gigot, former Chairman and CEO of CNN Tom Johnson, Senator Samuel D. Brownback (R-KS), U.S. Army General Wesley K. Clark, former Chairman and CEO of Tenneco Dana Mead, former Senator Tim Wirth (D-CO), U.S. Navy Admiral Dennis Blair, and many others.

To obtain an application, please visit www.whitehouse.gov/fellows or contact the White House Fellows office at (202) 395-4522.

A complete list of the National Finalists is appended below.

2002-2003 National Finalists in Competition for White House Fellowships

Cesar Aristeiguieta, Physician, USC Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Balan Ayyar, U.S. Air Force Commander, McChord AFB, WA
John Basso, U.S. Army Major and Economics Instructor, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY
David Carmel, Co-founder, Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. and MBA candidate, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Palo Alto, CA
Samuel Cole, Management Consultant, McKinsey & Company, New York, NY
Cesar Conde, Vice President, Business Development, Univision Network, New York , NY
Duncan DeVille, International Criminal Lawyer, RAND Corporation, and Kennedy Public Service Fellow, Harvard University, Baton Rouge, LA
Darius Ellis, Program Director, Trickle Up Program, New York, NY
Jill Enos, Director, Finance and Corporate Planning, USinternetworking, Inc., Annapolis, MD
Sean Fahey, U.S. Navy Lieutenant and Political Science Instructor, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
Victoria Farrar-Myers, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
Keri Gardner, Physician , UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Heather Graham, Program Associate, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD
Richard Greco, Managing Director, Government Services Division, Stern Stewart & Co., New York, NY
Eric Hothan, Captain, New York City Police Department, New York, NY
Jason Kamras, Teacher, John Philip Sousa Middle School, Washington, DC
Mark Lyles, Physician, MUSC College of Medicine, Charleston, SC
Vincent McBeth, U.S. Navy Commander and Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Joseph Michels, Director for Research Initiatives, Princeton Materials Institute, Princeton, NJ
Matthew Mitchell, U.S. Air Force Major and Physician, Misawa Air Base, Japan
James Muro, Firefighter/Paramedic, City of Boca Raton, Boca Raton, FL
Farah Pandith, Vice President, International Business, ML Strategies, LLC, Boston, MA
Martin Rodgers, Senior Manager, Accenture, Reston, VA
Anne Rollow, Vice President, Strategic Alliances and Marketing, Fathom Knowledge Network, Inc., New York, NY
Jonathan Spaner, U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant, Office of the Chief of Staff, Fairfax Station, VA
Daniel Sullivan, Marine Corps Reserve Officer and Attorney, Perkins Coie, LLP, Anchorage, AK
David Arthur Tarantino, Jr., U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander and Physician, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
William Thornton, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Edwards AFB, CA
Ranjeev Venkayya, Physician, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA
Barry Williams, U.S. Army Major, Camp Howze, South Korea

# # #

White House Fellows     |   About the Program   |   Purpose   |   History   |   Press Releases   |   Newsletters   |   Become a Fellow   |   Selection Process   |   Calendar and Procedures   |   Work Placement   |   Education Program   |   Community Service   |   Fellowship   |   Application and Directions   |   Frequently Asked Questions   |   Alumni Class of 2006-2007 Photos of Former Classes   |   The Commission   |   Director's Biography Contacts