For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 28, 2002

President Bush Appoints the White House Fellows Class of 2002-2003

The White House announced today the President's appointment of 13 White House Fellows, selected by the President's Commission on White House Fellowships, to participate in America's most prestigious fellowship program for leadership development and public service.

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. 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.

The 2002-2003 White House Fellows class consists of two physicians, two businessmen, one policeman, one lawyer, five officers representing each branch of the military, and two individuals from the non-profit sector. During their year of service, these Fellows will work closely with Cabinet Secretaries and White House staff to develop policy, help draft and review legislation, research various public policy initiatives, respond to Congressional inquiries, write speeches and conduct policy briefings. They will also participate in an education program, which consists of regular meetings with leaders from various professions and both domestic and international policy trips studying the implementation of U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

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

White House Fellows Class of 2002-2003

Cesar Aristeiguieta, 41. Hometown: Bakersfield, CA. Physican/Senior Emergency Medicine Resident, Los Angeles County and USC Medical Centers, Los Angeles, CA. M.D., University of Southern California, School of Medicine, 1998. B.S., California State University, Bakersfield, 1992. Worked as a police officer for five years prior to studying medicine. Founded the Angeles Crest Traffic Safety Task Force, which significantly reduced fatal accidents on the Angeles Crest Highway, California's "most dangerous" road. Serves as Chair of the Los Angeles County Medical Association Resident Action Team, the Board of Directors of the Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Board of Governors of Goodwill Industries of Southern California.

Balan R. Ayyar, 36. Hometown: Sumner, WA. Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force, McChord Air Force Base, WA. Commander, 4th Airlift Squadron. Master's of Public Administration, Auburn University, 1999. Master of Military Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, 1999. Master of Aerodynamics Program, Joint Flying Instructor School, India, 1996. B.S., International Relations, United States Air Force Academy, 1987. Served as the nation's first exchange pilot instructor to the Indian Air Force. Heads a "Partners in Education" drive, which places over 40 tutors and mentors in five local schools. Awards include "Outstanding" Graduate status from Squadron Officer School and a "number one" rating for over 10 years by superiors, resulting in early promotions to the ranks of Major and Lieutenant Colonel.

David A. Carmel, 29. Hometown: New York, NY. Recent graduate of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Palo Alto, CA. B.A., Harvard University, 1995. Co-founded Jumpstart, a non-profit organization that trains and supports college students working to improve the literacy skills of preschool children. Previously tutored underserved youth at the East Harlem School and at Camp Ramapo Anchorage in Rhinebeck, NY. Awards include the Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurs from the Echoing Green Foundation and placing first in the Stanford Graduate Student Speech Competition.

Cesar Conde, 28. Hometown: Coral Gables, FL. Vice-President, Business Development, Univision Network, New York, NY. M.B.A., The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 1999. B.A., Harvard University, 1995. Led the strategic development of the first full service Internet portal geared exclusively towards the U.S. Hispanic market. Founder of The Futuro Program, a community outreach initiative geared at providing positive role models and educational workshops for Hispanic high school students. Served as Class President at the Wharton School, as well as the President and Co-Founder of the Cuban-American Undergraduate Student Association at Harvard. Recipient of the Harvard Foundation Award for contributions to intercultural and race relations.

Heather H. Graham, 31. Hometown: Madison, WI. Program Associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation in Baltimore, MD. Masters in Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, 1999. B.A., Phi Beta Kappa with Honors and Distinction, University of Wisconsin, 1993. Previously served as Director of a Corps Program at Teach for America. At the Annie E. Casey Foundation, she manages a portfolio of grants to non-profit organizations and city and state governments that focus on education reform, family economic security, and community development. Awards include the Fielding Internship Award and the Luce Scholarship to the People's Republic of China.

Richard Greco, Jr., 33. Hometown: Tuckahoe, NY. Managing Director, Government Services Division, Stern Stewart & Co., New York, NY. M.A., The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, 1997. M.B.A., The University of Chicago, 1996. B.S., Fordham University, 1991. Previously an Associate at The Scowcroft Group where he advised American corporations and investment funds on the political and economic risks of foreign direct investments. Also worked as an Associate at The Forum for International Policy, a non-profit foreign policy think tank. Currently assists government agencies and state-owned enterprises with the customization and implementation of performance-measurement and financial management systems. Established The Montfort Academy, a high school for boys in Katonah, NY, and serves on boards of The Bronx Cancer Care Center and the Children First Foundation.

Eric D. Hothan, 36. Hometown: Floral Park, NY. Captain, New York City Police Department, New York, NY. M.S. Urban Affairs, Hunter College, 1990. B.A. Criminal Justice, C.W. Post University, 1989. Presently 2nd Lieutenant, United States Army Reserves. Has served in a variety of law enforcement supervisory positions including Patrol, Field Training, Anti-Crime, Warrant Apprehension, Integrity Control , Operations and Quality Control. Currently serves as Commanding Office of an Internal Affairs investigation unit. Recently commissioned as an officer in the Army Reserves. Mentors a child through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and volunteers for City Harvest and volunteers for City Harvest feeding the city's underprivileged residents.

Vincent D. McBeth, 36. Hometown: Camden, AR. Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy. Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy, The Pentagon. M.A., Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, 1999. B.S., Political Science, United States Naval Academy, 1987. At the age of thirty, became the youngest Naval Officer to command a warship. In 2000 served as Executive Officer of the USS BARRY, and supervised 315 military personnel in the Persian Gulf while enforcing UN sanctions in Iraq. In his current capacity, supervises, directs and coordinates the efforts of the Navy Secretariat staff, and oversees the offices of White House Liaison, Congressional Liaison, General Administration and Protocol. Volunteers as a Youth mentor and Motivational Speaker at St. Paul's Academy in Phoenix, AZ. Awards include three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, a Meritorious Service Medal, and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals.

Jonathan S. Spaner, 31. Hometown: Brookfield,CT. Lieutenant, United States Coast Guard. Program Reviewer, Coast Guard Office of the Chief of Staff, Washington, DC. M.S., Management, Purdue University, Krannert Graduate School of Management, 1999. Distinguished Graduate-Naval Aviator, United States Naval Pilot Training, Pensacola, 1996. B.S. Cum Laude, United States Merchant Marine Academy, 1993. Previously served as the Policy Assistant for the Office of Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection for the U.S. Coastguard Headquarters, as well as a White House Social Aide. Also served as a C-130 Aircraft Commander and Fixed Wing Engineer Officer for the Coast Guard Air Station in Florida. Currently assesses budgetary needs for Coast Guard missions and advises the Coast Guard Commandant on policy matters. Has volunteered for the Clatsop County Women's Resource Center for battered women and Big Brothers of Tampa Bay. Received the New York Commandery Award for Outstanding Performance as the Regimental Commander and the Reserve Officer's Award for outstanding Academic Performance.

Daniel S. Sullivan, 37. Hometown: Cleveland, OH. Associate, Perkins Coie, LLP, Anchorage, AK. Captain, United States Marine Corps. Reconnaissance Officer, United States Marine Corps Reserve. J.D./ M.S. Foreign Service, Georgetown University, 1993. M.A., International Relations, University of Birmingham, 1988. B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Harvard University, 1987. Previously served as an assistant to the Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs, and as law clerks for the United States Court of Appeals, District of Colombia, the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and for the Supreme Court of Alaska. In 1999, he co-wrote an historical novel on the Korean War titled Chosun's Tears. Has served as a member of Alaska's Toys for Tots Foundation since 1994, and provides low-income Alaskan families with pro-bono legal services.

William J. Thornton, 39. Hometown: Bellingham, MA. Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force. Commander/Combined Test Force Director, 416th Flight Test Squadron, Edward AFB, CA. Air War College, Air University, 2001. Marine Command & Staff College, Marine Corps University, 1998. M.S., Aviation Science, University of Tennessee, 1996. B.S., Northeastern University, 1984. Became the youngest Flight Commander in Air Training Command in 1990. Served as an F-16 Fighter Pilot in 41 missions supporting Operation PROVIDE COMFORT, a humanitarian relief effort for Kurdish refugees. Currently directs the overall planning, execution, analysis and reporting on new aircraft and weapons systems. Has worked as a volunteer math teacher, sponsored the Student of the Month Program in local elementary schools, and coached youth sports.

Rajeev V. Venkayya, 35. Hometown: Dayton, OH. Co-Director , Medical Intensive Care Unit/Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA. M.D., Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 1991. B.S., University of Akron, 1987. Previously served as the Chief Medical Resident for the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan. In 1998, co-founded Sapient Medical Group, a company providing inpatient physicians to Bay Area hospitals. Also founded Neomedicus, a company that explores the use of new technologies for medical education. Launched the High Risk Asthma Clinic in San Francisco at San Francisco General Hospital to address the growing problem of inner city asthma, and serves on the Board of the American Lung Association of San Francisco.

Barry K. Williams, 34. Hometown: Abbeville, MS. Major, United States Army. Brigade Operations Officer, United States Army, South Korea. Masters of Military Arts and Science, United States Army Command and General Staff College, 2000. Masters in Computer Resource Information Management, Webster University, 1999. B.S., Rust College, 1988. Develops, implements and supervises all aspects of training to support the wartime readiness of a 1500 soldier military organization 10 miles from the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. Chairs South Korea's Habitat for Humanity program. Awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. "Keep it Fair" Award, the Goodwill Ambassador Award, and is a three-time recipient of the Community Service Man of the Year Award.

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