Archivist of the United States Appoints 2024–2026 FOIA Advisory Committee Members
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Washington, DC
Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan announced the appointment of 20 individuals to the National Archives and Records Administration’s 2024–2026 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee. The individuals named will serve a two-year term and will begin meeting in September 2024.
The FOIA Advisory Committee consists of no more than 20 individuals who are all FOIA experts from both inside and outside of government. Members of the FOIA Advisory Committee foster dialogue between the administration and the requester community, and develop recommendations for improving FOIA administration and proactive disclosures. Dr. Shogan has appointed the following individuals:
Government Members
Kevin Bell – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Nieva Brock - Department of Defense
Whitney Fraizer-Jenkins – Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Scott Hodes - Department of Homeland Security
Marianne Manheim - Department of Health and Human Services
Joan Moumbleaux – Environmental Protection Agency
Deborah Moore - Department of Education
Melissa Pickworth - Department of Health and Human Services
Alina M. Semo – Chair, National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Government Information Services
Bobak Talebian – Department of Justice, Office of Information Policy
Non-Government Members
Jason R. Baron – University of Maryland
David Cuillier – University of Florida, Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment
Elizabeth Hempowicz – American Oversight
Shelley Kimball – Johns Hopkins University
Margaret Kwoka – The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Frank LoMonte – Cable News Network (CNN)
Ryan Mulvey – Americans for Prosperity Foundation
Richard Peltz-Steele – University of Massachusetts School of Law
Nicholas Wittenberg - Armedia
Sarah Jones Weicksel – American Historical Association
Background
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) established the FOIA Advisory Committee in accordance with the United States Second Open Government National Action Plan, released on December 5, 2013. The Committee’s work helps fulfill the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) congressional mandate to “identify procedures and methods for improving compliance” with FOIA, 5 U.S.C. §552(h)(2)(C). The Committee is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1014. NARA initially chartered the Committee on May 20, 2014. The Archivist of the United States renewed the Committee's charter for a sixth term on April 26, 2024, and certified that renewing the Committee is in the public interest. OGIS provides administrative support along with chairing the Committee in accordance with the charter. For a complete list of recommendations from the Committee, visit https://www.archives.gov/ogis/foia-advisory-committee/dashboard.
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https://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2024/nr24-38