No. Obama did not appoint any SES. These are not political appointee positions. They fall in the chain-of-command just like everyone else does.
Gov careerists and non-careerists apply for these jobs. In the agency where I worked, some SES were super smart while others were dumb. None were good at managing people. Some carried out the wishes of the political appointees above them while others did the exact opposite pushing their own agenda. SES do not have a hive mind or a master controller.
Thomas Paine says wrong things sometimes. This happens to be one area. It's annoying when his followers repeatedly spout his nonsense blindly believing everything he claims.
Let me guess you believe the patent story too right? Years ago, courts declared that was invalid.