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Microsoft Hires Corporate Affairs Director
by Bara Vaida
Pamela Passman will take over as director of Microsoft's corporate affairs, replacing Ed Tobin in early May. Passman currently is director of Microsoft's law and corporate affairs groups in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China, and she founded the company's government affairs efforts in the Asia region. In her new position, she will be responsible for formulating Microsoft's global public policy positions, conducting government and industry relations and pursuing the firm's philanthropic activities through its community affairs programs. Tobin is moving to the East Coast with his wife and new baby and will continue to work on outreach to the governors, attorneys general and the Bush administration. "While we will greatly miss Ed, Microsoft is pleased to welcome Pamela Passman back from Asia," said Brad Smith, senior vice president and incoming general counsel at Microsoft.
Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers on Tuesday joined Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., in Sioux Falls for Daschle's second annual South Dakota Technology Summit to talk about his views on technology and to show support for Daschle. "John is a big fan of Daschle's," said Cisco spokesman John Earnhardt. Chambers also was a big fan of President Bush during the 2000 election cycle and helped to raise money for the GOP party. Earnhardt said Chambers has friends on both sides of the aisle and this trip to Sioux Falls was about "policy, not politics." Also scheduled to speak at the tech summit were: eBay Chief Financial Officer Rajiv Dutta; Joel Kotkin, author of "The New Geography: How the Digital Revolution is Reshaping the American Landscape"; and Chris McLean, vice president of National Strategies, a Washington-based consulting firm, and former head of the Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service. Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., who is in a tough re-election fight, also is expected to attend. According to CongressDaily, Daschle will spend much of the spring recess helping Johnson campaign.
Daschle also spoke at an Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) meeting last Wednesday, where he assured tech lobbyists that the Senate Democratic leadership does not support S. 1940, a stock-options bill introduced by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Carl Levin, D-Mich. The legislation would require firms to account for the value of employee stock options if they take tax deductions for those options, which tech companies argue would hurt their ability to hire quality employees. Daschle also said he plans to bring up presidential trade negotiating authority after the chamber completes its work on the energy bill. He did not indicate whether he supports the digital rights management legislation introduced by Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., late last week. ITI's member lobbyists also that day met with Sen. George Allen, R-Va., Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.
After three years, Adam Kovacovich is leaving his position as press secretary to Rep. Cal Dooley, D-Calif., to become press secretary to Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. Kovacovich's hiring will leave current press secretary Dan Gerstein more time to work on long-term strategy for Lieberman. "I've admired Lieberman for a long time and working for Cal has shown me that it's a lot more fun to work for an active member, so it's a combination of my admiration and [appreciation] for his ability to be engaged on many different issues that made it appealing to go work for Lieberman," Kovacovich said. Gina Mahoney, senior policy adviser to Dooley, temporarily will take over press duties for Dooley.
Kathie Olsen formally was nominated as associate director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy when her name was sent to the Senate for confirmation last week. Olsen has been chief scientist at NASA since 1999 and acting associate administrator at the space agency's Office of Biological and Physical Research since 2000. Olsen worked at the National Science Foundation from 1984-96 and then returned to NSF in 1997. At NSF, she held various positions, including director of the neuroendocrinology program and special assistant for neuroscience in the Office of Biological Sciences. She holds an undergraduate degree from Chatham College and a doctorate from the University of California at Irvine.
Lauren Hall, executive vice president of the Software & Information Industry Association has left. SIIA has not decided whether it will replace Hall, who is pursuing other interests. During her tenure at SIIA, Hall worked on international, privacy and trade technology issues.
Adobe Systems last Wednesday awarded two federal employees with the company's first annual "Innovators in eGovernment" honors. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees Paul Showalter and John Wood were selected because of the way they exemplified the commitment and creativity essential to improving government services through technology. The two have been instrumental in IRS efforts to streamline the tax process by leveraging information technology. Showalter is a senior technical publishing specialist and has helped provide federal tax forms on the IRS Web site that citizens can complete electronically. He also oversaw a project focused on internal efficiency of ITS compliance operations. Wood is also a senior technical publishing specialist and has saved the agency money in printing costs by developing a tax compact disc that provides citizens and tax professionals electronic access to more than 3,200 IRS forms and materials.
JP Morgan Hambrecht & Quist Chairman Dan Case, who is the brother of AOL Time Warner Chairman Steve Case, recently launched a foundation to seek a cure for brain disease, an affliction that he suffers, The Mercury News reported. The foundation is called Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, which concentrates its support on "translational research," or research that can be moved from laboratory to market. Last month, the foundation announced collaboration with Genentech, which markets two of the most successful biotech cancer drugs on the market, The Mercury News said. Case's brain tumor remains uncured, but latest tests show his cancer is not advancing, the report said.
The Partnership for Public Service, Government Executive, National Journal and the Atlantic Monthly are soliciting nominations for the first annual Service to America Medals, an awards program to recognize accomplishments of those who work for the federal workforce. Honorees will be chosen based on their commitment, innovation and creativity as well as the impact of their work on addressing the needs of the nation. The nomination period is open until May 1. All nominations must be submitted online.
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