Deborah Hersman
{{Short description|Government official (born 1970)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Deborah Hersman
|image = Deborah Hersman NTSB Chairman.jpeg
|order = 12th
|office = Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board
|president = Barack Obama
|term_start = July 28, 2009
|term_end = April 25, 2014
|predecessor = Mark Rosenker
|successor = Christopher A. Hart
|office2 = Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
|term_start2 = June 21, 2004
|term_end2 = April 25, 2014
|president2 = {{ubl|George W. Bush|Barack Obama}}
|predecessor2= John Goglia
|successor2 = Tho Bella Dinh-Zarr
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|5|7}}
|birth_place = Edwards Air Force Base, California, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|education = {{ubl|Virginia Tech (B.A.)|George Mason University (M.S.)}}
}}
Deborah A.P. Hersman (born May 7, 1970) is a former board member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board who served as its 12th chairman. She completed two terms as chairman and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 16, 2013, for a third term. On March 11, 2014, she announced she would join the National Safety Council as its president and CEO.{{Cite web |date=March 11, 2014 |title=Deborah Hersman quits NTSB for National Safety Council |url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-deborah-hersman-quits-ntsb-20140311-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times}} She is the former chief safety officer at Waymo.{{Cite news |last=LeBeau |first=Phil |date=November 27, 2018 |title=Waymo taps former NTSB chair to oversee safety of self-driving ride-share fleet |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/27/waymo-taps-former-ntsb-chair-to-oversee-safety-of-self-driving-fleet.html |access-date=June 3, 2019 |work=CNBC}}
Personal life
File:Chairman Hersman briefs media in Paulsboro (12816560904).jpg
She is the eldest daughter of retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Walter C Hersman, who served as a fighter pilot and test pilot. She has two sisters. She was born in California and lived with her family in places such as Amman, Jordan, Madrid, Spain, as well as Woodbridge, England and numerous states. She attended 4 different high schools. By the time she turned 17, the Hersmans had settled in Northern Virginia{{Cite news |date=July 17, 2009 |title=Transportation's Real Mover |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071604222.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203011355/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2009-07-17/news/36812529_1_deborah-hersman-ntsb-metro-crash |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |work=The Washington Post}} where she attended Chantilly High School.
She was a student pilot and soloed but did not complete her training.{{Cite web |last= |date=March 21, 2013 |title=Interview with NTSB Chairman |url=http://www.aopa.org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={43BA313A-1183-48EC-A41D-D89D1E9D8ED2} |access-date=July 16, 2013 |website=AOPA Live |publisher=AOPA |format=video}}
She earned a commercial driver license (with passenger, school bus, and air brake endorsements) and has a motorcycle endorsement.{{Cite news |date=July 16, 2009 |title=Profile of the National Transportation Safety Board's Deborah Hersman |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071604222_2.html |access-date=July 13, 2013 |work=Washington Post |page=2}}
In 1992, she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and International Studies from Virginia Tech. In 2000, she earned an M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. Hersman is married to her high school sweetheart and former Virginia Tech classmate, Niel Plummer. They have three sons.
Career
Hersman began her government career on the staff of West Virginia Congressman Bob Wise as an unpaid intern during the summer of her sophomore year at Virginia Tech.{{Cite web |date=Winter 2007 |title=Alumni Shorts |url=http://www.vtmagazine.vt.edu/winter07/shorts.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712195322/http://www.vtmagazine.vt.edu/winter07/shorts.html |archive-date=July 12, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013 |publisher=Virginia Tech Magazine}} She rose from intern to office manager and then to senior legislative aide. While working for Wise, Hersman dealt with a series of coal train derailments near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Wise said, "She has a backbone. Don't ever think that you are ever going to push her over."
In 1999, she left Wise's office to join the staff of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2009 |title=Official: Hersman, Deborah |url=http://www.allgov.com/officials/hersman-deborah?officialid=29405 |access-date=July 13, 2013 |publisher=AllGov}} Her efforts contributed to the passage of milestone bills such as the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999, Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century and Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act.{{Cite web |title=NSC Experts: Deborah Hersman |url=http://www.nsc.org/learn/about/Pages/nsc-experts-deborah-hersman.aspx |access-date=February 28, 2017 |website=www.nsc.org |language=en}}
In 2004, Hersman was appointed as the 35th member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) by President George W. Bush and was sworn in on June 21.{{Cite web |title=2004 Annual Report To Congress |url=https://www.ntsb.gov/about/Documents/SPC0503.pdf |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=National Transportation Safety Board}} In 2009, President Barack Obama reappointed her to a second five-year term and appointed her to a two-year term as chairman, making her, at age 39, one of the youngest to ever to fill that position.{{Cite web |title=George Mason University |url=http://scar.gmu.edu/newsletter-subject/icar-alumna-honored-honorable-deborah-p-hersman-gmus-alumna-of-year |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002257/http://scar.gmu.edu/newsletter-subject/icar-alumna-honored-honorable-deborah-p-hersman-gmus-alumna-of-year |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013 |publisher=scar.gmu.edu}} President Obama reappointed Hersman as chairman in 2011, and in August 2013, he nominated her for a third term as chairman and a third term as a board member. Pending Senate confirmation, the President designated Hersman to serve as vice chairman, making her acting chairman of the NTSB.{{Cite web |title=Official NTSB website |url=https://www.ntsb.gov/about/bio_hersman.html |access-date=October 15, 2013 |publisher=NTSB.gov}} Her nomination was confirmed by voice vote on October 16, 2013.[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ntquery/D?nomis:1:./temp/~nomis6mHwoK::]{{dead link|date=November 2015}}
As a board member, Hersman traveled with NTSB teams investigating major accidents ranging from the collision of two Washington Metro trains to the mid-air collision of a sightseeing helicopter and single-engine airplane over the Hudson River in New York City.{{Cite web |last=Hope Katz Gibbs |date=November 16, 2009 |title=Getting The Story Right |url=http://trulyamazingwomen.com/the-women/gov-exex-debbie-hersman-ntsb |access-date=July 13, 2013 |publisher=The National Press Club}} She investigated over 25 major transportation incidents during her tenure at the NTSB. As chairman, Hersman focused on distracted driving, child passenger safety and helping victims and their families.
File:Chairman Hersman with Keith Conradi and Carolyn Griffiths (12088196864).jpg in London, 2014]]
In 2014 Hersman resigned from the NTSB to become president and CEO of the nonprofit National Safety Council, based in Itasca, Illinois.{{Cite news |title=National Safety Council names Deborah Hersman as new president |url=http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/10044-national-safety-council-names-deborah-hersman-as-new-president |access-date=December 29, 2016}} She was awarded the 2015 Sentinel of Safety Award by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association for her dedication to transportation and aviation safety.{{Cite web |title=2015 Sentinel of Safety Award: Chairman Deborah Hersman |url=http://www.natca.org/index.php/media-center/other-natca-awards/james-l-oberstar-sentinel-of-safety-award/294-2015-chairman-deborah-hersman |access-date=December 29, 2016 |website=www.natca.org}} She was recognized by NHTSA Public Service Award in 2016.{{Cite web |last=nhtsa-admin |date=October 9, 2016 |title=NHTSA honors the contributions of dedicated safety champions at annual Lifesavers Conference |url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-honors-contributions-dedicated-safety-champions-annual-lifesavers-conference-0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301182228/https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-honors-contributions-dedicated-safety-champions-annual-lifesavers-conference-0 |archive-date=March 1, 2017 |access-date=February 28, 2017 |website=NHTSA}} In 2017, Hersman was appointed by Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to serve on the Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation. The advisory panel was established to provide counsel regarding technology implementation that can save lives and help eliminate preventable fatalities in all modes of transportation.{{Cite news |date=January 11, 2017 |title=USDOT Announces New Federal Committee on Automation |url=https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot0717 |access-date=February 28, 2017 |work=Department of Transportation |language=en}} Hersman chaired the Road to Zero Coalition led by the National Safety Council, The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The Coalition aims to end roadway fatalities within 30 years by a strategy that combines education, engineering, enforcement and emergency medical services.{{Cite web |title=USDOT, Safety Council Unveil 'Road to Zero Coalition' to End Roadway Deaths |url=http://www.aashtojournal.org/Pages/100716safety.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301092904/http://www.aashtojournal.org/Pages/100716safety.aspx |archive-date=March 1, 2017 |access-date=February 28, 2017 |website=www.aashtojournal.org |language=en-US}} She stepped down when she left the National Safety Council in January 2019 to lead the safety team at Waymo.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111shrg54285/html/CHRG-111shrg54285.htm 2009-07-08 Senate confirmation hearing]
- {{C-SPAN|1024920}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Mark Rosenker}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board|years=2009–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Christopher A. Hart}}
{{s-end}}
{{Chairs of the National Transportation Safety Board}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hersman, Deborah}}
Category:American women business executives
Category:Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board
Category:George Mason University alumni
Category:Obama administration personnel