Washington Headquarters Press Release

O’Malley Named FAA Chief of Staff

WASHINGTON, DC – Michael O’Malley, deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy for U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, has been tapped as the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new chief of staff, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey announced today.

In his new position, O’Malley will be a key advisor to the administrator in the day-to-day administration and management of the agency. He also will play a significant role in addressing the many challenges facing the agency, including congressional reauthorization of FAA programs, resolving outstanding labor issues, and developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System Initiative.

O’Malley, who replaces David M. Mandell, comes to the FAA after serving in various senior policy positions at U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) headquarters. O’Malley was a counselor to the Department’s under secretary for policy, where he was involved in improving the air traffic control system to handle a record surge in passengers, and helped to develop changes to federal airport regulations that reduced reporting burdens and enhanced flexibility in using federal funds.

O’Malley came to DOT after two years as a government relations advisor at the legal firm Shaw Pittman LLP, where he provided strategic advice to clients on a wide range of policy matters, including international trade, agriculture and transportation. From January 1999 to March 2000, O’Malley was a senior associate at the International Trade Services Corporation in Washington, DC offering consulting services to U.S.-based multinationals and trade associations.

O’Malley, an Illinois native, served as a Washington-based legislative assistant to the governor of Illinois from April 1998 to January 1999, acting as the state’s federal liaison for transportation, science and technology, and defense issues. He previously worked in Chicago for the Canadian Consulate General, where, as an associate business development officer, he promoted closer business ties between U.S. and Canadian firms. His international involvement also includes one year as a graduate resident at Butler University’s Institute for Study Abroad in London.

O’Malley holds a master’s degree in European studies from the London School of Economics, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.