Ahead of Term’s End, President Makes Several Cultural Heritage Board Appointments

President Barack Obama, over the past few months, appointed several men and women to serve on key boards, commissions, and committees that impact cultural heritage policy. His term in office ends on January 20, 2017.

The five people named to the Cultural Property Advisory Committee included Dorit D. Straus, appointed on December 15, and Adele Chatfield-Taylor, Shannon Keller O’Loughlin, James K. Reap, and Jeremy Sabloff, appointed on September 16. Mr. Sabloff was designated as CPAC chairman, replacing Dr. Patty Gerstenblith. CPAC members supply advice when foreign countries petition the United States for help to protect cultural heritage in jeopardy of looting under the terms of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. The committee consists of 11 members.

The National Museum and Library Services Board, meanwhile, saw the appointment of nine people. The board guides the Institute of Museum and Library Service director on policy matters and consists of 20 members of the general public. The three appointed on December 15 included Lynne M. Ireland, Mort Sajadian, and Kenneth J. Schutz, and the six appointed on November 21 included Sayeed Choudhury, Luis Herrera, Homa Naficy, Tey Marianna Nunn, Jane Pickering, and Beth Takekawa.

On December 21, the President named Reno Keoni Franklin to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). He serves as the new Native American/Native Hawaiian member of the ACHP. Earlier on November 3, the President appointed Leonard Andrew Forsman as member and vice chair. The most recent appointment before that was Luis G. Hoyos on August 4. The 23 member ACHP, created by the National Historic Preservation Act, advises the federal government on historic preservation policy.

President Obama also appointed Lesley Israel to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad on December 7. A day earlier, he appointed Rebecca Hankins and Naomi L. Nelson to serve on the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

The Commission of Fine Arts, made up of seven experts who advise the government about Washington, DC’s architecture, saw the appointment of two members on November 3 and two more on October 28. Named to the commission were Earl A. Powell III, Elizabeth K. Meyer, Toni L. Griffin, and Alex Krieger.

Finally, on September 28, the President sent two names to the Senate for appointment to the National Council on the Arts, Virginia Johnson and Sylvia Orozco.

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