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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
| OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS |
ONE JUDICIARY SQUARE
441 FOURTH STREET, N.W.
SUITE 1100
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20001
(202) 7274224 : |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, JULY 16,1999 |
CONTACT: VERA JACKSON
PEGGY ARMSTRONG
(202) 727-5011 |
MAYOR WILLIAMS NAMES FOUR NEW APPOINTMENTS
Robert P. Newman, Andrew Altman Kathryn Allen, and Lawrence H. Mirel will join
the Mayor's Leadership Team
Washington, D.C. — Mayor Anthony A. Williams today nominated Robert P. Newman as
Director of Recreation and Parks for the District of Columbia, Andrew Altman as Director
of the Office of Planning, Kathryn Allen as the Director of the Office of Banking and
Financial Institutions and Lawrence Mirel as the Department of Insurance & Securities
Regulation.
Robert Newman, Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks
As Director of the Office of the Department of Recreation and Parks Mr. Newman will be
responsible for providing quality leisure services to residents and visitors in safe, well
maintained parks and facilities. He will also be charged with improving customer service,
promoting greater innovation, and championing public private partnerships to better meet
the needs of working parents and their children.
Since 1996, Mr. Newman has served as Vice-President and Associate Director of the
Center for Youth Development and Policy Research with the Academy for Educational
Development. He has a broad range of experience on issues ranging from recreation to
budgeting, from space to transportation policies. He worked with donor agencies,
foundations, organizations, as well as state and local governments around the country to
promote youth development initiatives. He has worked with more than 30 jurisdictions to
implement YouthMapping and YouthLine, programs, which are tools for young people and their
communities to gather and disseminate information about youth resources.
From September 1994 to September 1996, Mr. Newman served as the Administrator of the
Family Health Care Network of Catholic Medical Centers of Brooklyn and Queens, Inc. In
this position, Mr. Newman served as the Chief Operating Officer of four community health
centers that serviced more than 71,000 patient visits per year.
Mr. Newman served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services in New
York City from 1990 to 1994. He was responsible for a $70 million budget, which saw a 100%
increase during his tenure.
"Robert Newman is a man of great passion, great commitment, and great
experience," said Mayor Anthony A. Williams. "He will infuse the Department with
a sense of energy and vision, and he will be a partner to me as we work to improve our
park system and meet the needs of working parents and their children."
Andrew Altman, Director of the Office of Planning In the position of the Director of
the Office of Planning Mr. Altman will assist the Mayor in developing and managing land
use and development policy, implementing the Comprehensive Plan, and coordinating all of
the planning activities for the District of Columbia.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Altman served as the Director of City Planning of the
Community and Economic Development Agency in Oakland, California from 1996 to 1999. There
he managed all planning, land use approvals, and zoning for one of the most diverse cities
in the nation. Mr. Altman directed an inner city planning and revitalization program that
targeted city services and funding to distressed areas.
Before coming to Oakland, Mr. Altman was the Special Assistant to the Administrator of
the Community Redevelopment Agency in Los Angeles from March 1991 to July 1995. He was in
charge of planning services including management of the Downtown Strategic Plan. The Plan
was a Public Private Partnership that developed an action program for downtown Los
Angeles.
From October 1989 to March 1991, Mr. Altman served as Los Angeles, Mayor Tom Bradley
primary advisor and representative on all issues related to redevelopment.
Mr. Altman holds a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Temple University. Mr. Altman is a
native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now lives in Ward 2.
Mr. Altman is an experienced and award winning professional planner," said Mayor
Williams. "I'm confident that he will make our planning office the most robust in the
region. We are fortunate to have such a capable veteran planner to help us steer the
process of development, redevelopment, revitalization and preservation."
S. Kathryn Allen, Superintendent of Banking and Financial Institutions
As Superintendent of the Office of Banking and Financial Institutions of the District of
Columbia, Ms. Allen will be charged with promoting the growth and stability of District
financial institutions. She will also be charged with regulating the banking industry in
the District and enforcing nondiscrimination laws in lending.
Most recently, Ms. Allen has served as Counsel and Financial Consultant for a branch of
United Securities Alliance. She is responsible for a full range of financial services
including mortgage loan originations, securities investment, trust and estate planning and
general financial planning.
Ms. Allen also served as the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of
ABC Net Corporation from 1997 to 1999. She managed and directed marketing and sales for
the company. In addition, she provided in-house legal services drafting all necessary
legal documents and reviewing all corporate filings.
From 1991 to 1994, Ms. Allen was Assistant General Counsel for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. She was responsible for supervising and managing the Claims and
Property Law Branch of the Office of the General Counsel.
"Ms. Allen has a deep commitment to neighborhood revitalization, and we want her
to be an integral part of our economic development team," said Mayor Williams
"I'm looking forward to working with her to bring the Banking and Financial
Institutions Office into the fold of our economic development initiatives."
Lawrence Mirel, Commissioner of Insurance and Securities
Mr. Mirel, as the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation,
will be responsible for regulating securities brokers and the business of insurance in the
District.
Mr. Mirel has been a resident of the District for nearly 40 years, and has been
extensively involved in the community affairs of the District, particularly as an advocate
for home rule. Mirel served as General Counsel to the District of Columbia Council from
1979 to 1982. He was appointed to that position by then-Council Chairman Arrington Dixon,
a former law student of his at the George Washington University Law Center.
For the past 15 years Mr. Mirel has been in private law practice. He has dealt
extensively with insurance issues ranging from taxation to regulation to health care. He
has also provided legal services to members of the social work profession.
Mr. Mirel has been an active member of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Greater
Washington Board of trade. He is also the founder and a board member of The Emeritus
Foundation, a charitable organization that provides community service opportunities for
retired persons. Mr. Mirel is the President and Founder of the Committee for the Capital
City, a civic organization dedicated to securing full democratic rights for the people of
the District of Columbia.
Mr. Mirel lives in Ward 4 with his wife, who until recently taught in the District of
Columbia Public Schools.
"Mr. Mirel is a highly regarded attorney and member of the business community, as
well as and active citizen. He is an expert on insurance matters in the District. He knows
the agency he is about to take over, and he's up to the task," said Mayor Williams.
"In short, he has the broad range of experiences and skills that we need in our new
Insurance and Securities Commissioner."
Back to top of page
Robert P. Newman
Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks
Robert P. Newman has been named as Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks
by Mayor Anthony A. Williams. As Director, he will be responsible for providing quality
leisure services to residents and visitors in safe, well maintained parks and facilities.
He will also be charged with improving customer service, promoting greater innovation, and
championing public private partnerships to better meet the needs of working parents and
their children.
Since 1996, Mr. Newman has served as Vice-President and Associate Director of the
Center for Youth Development and Policy Research with the Academy for Educational
Development. He has a broad range of experience on issues ranging from recreation to
budgeting, from space to transportation policies. He worked with donor agencies,
foundations, organizations, as well as state and local governments around the country to
promote youth development initiatives. He has worked with more than 30 jurisdictions to
implement YouthMapping and YouthLine, programs which are tools for young people and their
communities to gather and disseminate information about youth resources.
From September 1994 to September 1996, Mr. Newman served as the Administrator of the
Family Health Care Network of Catholic Medical Centers of Brooklyn and Queens, Inc. In
this position, Mr. Newman served as the Chief Operating Officer of four community health
centers that serviced more than 71,000 patient visits per year. He increased the patient
population by 34% and improved patient turnaround more than 60%. He prepared and managed
budget and grant application disbursements and coordinated all administrative services for
the medical staff. He also performed community outreach and directed maintenance of the
physical plants.
Mr. Newman served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services in New
York City from 1990 to 1994. He was the Chief Administrator and Fiscal Officer,
responsible for a $70 million budget, which saw a 100% increase during his tenure. He also
developed and implemented the NYC YouthLine program and was co-creator of the original
Beacon Schools.
From December 1985 to September 1990, Mr. Newman held several positions with the City
of New York Parks and Recreation Department, including Manager of Administration and
Operations, Director of Citywide Communications, Director of Support Services, and Deputy
Director of Recruitment. His duties included administration, maintenance and operations of
1,000 acres of park and recreational facilities.
Mr. Newman earned a Master of Business Administration in 1992 from Lubin Grade School
of Business of Pace University in White Plains, NY. He graduated from Fordham University
of Bronx, NY in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts.
Back to top of page
Andrew Altman
Director of the Office of Planning
Andrew Altman has been nominated as the Director of the Office of Planning by Mayor
Anthony A. Williams. In this position, he will assist the Mayor in developing and managing
land use and development policy, implementing the Comprehensive Plan, and coordinating all
of the planning activities for the District of Columbia.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Altman served as the Director of City Planning of the
Community and Economic Development Agency in Oakland, California from 1996 to 1999. There
he managed all planning, land use approvals, and zoning for one of the most diverse cities
in the nation. Mr. Altman directed an inner city planning and revitalization program that
targeted city services and funding to distressed areas.
From August 1995 to September 1996, Mr. Altman was the Manager of Comprehensive
Planning for the City of Oakland, where he managed the Comprehensive Plan, neighborhood
revitalization planning, citywide land use ordinances, historic preservation planning,
waterfront planning, as well as citywide and area re-zonings. The Plan developed by Mr.
Altman received the California American Planning Association Award for Best Comprehensive
Plan.
Before coming to Oakland, Mr. Altman was the Special Assistant to the Administrator of
the Community Redevelopment Agency in Los Angeles from March 1991 to July 1995. He was in
charge of planning services including management of the Downtown Strategic Plan. The Plan
was a Public Private Partnership that developed an action program for downtown Los
Angeles.
Mr. Altman served as Assistant to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley from October 1989 to
March 1991. He was Mayor Bradley's primary advisor and representative on all issues
related to redevelopment.
Mr. Altman has also been awarded various fellowships including the Loeb Fellowship of
the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He was selected as one of ten recipients
nationwide for his leadership in the design profession. In addition, he was a Lady Davis
Post Graduate Fellow at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Israel where he
consulted on a demonstration neighborhood council program for the city of Jerusalem. Last
spring, Mr. Altman was a visiting lecturer at MIT in city planning.
Mr. Altman holds a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Temple University. Mr. Altman is a
native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now lives in Ward 2.
Back to top of page
S. Kathryn Allen
Superintendent of the Office of Banking and Financial Institutions
S. Kathryn Allen has been nominated by Mayor Anthony Williams as the Superintendent of
the Office of Banking and Financial Institutions of the District of Columbia. She will be
charged with promoting the growth and stability of District financial institutions. She
will also be charged with regulating the banking industry in the District and enforcing
nondiscrimination laws in lending.
Most recently, Ms. Allen served as Counsel and Financial Consultant for a branch of
United Securities Alliance. She was responsible for a full range of financial services,
including mortgage loan originations, securities investment, trust and estate planning and
general financial planning.
Ms. Allen also served as the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of
ABC Net Corporation from 1997 to 1999. She managed and directed marketing and sales for
the company. In addition, she provided in-house legal services drafting all necessary
legal documents and reviewing all corporate filings.
Prior to her work at ABC Net Corporation, Ms. Allen served as the Vice President and
Chief Compliance Officer for Chevy Chase Bank, F.S.B. Overseeing the Compliance Division,
her duties included designing and developing policies and procedures to ensure regulatory
compliance and enhanced community-based lending. She also developed and maintained a
comprehensive training program to address banking regulations, as well as state and
federal laws.
From 1991 to 1994, Ms. Allen was Assistant General Counsel for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. She was responsible for supervising and managing the Claims and
Property Law Branch of the Office of the General Counsel. She also provided legal advice,
assistance, and services in the area of claims and real property related matters.
Additionally, Ms. Allen worked at the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation, where she
drafted and negotiated commercial leases and procurement contracts, and developed an
employee relations policy and benefits program. Ms. Allen also served as General Counsel
of Indian Head Bank, Inc., now Fleet Bank, NH, directing and managing the legal department
from 1986 to 1989. She set legal policy concerning daily operations and procedures, and
also prepared and reviewed all major legal documents.
Ms. Allen received her A.B. in Biochemistry and Afro-American Studies at Smith College.
She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. She completed
graduate courses in Banking Law at Boston University Law School. She is an active member
of St. Augustine Catholic Church at 1 5th and V Street, NW and the proud mother of two
sons, Nathan and Gladstone.
Back to top of page
Lawrence H. Mirel
Commissioner of the Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation
Lawrence H. Mirel has been nominated as the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance
and Securities Regulation by Mayor Anthony A. Williams. In this position, he will be
responsible for regulating securities brokers and the business of insurance in the
District of Columbia.
Early in his career, Mr. Mirel worked on Capitol Hill on both the Senate and House
side. He then became involved in local political issues as an advocate for home rule. Mr.
Mirel served as General Counsel to the District of Columbia Council from 1979 to 1982.
He was appointed to that position by then-Council Chairman Arrington Dixon, a former
law student of his at the George Washington University Law Center.
For the past 15 years Mr. Mirel has been in private law practice. He has dealt
extensively with insurance issues ranging from taxation to regulation to health care. He
has also provided legal services to members of the social work profession.
Mr. Mirel has been extensively involved in community activities in the District. He has
been an active member of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Washington Board of
trade. He is also the founder and a board member of The Emeritus Foundation, a charitable
organization that provides community service opportunities for retired persons. Mr. Mirel
is the President and Founder of the Committee for the Capital City, a civic organization
dedicated to securing full democratic rights for the people of the District of Columbia.
Mr. Mirel obtained his Law Degree from the Columbia University Law School in 1961. He
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College in 1957.
A member of the Bars of the State of Connecticut and the District of Columbia, Mr.
Mirel has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Mirel has been a resident of the District of Columbia for the past 40 years and
lives in Ward 4 with his wife, who until recently taught in the District of Columbia
Public Schools. He has three grown children. |
