Every Monday on GovExec.com, the People column (formerly known as "Comings and Goings") announces the arrivals and departures of top federal managers and executives. To submit an announcement, e-mail it to ksaldarini@govexec.com or fax it to 202-739-8511.
There's a lot of change at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory of late. Helga Christopherson has been named director of the laboratory's Human Resources Division. She will oversee compensation and benefits, employee relations, labor relations, HR information systems, HR policy, training and development, and staffing. Christopherson has served as a senior staff member in the Director's Office at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory since 1990.
Meanwhile, Lisa Gutierrez has been hired as director of the lab's Diversity Office, where she will oversee diversity initiatives. Gutierrez will be returning to her roots-both of her parents were lab employees, and she once spent a summer working in the lab while she was an undergraduate student.
Long-time National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employee Jamison S. Hawkins has been named director of the Services Division in the National Weather Service's Office of Meteorology. Hawkins replaces Richard Przywarty, who has moved on to become the Weather Service's Alaska regional director. Hawkins began his 21-year career with NOAA as a satellite meteorologist and has most recently helped develop a high-tech computer system that produces more timely and better forecasts.
Linda Burek was selected to head the Justice Department's information resources program on Oct. 15. She has served in that role in an acting capacity since February, following the departure of Mark Boster. In her new role, Burek will serve as deputy chief information officer and deputy assistant attorney general for information resources management. She formerly served as the director of the Justice Management Division's systems technology staff and spent four years at the Patent and Trademark Office.
A top public affairs officer at the Commerce Department is leaving her post to join Infotech Strategies Inc., a high-tech business consulting firm. Mary F. Hanley was public affairs director at Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration. She also served as senior advisor to Commerce Secretary William M. Daley.
Susan McAvoy has joined the Agriculture Department as deputy press secretary after spending 11 years on the staff of Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas. McAvoy served as legislative director and press secretary, among other roles, during her tenure with Frost.
Congratulations to NASA and the Social Security Administration. Both agencies were recently awarded the first-ever certificate of excellence in accountability reporting from the Association of Government Accountants. The award was created in conjunction with the federal Chief Financial Officers Council to recognize excellence in the preparation, issuance and timeliness of accountability reports.
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