Several White House nominees were announced today, including a friend of MountainRunner:

Douglas B. Wilson, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, Department of Defense

Douglas B. Wilson currently serves as Executive Vice President of the Howard Gilman Foundation, overseeing the development and implementation of the Foundation’s domestic and international policy programs, including the U.S.-Muslim Engagement Initiative. Mr. Wilson also serves as President of The Leaders Project, which he co-founded in 2001 with former Defense Secretary William Cohen, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Diplomacy Collaborative at Harvard University.  From 1997-1999, Mr. Wilson served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. He spent a year as National Political Director of the Democratic Leadership Council before returning to the Pentagon in the summer of 2000 to become Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. During his tenure at the Pentagon, Mr. Wilson coordinated communications and long-range public affairs strategy on issues including defense reform, base closures, NATO expansion and military quality of life.  He was twice presented the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Pentagon’s top civilian honor.  Mr. Wilson has also served as Director of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. Information Agency and as foreign policy advisor to U.S. Senator Gary Hart.  Mr. Wilson began his career as a Foreign Service Information Officer at U.S. diplomatic posts in Naples, Rome, and London.  He serves on the Boards of Directors of Third Way, The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy and the National Security Network.  Mr. Wilson graduated from Stanford University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Doug as ASD and Price as PDASD… two public diplomacy friends at DOD Public Affairs is good.