NASA chief expands leadership team
Administrator Michael Griffin continues push to revamp agency’s structure.
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has added a chief operating officer and a strategic adviser to his leadership team as he continues reorganizing space agency management.
Griffin created both positions soon after his April 14 appointment to NASA's top job, but neither was revealed publicly until this week. The announcements followed a series of high-level personnel moves that prompted the resignation of NASA's exploration chief.
On Wednesday, Griffin named NASA Chief Engineer Rex Geveden to act as chief operating officer, with the title of associate administrator.
In a memo to key managers at the agency's Washington headquarters and the directors of its 10 field installations, Griffin said Geveden will do double duty - maintaining his position as chief engineer but concentrating near-term efforts on budget development, day-to-day program execution and other agency priorities. Griffin said the Senior Executive Service position will be competed at a later date.
Geveden replaces Courtney Stadd, a former NASA chief of staff and a special consultant to Griffin, who also was filling the position temporarily. Under the previous NASA administrator, Sean O'Keefe, the responsibilities of chief operating officer fell to Deputy Administrator Frederick Gregory. Sources said Gregory, a political appointee, has been asked to step down later this year.
On Monday, NASA unveiled a department designed to provide Griffin with independent advice on how the agency's programs are performing and what its next steps should be. The associate administrator in the new Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation is Scott Pace, a science and technology analyst who has worked at NASA and the White House.
Pace's office began two major studies in April. One is a review of requirements for carrying out President Bush's January 2004 order to return humans to the moon and extend exploration to Mars, including ways to accelerate development of a space shuttle replacement that can leave Earth orbit. The other is an examination of options for International Space Station completion based on the Bush administration's decision to retire the space shuttle by 2010.
Pace's office also played a role in Griffin's recent decision to cancel a $10 million contract with a consulting firm hired to rehabilitate NASA's management and safety culture.