The following is a press release issued by the Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan:

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Washington, DC

Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan announced the appointment of 20 individuals to the National Archives and Records Administration’s 2024–2026 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee. The individuals named will serve a two-year term and will begin meeting in September 2024.

The FOIA Advisory Committee consists of no more than 20 individuals who are all FOIA experts from both inside and outside of government. Members of the FOIA Advisory Committee foster dialogue between the administration and the requester community, and develop recommendations for improving FOIA administration and proactive disclosures. Dr. Shogan has appointed the following individuals: 

Government Members 

• Kevin Bell – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Nieva Brock - Department of Defense
• Whitney Fraizer-Jenkins – Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
• Scott Hodes - Department of Homeland Security
• Marianne Manheim - Department of Health and Human Services
• Joan Moumbleaux – Environmental Protection Agency
• Deborah Moore - Department of Education
• Melissa Pickworth - Department of Health and Human Services
• Alina M. Semo – Chair, National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Government Information Services 
• Bobak Talebian – Department of Justice, Office of Information Policy 

Non-Government Members 

• Jason R. Baron – University of Maryland 
• David Cuillier – University of Florida, Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment
• Elizabeth Hempowicz – American Oversight
• Shelley Kimball – Johns Hopkins University
• Margaret Kwoka – The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• Frank LoMonte – Cable News Network (CNN)
• Ryan Mulvey – Americans for Prosperity Foundation 
• Richard Peltz-Steele – University of Massachusetts School of Law
• Nicholas Wittenberg - Armedia 
• Sarah Jones Weicksel – American Historical Association

Background

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) established the FOIA Advisory Committee in accordance with the United States Second Open Government National Action Plan, released on December 5, 2013. The Committee’s work helps fulfill the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) congressional mandate to “identify procedures and methods for improving compliance” with FOIA, 5 U.S.C. §552(h)(2)(C). The Committee is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1014. NARA initially chartered the Committee on May 20, 2014. The Archivist of the United States renewed the Committee's charter for a sixth term on April 26, 2024, and certified that renewing the Committee is in the public interest. OGIS provides administrative support along with chairing the Committee in accordance with the charter. For a complete list of recommendations from the Committee, visit https://www.archives.gov/ogis/foia-advisory-committee/dashboard.