Laurie Boeder
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                   
July 13, 1994 (Phone:  202/358-1898)

Release:  94-116

WELCH NAMED NEWS CHIEF AT NASA HEADQUARTERS  

     Brian Welch, a veteran public affairs officer for the space
agency, has been  named Chief of News and Information at NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

     Welch began his NASA career as a public affairs cooperative
education  student at the Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, in
1979.  In 1981, he  moved to the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX,
to become editor of the  center newspaper, the Space News Roundup. 

     In 1984, he became a public affairs mission commentator,
providing real- time descriptions from the Mission Control Center
during Space Shuttle flights.   He also served as manager of the
JSC mission commentary team and as a  newsroom manager at Johnson
during Shuttle flights.  Most recently, he served  as Deputy News
Chief at the center.  In 1993, he served a ten-month tour of  duty
at NASA Headquarters as speech writer for NASA Administrator Daniel
S.  Goldin.

     Welch is a graduate of Murray State University, Murray, KY,
and a native of  Fulton, KY.

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