November 7, 2003

Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1760)

RELEASE: 03-346

SENATE CONFIRMS GWENDOLYN BROWN AS NASA CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today announced the confirmation of 
Gwendolyn Brown as the agency's new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). 
The U.S. Senate confirmed Brown late this afternoon. 

"I'm excited for Gwen. I know she's pleased to be able to move 
forward," said Administrator O'Keefe. "This is a critical position 
for the agency and I appreciate Senator Ted Stevens' efforts in 
making this confirmation a priority. I also want to thank the entire 
Senate for expediting this confirmation."

The NASA CFO provides professional leadership for the planning, 
analysis, justification, control and reporting of all NASA fiscal 
resources, and for agency strategic management and planning, and 
performance measurement. Before her nomination in July, Brown served 
as NASA's Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Financial Management.

Prior to joining NASA, she was a senior Program Analyst with the 
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), Directorate 
for Program and Financial Control at the Pentagon. Brown was 
instrumental in instituting streamlined reporting requirements and 
developing electronic management reports which significantly reduced 
the amount of required hard-copy accounting data.

Brown began her Defense Department career as a Management Analyst in 
1992, where she helped plan, develop and institute modern business 
and accounting practices. She joined the Pentagon's financial team 
after serving on the United States Senate staff. Brown started her 
public service career as a manager and auditor for the Defense 
Contract Audit Agency, Silver Spring, Md., in 1987. 

She has a bachelor's degree in Accounting from The Catholic University 
of America and a master's degree in Public Administration from The 
American University, both in Washington, and she has been honored for 
her outstanding performance throughout her career. 

	
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