Deregulatory Task Force Members

Matthew Kopko was an attorney for the law firms Foley Hoag and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. — ProPublica

Katharine MacGregor was a staffer for the House Committee on Natural Resources, and legislative director for former Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA). — ProPublica

Bill Manger served as managing director at Brock Capital Group, a boutique investment bank, where he, according to his SBA biography, “advised and supported small-to-medium sized enterprises in their efforts to raise capital and expand their businesses.” The agency indicated he agreed to recuse himself for at least two years from issues narrowly affecting recent clients or employers. — ProPublica

Jim Manning previously consulted for USA Funds, once one of the largest guarantors of federal student loans. The agency said he has recused himself from working on issues related to his former client. — ProPublica

Bio, via Udall Foundation via Internet Archive:

James Manning is a veteran of government and public service. He has served in six Presidential Administrations and as a leader in the non-profit community. Mr. Manning currently serves as Acting Under Secretary of the U. S. Department of Education. Mr. Manning's career began at the U.S. Department of State where he served in the career Foreign Service. He went on to serve as a Special Assistant to the President and Director of Projects for the First Lady during the Reagan Administration. In that position, he planned and directed the First Lady's "Just-Say-No" anti-drug abuse campaign. In 1989, Mr. Manning moved to the Department of Education for the first time, serving in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education as Deputy Assistant Secretary. Mr. Manning left government in 1993 and joined the National Basketball Association as Director of International Events. He planned and directed events worldwide to promote the NBA's commitment to social responsibility and to helping people achieve an improved quality of life. Some of the key events he directed include the league's South Africa Tours, USA Basketball Women's National Team Tour and Dream Team II Tour, All-Star weekend and the Special Olympics World Games. In the late 1990's, Mr. Manning served as head of two non-profit organizations; the non-profit Congressional Award Foundation, a public-private partnership designed to work with business, community and congressional leaders to foster personal development and community service in America's youth. He also served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Catholic Alliance, a bipartisan grassroots Catholic citizens organization. In 2001, he was called again to government service and returned to the Department of Education where he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary. In that position, Mr. Manning served as the principal advisor to the Deputy Secretary on all policy and program issues. He oversaw the day-to-day operation of the Department, and, for a period, led the Department's largest component, Federal Student Aid (FSA) as Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO). In 2003, while serving at Education, Mr. Manning was asked by the White House to assume leadership of the Corporation for National and Community Service during a crisis period when the operation of the Corporation's flagship program, AmeriCorps, was suspended due to program management problems. On re-establishing smooth operation of the Corporation, Mr. Manning returned to the Department of Education and assumed the duties of Chief of Staff in FSA. He subsequently served as FSA’s Deputy COO and Acting COO as well as Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in 2005; and in 2006, he served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Postsecondary Education. After retiring from federal service in 2015, Mr. Manning worked as a self-employed consultant until he was called to join President Trump’s transition team. As the lead for the Trump Administration’s transition efforts at the Department of Education, Mr. Manning ensured a steady transition of leadership. On April 13, 2017, Secretary DeVos appointed Mr. Manning as Acting Under Secretary, where he brings his breadth of experience, skills as an administrator and a deep understanding of the workings of higher education issues all of which make him uniquely qualified for this position. Mr. Manning makes his home in Virginia with his wife, Ann. They have four grown children.

Brian McCormack previously handled political and external affairs for Edison Electric Institute, the trade association representing investor-owned electric companies. — ProPublica

Bio, via Edison Electric Institute:

Prior to joining EEI, Brian worked as a private consultant on coalition development, media and policy issues to political candidates, businesses and trade associations. He served in numerous capacities in the George W. Bush Administration, ending as Deputy Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs. Brian also served as a special assistant in the Department of Defense to Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, presidential envoy to Iraq, and later to Ken Krieg in the Office of Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. He began in the Administration as the personal aide to Vice President Dick Cheney. His government service began with Senator Dirk Kempthorne. Brian was raised in New Jersey and received his B.A. in Criminal Justice Administration from Boise State University.

Marianne McInerney was president of a trade group representing car dealers. After that, she held executive positions in a number of electric and hybrid automotive companies, including Visionary Vehicles, Smith Electric Vehicles, Azure Dynamics, GreenTech Automotive and Cenntro Automotive. — ProPublica

Sean McMaster was previously on staff at the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and deputy chief of staff for former Representative John Mica, a Florida Republican. — ProPublica

Nathan Mehrens was previously an executive at RWP Labor, a consulting firm for companies fighting employee efforts to unionize. The firm boasts “a 90% plus win rate” and “extensive bi-lingual experience” in combatting budding unions and decertifying existing ones. He was also president of the Americans for Limited Government Research Foundation, a conservative group that is critical of labor unions and has received funding from the National Restaurant Association, an industry trade group. Before that, Mehrens worked at the Labor Department during the George W. Bush administration. — ProPublica

James Owens was an attorney for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. — ProPublica

Chris Pilkerton was most recently a compliance director at J.P. Morgan Chase, a bank that offers business loans backed by SBA. The agency indicated he agreed to recuse himself for at least two years from issues narrowly affecting recent clients or employers. — ProPublica

Jim Ray was a principal at KPMG, which helps government address infrastructure problems, and, before that, worked in the Transportation Department and the Office of Management and Budget. — ProPublica

Jeff Rosen worked at Kirkland and Ellis. He has represented an airline trade group, General Motors, Hyundai and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As general counsel for the Department of Transportation under the George W. Bush administration, Mr. Rosen testified that regulatory reviews he was a part of led to the termination of 180 potential rules. An agency spokeswoman pointed out that he also approved fuel economy rules. — ProPublica

Auborn Joseph Shepard was previously a partner and managing director for Archway Capital Management and, before that, a director of Banc One Capital Markets. When he was hired at SBA, Administrator Linda McMahon said his “private sector experience as a subordinated debt lender and private equity investor in small businesses, is the perfect fit” for his position. The agency indicated he agreed to recuse himself for at least two years from issues narrowly affecting recent clients or employers. — ProPublica

Daniel Simmons was vice president for policy at the Institute for Energy Research, a conservative think tank that has opposed efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions and that has received funding from the American Petroleum Institute and the Charles Koch Institute. Prior to that, he was a task force director for the American Legislative Exchange Council, an industry-funded model bill organization, and a research fellow at the Koch-funded conservative think tank Mercatus Center. — ProPublica

Bio, via Department of Education:

Daniel served as the Institute for Energy Research's Vice President for Policy, overseeing its energy and environmental policy work at the state and federal level. He previously served as director of the Natural Resources Task Force at the American Legislative Exchange Council, was a research fellow at the Mercatus Center, and worked as professional staff on the Committee on Resources of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a graduate of Utah State University and George Mason University School of Law.

Loren Smith was a director at Capital Alpha Partners, where he focused on transportation issues, among other issues. — ProPublica

John Sullivan was most recently a partner at the law firm Mayer Brown, where he represented companies on issues commonly under the purview of the State Department such as export controls. Prior to that, he served at various agencies during the administrations of George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush. — ProPublica

Jose Viana served as an administrator of the Migrant Education Program for North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction. — ProPublica

Bio, via Department of Education:

Prior to joining the Department, Viana served for eight years as an administrator of the Migrant Education Program for North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction. The mission of that program is to help migrant students and youths meet high academic standards by overcoming obstacles due to frequent moves, educational disruption, cultural and linguistic differences, and health-related problems. During that time, Viana also served as the vice-chair of the Governing Board for the North Carolina Farmworker Health Program. Viana began his career in Miami-Dade County Public Schools as an elementary school teacher for English language learners and later was a humanities instructor at an International Baccalaureate World School. The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop knowledgeable young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. Concurrently, Viana prepared and delivered general teaching skills sessions to Florida International University's undergraduate students receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in education in all levels and content areas. After acquiring his degree in educational leadership in 2006, Viana became an elementary school administrator for Durham (North Carolina) Public Schools, where he established the districtwide Title I Parent Advisement Committee for Hispanics to help ensure that Latino children from low-income families met challenging state academic standards. Viana is a second-generation Cuban immigrant who started his primary years as an English language learner. The magnificent teachers he encountered in his early learning inspired him to become an educator. Viana has devoted his life to improving educational opportunities for minority populations and is honored to serve our nation's English learners and their families. Viana and his wife, Aimee, the senior executive director for marriage and family life in the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, have two children. They are expecting their third child this fall. Viana also manages to find time in the evenings to prepare high school students from China for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Robb Wong held leadership positions in several small businesses, including FedSolve LLC, which used SBA programs to help win federal contracts. The agency indicated he agreed to recuse himself for two years from issues narrowly affecting recent clients or employers. — ProPublica