Obama taps Vanessa Sutherland to lead CSB

Washington – President Barack Obama has nominated Vanessa Allen Sutherland to become chairman of the Chemical Safety Board.

If confirmed by the Senate, Sutherland would succeed CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso when his term expires June 24. Moure-Eraso has led the agency since 2010.

For the past three years, Sutherland has served as chief counsel for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, overseeing the agency’s legal programs and recommending enforcement actions for violators.

Prior to joining PHMSA in 2011, Sutherland served for seven years as senior counsel for Altria Client Services in Richmond, VA. She also spent six years at MCI WorldCom.

During Moure-Eraso’s tenure, CSB has repeatedly come under scrutiny for board departures, delayed investigations and other issues. Much of the agency’s leadership has been overhauled in the past several months. New board members Richard J. Engler and Manuel H. Ehrlich Jr. were confirmed by the Senate in December, and President Obama in January nominated Kristen Kulinowski as a board member.