July 16, 1999
Mayor Williams Names Four New Appointments
Robert P. Newman, Andrew Atlman, Kathryn Allen, and Lawrence H. Mirel will join the Mayor's Leadership Team
Washington, D.C. – Mayor Anthony A. Williams today nominated Robert P. Newman as Director of Recreation and Parks for the District of Columbia, Andrew Atlman as Director of the Office of Planning, Kathryn Allen as the Director of the Office of Banking and Financial Institutions and Lawrence Mirel as the Department of Insurance & Securities Regulation.
Robert Newman, Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks
As Director of the Office of the Department of Recreation and Parks Mr. Newman will be responsible for providing quality leisure services to residents and visitors in safe, well-maintained parks and facilities. He will also be charged with improving customer service, promoting greater innovation, and championing public private partnerships to better meet the needs of working parents and their children.
Since 1996, Mr. Newman has served as Vice-President and Associate Director of the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research with the Academy for Educational Development. He has a broad range of experience on issues ranging from recreation to budgeting, from space to transportation policies. He worked with donor agencies, foundations, organizations, as well as state and local governments around the country to promote youth development initiatives. He has worked with more than 30 jurisdictions to implement YouthMapping and YouthLine, programs, which are tools for young people and their communities to gather and disseminate information about youth resources.
From September 1994 to September 1996, Mr. Newman served as the Administrator of the Family Health Care Network of Catholic Medical Centers of Brooklyn and Queens, Inc. In this position, Mr. Newman served as the Chief Operating Officer of four community health centers that serviced more than 71,000 patient visits per year.
Mr. Newman served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services in New York City from 1990 to 1994. He was responsible for a $70 million budget, which saw a 100% increase during his tenure.
"Robert Newman is a man of great passion, great commitment, and great experience," said Mayor Anthony A. Williams. "He will infuse the Department with a sense of energy and vision, and he will be a partner to me as we work to improve our park system and meet the needs of working parents and their children."
Andrew Altman, Director of the Office of Planning
In the position of the Director of the Office of Planning Mr. Altman will assist the Mayor in developing and managing land use and development policy, implementing the Comprehensive Plan, and coordinating all of the planning activities for the District of Columbia.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Altman served as the Director of City Planning of the Community and Economic Development Agency in Oakland, California from 1996 to 1999. There he managed all planning, land use approvals, and zoning for one of the most diverse cities in the nation. Mr. Altman directed an inner city planning and revitalization program that targeted city services and funding to distressed areas.
Before coming to Oakland, Mr. Altman was the Special Assistant to the Administrator of the Community Redevelopment Agency in Los Angeles from March 1991 to July 1995. He was in charge of planning services including management of the Downtown Strategic Plan. The Plan was a Public Private Partnership that developed an action program for downtown Los Angeles.
From October 1989 to March 1991, Mr. Altman served as Los Angeles, Mayor Tom Bradley primary advisor and representative on all issues related to redevelopment.
Mr. Altman holds a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Temple University. Mr. Altman is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now lives in Ward 2.
Mr. Alman is an experienced and award winning professional planner," said Mayor Williams. "I'm confident that he will make our planning office the most robust in the region. We are fortunate to have such a capable veteran planner to help us steer the process of development, redevelopment, revitalization and preservation."
S. Kathryn Allen, Superintendent of Banking and Financial Institutions
As Superintendent of the Office of Banking and Financial Institutions of the District of Columbia, Ms. Allen will be charged with promoting the growth and stability of District financial institutions. She will also be charged with regulating the banking industry in the District and enforcing nondiscrimination laws in lending.
Most recently, Ms. Allen has served as Counsel and Financial Consultant for a branch of United Securities Alliance. She is responsible for a full range of financial services including mortgage loan originations, securities investment, trust and estate planning and general financial planning.
Ms. Allen also served as the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of ABC Net Corporation from 1997 to 1999. She managed and directed marketing and sales for the company. In addition, she provided in-house legal services drafting all necessary legal documents and reviewing all corporate filings.
From 1991 to 1994, Ms. Allen was Assistant General Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She was responsible for supervising and managing the Claims and Property Law Branch of the Office of the General Counsel.
"Ms. Allen has a deep commitment to neighborhood revitalization, and we want her to be an integral part of our economic development team," said Mayor Williams "I'm looking forward to working with her to bring the Banking and Financial Institutions Office into the fold of our economic development initiatives."
Lawrence Mirel, Commissioner of Insurance and Securities
Mr. Mirel, as the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation, will be responsible for regulating securities brokers and the business of insurance in the District.
Mr. Mirel has been a resident of the District for nearly 40 years, and has been extensively involved in the community affairs of the District, particularly as an advocate for home rule. Mr. Mirel served as General Counsel to the District of Columbia Council from 1979 to 1982. He was appointed to that position by then-Council Chairman Arrington Dixon, a former law student of his at the George Washington University Law Center.
For the past 15 years Mr. Mirel has been in private law practice. He has dealt extensively with insurance issues ranging from taxation to regulation to health care. He has also provided legal services to members of the social work profession.
Mr. Mirel has been an active member of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Washington Board of trade. He is also the founder and a board member of The Emeritus Foundation, a charitable organization that provides community service opportunities for retired persons. Mr. Mirel is the President and Founder of the Committee for the Capital City, a civic organization dedicated to securing full democratic rights for the people of the District of Columbia.
Mr. Mirel lives in Ward 4 with his wife, who until recently taught in the District of Columbia Public Schools.
"Mr. Mirel is a highly regarded attorney and member of the business community, as well as and active citizen. He is an expert on insurance matters in the District. He knows the agency he is about to take over, and he's up to the task," said Mayor Williams. "In short, he has the broad range of experiences and skills that we need in our new Insurance and Securities Commissioner."
