PRESIDENT TRUMP APPOINTS HEATHER L. MACDOUGALL AS ACTING CHAIRMAN

On January 23, 2017, President Donald Trump designated Heather L. MacDougall as Acting Chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Ms. MacDougall has served as a Commissioner since April 2, 2014, after being nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Acting Chairman MacDougall stated:

I am deeply honored that President Trump has designated me as Acting Chairman of the Review Commission. Our sole statutory mandate is to serve as an administrative court providing fair and expeditious resolution of disputes involving the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers charged with violations of Federal safety and health standards, and employees and/or their representatives. I look forward to continuing to serve the President and the American people and working with my colleagues at the Review Commission in this critical task of ensuring that OSHA's enforcement actions are carried out in accordance with the law and that parties are accorded due process.

Prior to her appointment to the Commission, Ms. MacDougall had 20 years of experience representing employers throughout the U.S. with regard to matters involving labor, employment, and occupational safety and health law, most recently with Akerman LLP in West Palm Beach, Florida. In addition, she previously served as Chief Legal Counsel & Special Advisor to Chairman W. Scott Railton of the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission.

Ms. MacDougall received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and a J.D. from Marquette University Law School.