Washington, DC - Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:
William Ellison Grayson of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Estonia.
William E. Grayson is the National Director of the Family Offices of Bernstein Private Wealth Management in San Francisco, California. In a long career of public service, Mr. Grayson has served four Presidents. He was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the Presidio Trust Board of Directors in San Francisco, California, where he was elected Board Chair by his fellow directors. During the Obama Administration he served as a Regional Panelist for the White House Fellows Commission. President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Grayson as a Commissioner on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships and nominated him to the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board. As Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Army under President George H.W. Bush, Mr. Grayson oversaw the Army’s 2,700 lawyers. Mr. Grayson received his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his J.D. degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the Secretary of the Army.
Donald Wright of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Republic of Tanzania.
Don J. Wright, M.D., MPH, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health and Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His career at HHS includes service as Acting Assistant Secretary for Health and Acting Executive Director of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Dr. Wright developed and implemented the National Action Plan to Reduce Healthcare Associated Infections and Healthy People 2020, the Nation’s framework for disease prevention and health promotion initiatives. Before joining the government as Director of the Office of Occupational Medicine at the Department of Labor, he was a clinician in Texas for 17 years. Dr. Wright received his B.A. at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and his M.D. at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. He received an MPH at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa. He was honored by the American College of Preventive Medicine in 2019.
John Hennessey-Niland of Illinois, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Palau.
Mr. Hennessey-Niland, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, currently serves as Political Counselor at the United States Embassy in Canberra, Australia. Previously he was the Foreign Policy Advisor to United States Marine Corps Forces Pacific at Camp Smith, Hawaii, and the Political-Economic Chief at the United States Embassy in Suva, Fiji. Other diplomatic assignments include Deputy Chief of Mission and later Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Dublin, Ireland; Director at the National Security Council for the G-20/G-7; and Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement at the United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. Mr. Hennessey-Niland received his B.A. at Tufts University, a MALD at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a Diplome at France’s École Nationale d’Administration. He speaks French and Dutch. His awards include the Department of State Foreign Policy Advisors (POLAD) of the Year Award and the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal.
