Corporation for National and Community Service Announces
New Director of Government Relations 

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The Corporation for National and Community Service has turned to a 20-year government affairs executive to manage its relations with Congress, Administration officials, and the nation's governors and mayors.

The appointment of Kathleen Ott as Director of Government Relations comes at a time of strong interest in the Corporation and its programs. The agency is implementing a historic fiscal 2004 budget that supports 540,000 Senior Corps volunteers, 1.8 million Learn and Serve America students, and 75,000 AmeriCorps members, the highest number in AmeriCorps’ 10-year existence.

“This is a time of immense potential for national and community service. The President has made service and civic engagement a national priority and Congress has affirmed the value of our mission by supporting historic funding levels for our programs,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation. “I’m delighted to welcome Kathy to our executive team as we build on this strong bipartisan momentum. She brings two decades of experience, a wealth of contacts, and a strong passion for our mission of service.”

Ott, who will report directly to Eisner, has served at the executive level in several government affairs positions. Most recently, she was Director of Government Relations at TRW Inc., where she provided Washington representation on health care, tax, pension, trade, workforce, education, and other issues. In her role, she developed and executed legislative strategies, built issue coalitions, led Congressional visits, crafted legislative communications, and managed the overall corporate government affairs agenda.

In addition to her government experience, Ott is a longtime volunteer. She raised funds to support a volunteer coordinator for a Washington, D.C. homeless shelter, set up a socialization program for disabled young adults for the Northern Virginia ARC, and has been a Girl Scout troop leader for the past seven years.

"I am amazed by the tremendous and varied opportunities for Americans to step forward and make a difference through the thousands of local programs in the Corporation’s network,” said Ott. “I look forward to using my experience to advance the President’s agenda for the Corporation and its vital role in building a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility in America.”

Katherine Hoehn, who has acted as Director of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs since January 2003, will now serve as Director of State and Local Affairs as a deputy to Ott.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.org.

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