Hersman, Hart retain NTSB chair seats for third terms

On Monday, Deborah Hersman was sworn in to serve a third two-year term as chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Chair since 2009, Hersman was nominated for a third term by President Barack Obama on Aug. 1 and the nomination was confirmed by the Senate on Oct. 16. Her term as chair expires on Oct. 15, 2015, and her five-year term as a NTSB member expires on Dec. 31, 2018.

"I am grateful to lead this extraordinary organization and to work with some of government's most dedicated and professional public servants," said Hersman in a press release. "I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow board members and the staff to make transportation safer for the traveling public."

Prior to joining the NTSB, Hersman was a senior professional staff member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and served as staff director and senior legislative aide to former U.S. Rep. Bob Wise (D-W.Va.).

Also on Monday, Christopher Hart was sworn in for a third two-year term as NTSB's vice chairman. His term as vice chair will expire on Oct. 15, 2015, and his five-year term as a board member will expire on Dec. 31, 2017.

An aerospace engineer, attorney and licensed pilot, Hart has more than 30 years of transportation safety experience. He previously served as an NTSB board member from 1990 to 1993, and was deputy director for air traffic safety oversight at the Federal Aviation Administration.