SEA names new president

The Senior Executives Association (SEA) named Bill Valdez as its new president.

Valdez, a former Department of Energy senior executive and former senior advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, joined the organization in 2000.

Valdez will become the first permanent leader of SEA since the retirement of longtime president Carol Bonosaro in November 2015. He replaces Jason Briefel, who had filled the president role temporarily since February, according to SEA's announcement. Briefel will resume his role as the association's legislative director.

A long-time active SEA member, Valdez served on the association's board of directors in 2005 and as board chair from 2011-2013.

Current Board Chair Barbara Pabotoy said Valdez' experience at DOE, where he was awarded the Secretary's Gold Medal and the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, makes him the ideal executive to lead the organization.

Valdez, who retired from the federal government in 2014, developed deep leadership experience in his tenure at the Energy Department. He was held various positions there including acting director of the agency's Office of Economic Impact and Diversity; director of business services for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and both director of planning and analysis and director for workforce development in the Office of Science 

After leaving the agency, Valdez continued in senior advising and consulting roles with corporations, academia and the federal government. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at American University's School of Public Affairs, where he specializes in federal government evaluation and strategic planning.