Former Knauss Lands Position in Federal Budget Office

November 7, 2007

Contact: Christina S. Johnson, csjohnson@ucsd.edu, 858-822-5334

Former Knauss Fellow Stuart Levenbach has begun a new job at the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, D.C., as one of only two full-time employees whose sole responsibilities are to evaluate the different programs within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He started Oct. 29.

"Where the rubber meets the road on policy is where you spend money," said Levenbach, explaining his interest in the budgetary process. OMB is tasked with preparing the president's budget, among other things. "I like looking at the big picture. OMB is a great place to get a macro-perspective on policy."

Stuart Levenbach, 2007 Knauss Fellow. Credit: Lisa Levenbach.

As a program examiner, Levenbach will review and evaluate the budgetary requests from NOAA's "wet programs," such as NOAA Fisheries, the National Ocean Service and Sea Grant. "I am essentially the president's expert on the wet-side of NOAA," he explained.

Though dealing with fiscal issues may seem a far stretch for someone trained academically in the sciences, Levenbach said his background would be helpful in his position at OMB. "Research is at the center of what NOAA does," he said.

Levenbach holds a doctorate in marine ecology from UC Santa Barbara (2007). His thesis examined the interactions between sea urchins and sea anemones and how these interactions create habitat for giant kelp.

As a Knauss Fellow, Levenbach worked with Republican staff on the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, developing bills that support programs related to NOAA, including the Ballast Water Management Act and the Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act.

He also prepared analysis and public comment for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) on topics such as polar bears, beluga whales and other protected species. For Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), he worked on legislation to address harmful algal blooms, which can poison sea life and erode the economic viability of coastal communities.

"I used my science background almost daily while working on the subcommittee," he said.

“The Knauss Fellowship served as a springboard into a career in federal policy-making,” he said. “It was an outstanding opportunity.