Commission Members
Elected as Chairman of the Commission for the 2014 report cycle effective January 1, 2014. Government and public policy attorney, former director of policy for the Bob Dole for President campaign; former Assistant Secretary for Policy, Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Reappointed by the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for a fourth two-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
Elected as Vice Chairman of the Commission for the 2014 report cycle effective January 1, 2014. President, National Foreign Trade Council; former Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration; former legislative assistant to Senator John Heinz (PA) and Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV (WV). Reappointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for a seventh two-year term expiring December 31, 2015.
Former Chief of Staff, Counsel, Legislative Director, and Foreign Policy Advisor to U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi; former Professional Staff Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Commissioner Bartholomew served as the Commission Chairman for the 2007 and 2009 report cycles, and served as Vice Chairman for the 2006, 2008 and 2010 report cycles. Reappointed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for a seventh two-year term expiring December 31, 2015.
Commissioner Brookes is currently a senior fellow for National Security Affairs at The Heritage Foundation. Prior to Heritage, he served in the George W. Bush Administration as the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Affairs, with the Committee on International Relations in the U.S. House of Representatives, at the Central Intelligence Agency, at the State Department at the United Nations, in the defense industry, and in the U.S. Navy. He is a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University, and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, the Defense Language Institute, the Naval War College, and The John Hopkins University. Reappointed for a two-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
Principal, Olivet Consulting, LLC; former Counselor to the President of the World Bank; former Associate Director at the White House Office of Management and Budget; and worked in a variety of positions for U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell including the Senate Intelligence, Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees. Reappointed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for a third two-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
Assistant to the general president, and director, Special Projects and Initiatives, for the International Union of Operating Engineers. Previously, Commissioner Fiedler was President of Research Associates of America (RAA) and the elected president of the Food and Allied Services Trades Department, AFL-CIO. Served on the Board of Directors of the Consumer Federation of America and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1992, Commissioner Fiedler co-founded the Laogai Research Foundation (LRF), an organization devoted to studying the forced labor camp system in China. Reappointed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for a fifth two-year term expiring December 31, 2015.
An attorney with West Virginia law firm Goodwin & Goodwin LLP, specializing in commercial litigation, appellate advocacy and intellectual property. In 2010, Senator Goodwin was appointed by West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd, where he served until a special election was held to fill the remainder of Senator Byrd’s unexpired term. In 2009, Senator Goodwin chaired the Independent Commission on Judicial Reform in West Virginia, and during the four years prior, served as General Counsel to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III. Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for a second two-year term expiring December 31, 2015.
Founder and co-owner of the Slane Company with extensive international business experience. Commissioner Slane served for two years on active duty as a U.S. Army Captain in Military Intelligence and served as a Case Officer with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Also worked in The White House during the Ford Administration. Commissioner Slane served as the Commission Chairman for the 2010 report cycle and as Vice Chairman for the 2011 report cycle. Mr. Slane was reappointed to the Commission by House Speaker John Boehner for a fourth two-year term expiring on December 31, 2015.
Senator Talent is currently a partner at Banner Public Affairs. From 2007 to 2010, Sen. Talent served as Vice-Chairman of the Commission on Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, served on the Independent Panel that reviewed the Quadrennial Defense Review of the Department of Defense, served as a member of the Executive Panel advising the Chief of Naval Operations, and was a Distinguished Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. From 2002 to 2007, Sen. Talent served in the U.S. Senate and from 1992 to 2001, served in the U.S. House of Representatives, both of which representing his home state of Missouri. While in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Talent served as a member of the Senate Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committees, and while in the House he served as Chairman of the House Small Business Committee and a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Appointed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for a second one-year term expiring December 31, 2015.
Dr. Tobin served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Performance Improvement at the Department of Education from 2009 to 2011. From 2006 to 2009, Dr. Tobin was a member of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. In addition, Dr. Tobin has fifteen years of experience as a business manager, market researcher and consultant at corporate institutions that include Hewlett-Packard and IBM, and has also worked in multiple roles within academia as both an administrator and professor. Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for a two-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
President of The Wessel Group Inc.; current member on the Board of Directors of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., one of the world’s largest tire companies; former Counsel to Congressman Richard A. Gephardt (MO). Reappointed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, for a seventh two-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
During a 32-year military career, Dr. Wortzel spent 12 years in the Asia-Pacific region, including two tours of duty as a military attaché in China. Following his retirement from the Army as a colonel in 1999, he was an executive with The Heritage Foundation. At Heritage he was Asian Studies Center Director and Vice President for foreign policy and defense studies. Dr. Wortzel has written and edited numerous books and articles on China. He was reappointed by House Speaker John Boehner for a seventh two-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
Formerly served as a senior intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. Mr. Danis managed the agency’s technology transfer division; the U.S. government’s sole analytical entity tasked with producing intelligence assessments regarding all aspects of foreign acquisition of U.S. controlled technology and high-tech corporations. He also established and led a unique team of China technology specialists producing assessments on China’s military-industrial complex, and the impact of U.S. export-controlled and other foreign technology on Chinese weapons development programs. While serving in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Danis was twice temporarily assigned to the office of the defense attaché in Beijing.
