From the Six Degrees of Separation Department:
Former Sightline Director Jane Lubchenco, a marine biologist from Oregon State University, will be the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Stephen Chu is the new secretary of energy. It’s a stretch, but his cousin was once on Sightline’s payroll (editorial director Ellen Chu).
Oh, and Sightline’s executive director, Alan Durning, went jogging about a year ago with Lisa Brown of the American Constitution Society (not the Senate majority leader from Spokane, WA). She will be President-elect Obama’s White House staff secretary.
Update 3/13/2009: Friends of Sightline Ron Sims and Gary Locke have also been selected for the new administration (Assistance Secretary at HUD and Secretary of Commerce, respectively).
Update 3/17/2009: We’re also excited to see Van Jones appointed to Obama’s Council on Environmental Quality, focusing on green jobs, innovation, and enterprise. He’s a Sightline friend in the sense that we’re some of his biggestfans—and we applaud and share his unflagging commitment to green collar jobs and fairness in energy policy.
