Heather Zichal
Encyclopedia
Heather Zichal is the Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, serving in the Barack Obama administration since 2009. Following the early 2011 departure of Carol Browner from the administration, Zichal gained the general responsibility of coordinating the administration's energy and climate policy. Zichal previously served as a legislative director and campaign advisor to several Democratic Party
congressional members.
, with parents Ken (a family physician) and Fran and a younger brother. She graduated from Central Elkader High School in 1994. She attended Cook College at Rutgers University
, where she studied environmental policy
and graduated in 1999.
While at Rutgers she had interned at the state chapter of the Sierra Club
and was part of a panel interviewing candidates for U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 12th congressional district
. The support of her and other environmentalists helped Democrat Rush D. Holt, Jr.
stage an upset victory over Republican
incumbent Michael J. Pappas
. Impressed by her sharpness, Holt hired Zichal, and she went to Washington, D.C.
, where she served as a legislative director for him. She held the same position for Representative Frank Pallone
from 2001 to 2002. She then was a legislative assistant and later director for U.S. Senator John Kerry
from 2002 to 2008, She also worked as an assistant for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
. In these positions she worked on legislation to address climate change, reduce the country's dependence on oil for energy, and to protect American natural resources. She also served as a top advisor on energy and environmental issues to the 2004 Kerry presidential campaign
and the 2008 Obama presidential campaign
(having first met Obama when he was lost in one of the Senate buildings and asked her for directions).
After serving on the Obama-Biden Transition Project in its Energy and Environment Policy Working Group, where she achieved some public visibility, she was named to be Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change in December 2008, to serve as deputy to Carol Browner, who was named director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy
(as such, Browner's position was also informally referred to as the "Climate Czar" or "Energy Czar
"). Zichal took office in January 2009.
When Browner left the White House in March 2011, Zichal took over the general responsibilities of coordinating the administration's energy and climate policy, now operating from within the U.S. Domestic Policy Council
(the "czar" position itself having been reorganized away by the White House and its funding subsequently abolished by Congress in the mid-April 2011 federal spending agreement
that averted a possible government shutdown). Zichal and the administration faced a political challenge; with Republicans having taken over the House of Representatives following the 2010 midterm elections
, chances of the large-scale climate and energy legislation passing that Browner had worked towards were essentially nil. Instead, the administration intended to pursue more modest goals that could attract bipartisan support, such as reducing oil imports and promoting clean or renewable energy sources. Zichal's past experience in both legislative and political campaigning was seen as valuable in trying to achieve such goals.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
congressional members.
Biography
Zichal grew up in Elkader, IowaElkader, Iowa
Elkader is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clayton County.-History:The city is named after Algerian leader Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri...
, with parents Ken (a family physician) and Fran and a younger brother. She graduated from Central Elkader High School in 1994. She attended Cook College at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, where she studied environmental policy
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
and graduated in 1999.
While at Rutgers she had interned at the state chapter of the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
and was part of a panel interviewing candidates for U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 12th congressional district
New Jersey's 12th congressional district
New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rush D. Holt Jr. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb.-Voting trends:The...
. The support of her and other environmentalists helped Democrat Rush D. Holt, Jr.
Rush D. Holt, Jr.
Rush Dew Holt, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently the only Quaker in Congress.-Early life and education :Rush D. Holt was born to Rush D...
stage an upset victory over Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Michael J. Pappas
Michael J. Pappas
Michael James "Mike" Pappas is a former Republican Congressman from New Jersey.-Biography:Pappas was born in 1960 in New Brunswick, New Jersey...
. Impressed by her sharpness, Holt hired Zichal, and she went to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where she served as a legislative director for him. She held the same position for Representative Frank Pallone
Frank Pallone
Frank Pallone, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously represented the 3rd district from 1988 to 1993.-Early life, education, and early political career:...
from 2001 to 2002. She then was a legislative assistant and later director for U.S. Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
from 2002 to 2008, She also worked as an assistant for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration and is also charged with researching and investigating all problems of American small business enterprises.-History:The...
. In these positions she worked on legislation to address climate change, reduce the country's dependence on oil for energy, and to protect American natural resources. She also served as a top advisor on energy and environmental issues to the 2004 Kerry presidential campaign
John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004
The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
and the 2008 Obama presidential campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
(having first met Obama when he was lost in one of the Senate buildings and asked her for directions).
After serving on the Obama-Biden Transition Project in its Energy and Environment Policy Working Group, where she achieved some public visibility, she was named to be Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change in December 2008, to serve as deputy to Carol Browner, who was named director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy
White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy
The White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy is a new government entity in the United States created by President Barack Obama. Its first director is Carol Browner, who was Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for the eight years of the Bill Clinton administration...
(as such, Browner's position was also informally referred to as the "Climate Czar" or "Energy Czar
Energy Czar
Energy Czar is a nickname, using the political term "czar", for the person in the Government of the United States given authority over energy policy within the executive branch...
"). Zichal took office in January 2009.
When Browner left the White House in March 2011, Zichal took over the general responsibilities of coordinating the administration's energy and climate policy, now operating from within the U.S. Domestic Policy Council
United States Domestic Policy Council
The Domestic Policy Council of the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering domestic policy matters, excluding economic matters, which are the domain of the National Economic Council...
(the "czar" position itself having been reorganized away by the White House and its funding subsequently abolished by Congress in the mid-April 2011 federal spending agreement
2011 United States federal budget
The 2011 United States federal budget is the United States federal budget to fund government operations for the fiscal year 2011, which is October 2010–September 2011. The budget is the subject of a spending request by President Barack Obama...
that averted a possible government shutdown). Zichal and the administration faced a political challenge; with Republicans having taken over the House of Representatives following the 2010 midterm elections
United States elections, 2010
The 2010 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. During this midterm election year, all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 37 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate were contested in this election along with 38 state and territorial...
, chances of the large-scale climate and energy legislation passing that Browner had worked towards were essentially nil. Instead, the administration intended to pursue more modest goals that could attract bipartisan support, such as reducing oil imports and promoting clean or renewable energy sources. Zichal's past experience in both legislative and political campaigning was seen as valuable in trying to achieve such goals.