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William J. Brennan

William J. Brennan, Ph.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs

William J. Brennan has dedicated his career to marine and environmental policy matters at the state, regional, national and international level. In June 2002, President Bush appointed Brennan the deputy assistant secretary of commerce for international affairs with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In this position, he is responsible for leading NOAA's international efforts associated with the global oceans, atmosphere and space, to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, conserve and manage coastal and marine resources, protect life and property, and to provide decision makers with reliable scientific information.

Brennan was recently designated by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez and Energy Secretary Bodman as the acting director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, the interagency program that coordinates and integrates scientific research on changes in climate and related systems. CCSP is composed of 13 federal scientific agencies and integrates the planning and budgeting of federal climate and global change activities.

Bill Brennan began his professional career in 1977 with the NOAA Fisheries Service at its Woods Hole laboratory where much of his time was devoted to cooperative international fisheries research. In 1983, he left NOAA to take a staff position in the U.S. House of Representatives working on issues before the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. In 1987, he was appointed to a Cabinet position as Secretary of the State of Maine's Department of Marine Resources. In 1994, he opened a private consulting firm providing marine and environmental policy guidance to businesses and governments. During the same period he held the position of Professor of Ocean Policy with the Corning School of Ocean Studies.

Bill Brennan holds a B.S. degree in marine biology, a M.A. degree in marine policy and a Ph.D. in ecology and environmental sciences. He and his wife, Heather, have three children, and they reside in Maryland.