Gail McDonald
Encyclopedia
Gail Clements McDonald is an American
administrator who served as Chair of Interstate Commerce Commission
from 1993 until the Commission's disbandment
by Congress in 1995.
and studied history
at Texas Christian University
, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees. She then took a teaching position at Oklahoma State University. In 1974, she became a local campaign manager and later a staffer for David Boren. In 1979, she moved to Washington, D.C.
, with her husband, who joined the Federal Election Commission
. She was then hired as Associate Director of the Gas Research Institute, now the Gas Technology Institute
.
In 1990, she was named to the Interstate Commerce Commission. She became its chair in 1993. The Commission was disbanded by a vote of Congress on June 16, 1994. Some programs were shifted to the Department of Transportation
, and the Commission was closed in 1995. She then worked as an administrator in the Department of Transportation, then became the national ombudsman
for the Small Business Administration
. After leaving that position, she joined Maryland
's Public Works Commission.
McDonald and her husband moved to North Carolina
in 2004, and she took a position with the state Ports Authority
. In 2006, she became the first small-business ombudsman for the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
administrator who served as Chair of Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
from 1993 until the Commission's disbandment
Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act
The Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act is a United States federal law enacted in 1995 that abolished the Interstate Commerce Commission and simultaneously created its successor agency, the Surface Transportation Board.-External links:...
by Congress in 1995.
Life and career
She grew up in Greenville, MississippiGreenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
and studied history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees. She then took a teaching position at Oklahoma State University. In 1974, she became a local campaign manager and later a staffer for David Boren. In 1979, she moved 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....
, with her husband, who joined the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
. She was then hired as Associate Director of the Gas Research Institute, now the Gas Technology Institute
Gas Technology Institute
The Gas Technology Institute is an American non-profit research and development organization which develops, demonstrates, and licenses new energy technologies for private and public clients, with a particular focus on the natural gas industry. GTI is located in Des Plaines, Illinois.-History:The...
.
In 1990, she was named to the Interstate Commerce Commission. She became its chair in 1993. The Commission was disbanded by a vote of Congress on June 16, 1994. Some programs were shifted to the Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
, and the Commission was closed in 1995. She then worked as an administrator in the Department of Transportation, then became the national ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
for the Small Business Administration
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
. After leaving that position, she joined Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
's Public Works Commission.
McDonald and her husband moved to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in 2004, and she took a position with the state Ports Authority
North Carolina State Ports Authority
The North Carolina State Ports Authority is an authority set up by the state of North Carolina to develop and operate seaports in Wilmington and Morehead City, two inland container facilities, one in Charlotte and one in Greensboro, and a marina in Southport. It is planning a large international...
. In 2006, she became the first small-business ombudsman for the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
External links
- Small Business Ombudsman via North Carolina Department of Commerce