New Deputy Director of EPA-OGWDW

Ms. Rebecca (Becki) Clark recently began her duties as Deputy Director of EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW), replacing Andrew Sawyers who left several months ago to become the new Director of the Agency’s Office of Wastewater Management.  Below is an announcement from OGWDW Director Peter Grevatt introducing Ms. Clark:

“I’m pleased to announce that I have selected Ms. Rebecca (Becki) Clark as Deputy Director for the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW). Becki will join the OGWDW management team on Tuesday, January 7, 2014.  Becki is a seasoned EPA senior manager with experience in many EPA policy and operational issues. Becki has led a number of research and media programs during her almost thirty years at EPA.  During her career she has served in the Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation (now Office of Policy), ORD, OEI and OSWER, and Becki has extensive experience working with research scientists, media program offices, regions, industry, other Federal agencies, White House offices and the public health community.

Becki previously served as Deputy Director (2007-2010) and Acting Director (2010-2012) for ORD’s National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA). While she was Acting NCEA Director, she oversaw completion of a significant number of important assessments under the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) – the scientific foundation for many EPA rules – while earning praise for developing an open and transparent decision-making process. Her tenure as Acting NCEA Director also saw the development of Integrated Science Assessments to support OAR’s NAAQS program, production of ground-breaking research on climate change, and the development of ecological assessments on Mountaintop Mining, support for Waters of the U.S., and activities in Bristol Bay AK.  She was also ORD’s Acting National Program Director for Human Health Risk Assessment, helping shape ORD’s restructured national research programs. Prior to NCEA, Becki served as Division Director In ORD’s National Center for Environmental Research, where she managed an $80 million national research grants program funding human health, children’s health, ecological, and climate change research, as well as several student fellowship programs. Most recently, Becki was Director of OSWER’s Assessment and Remediation Division, where she directed critical aspects of the Superfund cleanup program in support of EPA regional offices.

Becki was trained in microbiology, toxicology, and environmental health at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, with continuing education at Harvard’s School of Public Health. She is a well-recognized figure in human health risk assessment, both nationally and internationally.

Becki is a native of Michigan and still cheers for the Detroit Lions, Tigers and Red Wings. She is an avid cyclist, enjoys downhill skiing and hiking. She is the mother of four adult children and lives in Old Town Alexandria with her husband Matthew, and a dog and a cat.”