Interested in tackling FOIA’s toughest challenges through collaboration with other requesters and FOIA professionals? Please consider submitting a nomination for yourself or someone else for the 2024-2026 term of the federal FOIA Advisory Committee.
The Committee studies the FOIA landscape across the executive branch and advises the Archivist of the United States on Potential Improvements to FOIA Administration. We are looking for a wide range of FOIA experts from both inside and outside of government. We seek, at a minimum:
- three representatives from Cabinet-level departments;
- three representatives from non-Cabinet agencies;
- two representatives of organizations that advocate on FOIA matters;
- three individuals representing the interests of FOIA requesters who qualify for each of the three FOIA requester fee categories
- “commercial,”
- “news media,” and
- “all other;”
- one individual representing the interests of historians and history-related organizations; and
- one individual representing the interests of academia.
Three of the non-government seats are non-designated while two of the government seats are non-designated. OGIS Director Alina M. Semo and Office of Information Policy Director Bobak “Bobby” Talebian are also on the Committee by virtue of their positions, in accordance with the charter.
Committee members are expected to attend a minimum of 11 public meetings during the two-year Committee term. Meetings will be held in person or virtually. All Committee members are expected to volunteer for one or more working subcommittees.
We must receive nominations by 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 15, 2024. To submit a nomination, please provide your/the nominee’s name, title, phone number and email address, and the representative role for which you wish you/the nominee to be considered. For both self-nominations and nominations by other individuals, please provide a short biography about the nominee (not to exceed one page) summarizing their resumé or otherwise highlighting the contributions the nominee would bring to the Committee; and the nominee’s resumé or curriculum vitae. Nominations should be sent to foia-advisory-committee@nara.gov.
The Archivist of the United States will review the nominations and appoint members this summer prior to the first meeting of the new term on September 9, 2024.