Today we present an interview with Whitney Frazier-Jenkins, Disclosure Officer at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and a member of the 2024-2026 FOIA Advisory Committee. This is part of a series of posts on the Committee, whose members are FOIA experts from inside and outside of government and who are appointed by the Archivist of the United States.
Why did you wish to serve on the FOIA Advisory Committee?
I believe that transparency and accountability is fundamental to democracy and an informed citizenry. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives requesters access to records and information that fosters transparency and accountability in our communities. By serving on the Advisory Committee, I hope to help generate dialogue and work with fellow Committee members to develop recommendations that enhance the FOIA process for the requester community while balancing the operational requirements of agencies.
How do you think this experience will help you in your work?
I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with fellow Committee members to discuss effective ways to enhance the FOIA. The FOIA Advisory Committee will allow me to gain more understanding of the challenges faced from the requester community. The dialogue between government FOIA professionals and leaders in the requester community will allow me to implement changes in our FOIA process to provide excellent service.
What is FOIA’s biggest challenge?
Today, FOIA faces a myriad of challenges. All governmental agencies are facing an increase in the volume and complexity of FOIA requests received annually. Unfortunately, government resources are not increasing to match the rising FOIA demands which has led to large agency backlogs. Agencies need to leverage technology and staffing resources to provide requesters effective FOIA service processing.
Tell us about your favorite FOIA moment.
Selecting just one FOIA moment is challenging for me. My favorite experiences involve collaborating with requesters to creatively process their FOIA requests. Open dialogue between my office and requesters has often led to streamlined handling of complex requests, allowing us to provide exactly the records and information they seek. These communications are vital to effectively providing requesters with excellent customer service.
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