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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release May 4, 1994
                 PRESIDENT NAMES NANCY GIST AS DIRECTOR 
                   OF THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE

     The President today announced his intent to nominate Nancy Gist to

be Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance provides funding, training and technical assistance to state and local governments to combat violent crime, gang activity and drug trafficking; implements drug control strategies and demonstrates innovative initiatives such as community policing. It also administers the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula and Discretionary Grant Programs, the Public Safety Officer's Benefits, Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance, Regional Information Sharing System and the Private Sector/Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Programs.

Nancy Gist has served as the Deputy Chief Counsel for the Private Counsel Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Boston since 1984. Prior to joining the Committee, Ms. Gist held the position of Director of Midwest Legal Services in Detroit for three years. She has also served as Assistant Director of the United Auto Workers Legal Services Plan, where she developed a model plan which has served as a prototype for private attorney provider systems in both insured and non-insured plans nationally.

From 1974-1977, Ms. Gist worked as a Staff Attorney for Chicago's Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law. Ms. Gist received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1973 and her B.A. in Economics from Wellesley College in 1969.

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