THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

     PRESIDENT NAMES MICKEY IBARRA AS ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND 
        DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

The President today announced his intention to appoint Mickey Ibarra to serve as Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House.

Mickey Ibarra, of Salt Lake City, Utah, is currently Manager of International Relations at the National Education Association (NEA). Previously, Mr. Ibarra served as NEA's Political Manager, where he was responsible for campaign strategy development, federal candidate support, political outreach, and state policy affairs. Mr. Ibarra's assignments have included work with groups such as the National Governors' Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, and the Education Commission of the States.

A former classroom teacher in Utah, Mr. Ibarra has been serving the nation's educators for sixteen years as a staff member for state and national education associations. He has worked to encourage education employees around the nation to become politically active at the local and state levels and has helped organize Congressional Contact Teams which linked local educators with members of the U.S. House and Senate. In addition, Mr. Ibarra was selected by Hispanic Business Magazine in 1995 and 1996 as one of "The 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the U.S."

In announcing the appointment, President Clinton said, "I am delighted that Mickey has agreed to join our White House staff. His strong commitment to excellence and teamwork will be a model for others to follow. In addition, his understanding and appreciation of the important role of local and state officials will serve the nation well."

Mr. Ibarra received a Bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and an Master's degree from the University of Utah.

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