FBI Director
Mueller Names Assistant Directors
for Congressional and Public Affairs
Washington,
DC - FBI Director Robert S. Mueller today announced
the official reorganization of the Bureau's
Office of Public and Congressional Affairs (OPCA)
into two offices with separate leadership. Director
Mueller named Eleni P. Kalisch to be Assistant
Director in charge of the FBI's Office of Congressional
Affairs (OCA). He named Cassandra M. Chandler
to be Assistant Director in charge of the Office
of Public Affairs (OPA).
According
to Director Mueller, "We made the change
to improve our communication with both lawmakers
and the public during this time of change for
the Bureau and heightened concern for national
security."
"I
have relied on Eleni to respond to Congressional
oversight on sensitive law enforcement and national
security issues," Mueller said. "Her
experience on Capitol Hill coupled with her
knowledge of the FBI makes her an invaluable
asset to the Bureau."
Ms.
Kalisch has been serving as Acting Assistant
Director of OCA since January and was previously
Section Chief of FBI Government Relations. She
joined the FBI in 1995 as Assistant General
Counsel after serving as Counsel to the U.S.
Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
chaired by former Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia.
In 1998, she joined the FBI's OPCA as Special
Counsel, where she worked closely with the U.S.
Congress and with other federal agencies.
Prior
to joining the FBI, Ms. Kalisch served as Assistant
District Attorney in DeKalb County, Georgia
and worked as a news writer for CNN in Atlanta.
She earned a law degree from Georgia State University
College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
from the University of Georgia.
Cassandra
M. Chandler is an 18-year veteran of the Bureau.
Director Mueller said, "Cassi brings a
wide range of experience and tremendous energy
to Public Affairs. She was serving as the Assistant
Director of the Training Division last December,
when I persuaded her to take a temporary assignment
at OPA. It was supposed to be a 90-day assignment,
but she has done a tremendous job and I have
asked her to stay on at OPA."
Prior
to joining the FBI, Mrs. Chandler worked as
a television news anchor, reporter, and talk
show host for the NBC affiliate in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana. She also practiced law with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
Mrs.
Chandler began her investigative career as a
Special Agent in January 1985, and initially
served in the FBI's New Orleans and Los Angeles
Field Offices investigating white-collar crimes,
violent crimes and civil rights violations.
In 1991, she was promoted to Supervisory Special
Agent in the Legal Counsel Division at FBI Headquarters.
She was later assigned as a manager in the Criminal
Investigative Division, White-Collar Crimes
Section, where she assisted with the creation
of the Health Care Fraud Unit and the development
of the FBI's Health Care Fraud Program.
In
1994, Mrs. Chandler was promoted to supervisor
of a white-collar crime squad in the FBI's San
Diego Field Office. While in San Diego, she
oversaw the investigation of one of this country's
first international/cross border health care
fraud undercover operations. She also managed
the division's El Centro Resident Agency, which
primarily focused on violent crimes, including
cross border kidnapping, and environmental crimes.
In
1997, she was named as an Assistant Special
Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office,
responsible for the White-Collar Crimes, Civil
Rights, Finance, and Administrative Programs.
Later, she managed the office's National Foreign
Intelligence Program, Computer Intrusion investigations,
and the Domestic and International Terrorism
Programs. She also managed the division's largest
Resident Agency in Oakland, California.
In
April 2000, Mrs. Chandler was promoted to Section
Chief in the Investigative Services Division
at FBI Headquarters. In that capacity she oversaw
the Bureau's analytical intelligence program
for criminal and domestic terrorism issues.
On February 5, 2002, Director Mueller appointed
Mrs. Chandler as Assistant Director, Training
Division where she managed 400 employees at
the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia, and directed
the training of new Agents; analysts; federal,
state, local and international police; and law
enforcement executives.
Mrs.
Chandler has a B.A. in Journalism and English
from Louisiana State University and a law degree
from Loyola University School of Law.
