(Photo : Ben Friedman)

Ben Friedman is currently the chief operating officer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the U.S. Department of Commerce. His official title is Deputy Under Secretary for Operations. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency at both the national and international levels.

NOAA's Activities

NOAA's work involves providing daily weather forecasts, storm warnings, climate monitoring, restoration of coasts, and marine commerce support. According to NOAA's website, their information applies to sectors that account for a third of US GDP. Their work serves emergency service managers, economic planners, and even normal citizens.

The agency pursues environmental justice because poor people suffer disproportionately worse effects of climate change. This underscores the need for the agency to have a strong legal department led by a General Counsel. The agency publishes the most authoritative climate information globally to shape opinions and policy making on climate.

The agency funds research into oceans and the atmosphere. They publish findings through articles on their website. A lot of their work entails making predictions on the effects of global warming on ocean levels and the arctic region.

The Office of Marine Operations within the agency has the biggest fleet of oceanographic research in the world. The Office also has fisheries survey vessels whose work is to monitor fishing activities to ensure they are sustainable. Their work informs policies around fishing in oceans in US ocean waters. The agency has a diving department that trains NOAA employees and volunteers. Most diving is for research initiatives by the various offices.

Ben Friedman's Previous Positions

Ben Friedman started as the Deputy General Counsel at NOAA in 2010. There are usually two Deputy General counsels to the agency who oversees all the legal work at the agency. They advise on the various NOAA is running or indirectly involved in. Ben Friedman's next position at NOAA was Chief of the Office of General Counsel's Enforcement Section.

When NOAA Administrator Kathy Sullivan's term expired in January 2017, Ben Friedman served in that position in an acting capacity. The NOAA Administrator is a presidential nominee and, therefore, when President Obama's term ended, Kathy Sullivan left her position. Ben Friedman, alongside others, served until President Trump appointed a substantive replacement.

Ben Friedman's Career Beginnings

Ben Friedman is a Tennessee native. He holds a degree in Molecular Biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He also has a master's in theological University from Emory University. A graduate of Emory University School of Law in 1993, Ben Friedman's career has seen him live in Washington for the last 24 years.

Ben Friedman's career started with working as a clerk to a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judicial clerkship improves the research and writing skills of young graduate students. During clerkship, people learn how trials and appeals work, which is essential in law practice. It's also an introduction to the law community where people interact with various professionals in the justice field.

Ben began work at the Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor in Washington for 16 years. For four years, he handled organized crime and racketeering matters. He then served as Assistant General Counsel at the US Department of Commerce. He handled matters on employment and labor laws. Ben was a Special Assistant to the US Attorney due to his unique experiences within the Department of Justice. He then left the Department of Commerce to join NOAA in 2010, taking rich public service experience there.

Ben Friedman's career is a journey in public service. He continues to lead the NOAA in its stewardship of marine life and resources and research into the atmosphere.