William B. Bonvillian, since January 2006, has been Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Washington, D.C. Office. At MIT, he works to support MIT’s strong and historic relations with federal R&D agencies, and its role on national science policy.  Prior to that position, he served for seventeen years as a senior policy advisor in the U.S. Senate. His legislative efforts included science and technology policies and innovation issues. He worked extensively on legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security, on Intelligence Reform, on defense and life science R&D, and on national competitiveness and innovation legislation. He has lectured and given speeches before numerous organizations on science, technology and innovation questions, is on the adjunct faculty at Georgetown, and has taught in this area at Georgetown, MIT and George Washington. He serves on the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, and has served on the Academies’ Committees on “Learning Science: Computer Games, Simulations and Education,” on “Modernizing the Infrastructure of the NSF’s Federal Funds (R&D) Survey” and on “Exploring the Intersection of Science Education and the Development off 21^st Century Skills.” He was the recipient of the IEEE Distinguished Public Service Award in 2007.

His book, with Distinguished Prof. Charles Weiss of Georgetown, entitled Structuring an Energy Technology Revolution, was published by MIT Press in April 2009, and is summarized on the MIT Press website.  His chapter “The Connected Science Model for Innovation” appeared in the National Academy book 21^st Century Innovation Systems for the U.S. and Japan (May 2009). His recent articles include, “Stimulating a Revolution in Sustainable Energy Technology” (with C. Weiss) in Environment (July/Aug. 2009); “The Innovation State” (July/Aug. 2009) and “Power Play – The DARPA Model and U.S. Energy Policy” (Nov./Dec.2006) both in American Interest with the latter reprinted in the book Blindside (Brookings Press, Francis Fukuyama, ed., 2007);“The Politics of Jobs” (2007), “Meeting the New Challenge to U.S. Economic Competitiveness” (2004) and “Organizing Science and Technology for Homeland Security” (with K.V. Sharp, 2002), all published in Issues in Science and Technology; “Will the Search for New Energy Technologies Require a New R&D Mission Agency?” (2007) in Bridges; and “Science at a Crossroads" (2002),  published in Technology in Society and reprinted in the FASEB Journal.

Prior to his work on the Senate, he was a partner at a large national law firm. Early in his career, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation, working on major transportation deregulation legislation. He received a B.A. from Columbia University with honors, an M.A.R. from Yale Divinity School in religion; and a J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he also served on the Board of Editors of the Columbia Law Review.  Following law school, he served as a law clerk to a Federal Judge in New York. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar, the District of Columbia Bar and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar.

Alison Fox, Assistant Director, joined the staff in January 2008. Prior to joining MIT, Alison worked as the Deputy Staff Director and Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for five years. On that Committee, she performed a number of responsibilities, including leading the Committee's jurisdiction over conservation and environmental issues. Prior to that position, she served as an Attorney with the Attorney General's Office in Texas, as a AAAS Science Fellow, and on the staff of the Senate Budget Committee. Most recently, Alison has worked with the National Wildlife Federation, where she drafted and developed policy and legislation for sustainable bioenergy programs.

Alison holds a BS in economics from MIT, a JD from Boston University, and an MS in chemistry from Boston College.

Abby Benson, Senior Legislative Assistant, joined the office in July of 2009 after working for the U.S. Coast Guard, most recently as a Lieutenant Commander in the Coast Guard’s Office of Budget and Programs. In this position, she conducted strategic budgeting and program review, ensuring alignment with Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Director of National Intelligence, and Administration priorities. She also supported senior Coast Guard excutives in their interactions and communications with Congress. Abby’s other Coast Guard assignments include the Office of Waterways Management in Washington, DC where she led interagency initiatives to ensure the safety, security, and efficiency of the marine transportation system, and the Marine Safety Office in Boston, MA where she managed critical waterways in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Prior to her commissioning in the U.S. Coast Guard, Abby worked as an environmental consultant for Arthur D. Little, Inc. in Cambridge, MA and Tetra Tech NUS, Inc. in Jacksonville, FL.

Ms. Benson earned a BS in geology and geophysics from Yale University and a MS in transportation and a M.Eng in Logistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Helen Haislmaier, Program Coordinator, rejoined the MIT Washington Office in August 2002 having worked in the office previously when it opened in 1991.  During her time away from MIT, she worked at the Johns Hopkins University Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, wrote a background briefing paper for a group of members of the British House of Lords, worked on Richard Nixon's only authorized biography, and had two sons.
 
Helen received her BA (Hons) in British Politics from the University of Kent at Canterbury in England. Before moving to the US, she was Director of the pro-NATO grassroots organization "Women & Families for Defense". She also worked as a research assistant for two Members of Parliament and served as the Senior Legislative Assistant to an active member of the House of Lords. Helen is currently working on her MA in Education from Catholic University.

Michelle Ashitomi, Administrative Assistant, joined the office in October 2008. Prior to joining the MIT Washington Office, Michelle worked on the Hill for Congressman Ed Case and the late Patsy T. Mink of Hawaii. Most recently, she worked at Stateside Associates, the largest state and local government affairs firm. Michelle earned her B.A. in Political Science at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu.