May 2022

On April 29, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) appointed Karin Orvis to serve as the chief statistician of the United States. Orvis is also serving as the branch chief of statistical and science policy at the OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. In this role, Orvis will oversee the federal statistical system and provide key leadership in the continuing implementation of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act.

Orvis previously served as the director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office within the Department of Defense. She held several other positions within the Department of Defense including acting principal director of Military Community and Family Policy and director of the Transition to Veterans Program Office. She holds a doctorate and a master of arts in industrial/organizational psychology from George Mason University.

“Congratulations to Dr. Karin Orvis on her appointment to serve as chief statistician and branch chief for statistical and science policy for the U.S.,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “The education research, statistics, and data communities look forward to working with her.”

The position had been vacant since January 2020 when the prior chief statistician, Nancy Potok, retired.