to work with statisticians from outside my immediate workplace,
have added immeasurably to my career experience.
How I began Consulting
Rich and a later supervisor, Ron Bosecker, recognized my love for
consulting and found opportunities for me to become involved
in consulting throughout the USDA. These were dream jobs. I
worked on sample design for issues such as acid rain measurement
in lakes, land owners’ attitudes toward reforestation policy, and
farmland values. I also used statistical methods while involved in
work on infant nutrition, program evaluations of major agencies,
optimization of the large USDA vehicle fleet, loan subsidy pro-
grams, and food safety regulations.
With additional assignments to interagency working groups,
Ron Fecso (left), Barbara Fecso, and Dan Kasprzyk during a past JSM.
I was never bored, but—to be honest—there was a time when
I wondered about life outside government and NASS. As luck
would have it, the phone rang one day and Myron Straf, then
the director of CNSTAT, asked if I would be interested in con-
Morocco and teaching sampling courses in Pakistan. A favorite trip
sidering directing a study on quality in student financial aid pro-
was a month-long tour of the People’s Republic of China in 1980. I
grams. Through the Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment—
also was given the opportunity to teach at the USDA Graduate School,
essentially a sabbatical opportunity for federal employees—I was
and, some years later, at area universities.
given the chance to try a very different professional experience,
The 1980s brought organizational quality efforts that led to an
with no break in government service. I worked for more than a
expanded focus on nonsampling errors. I headed a research section
year with Myron and several staff members who were influential
that focused on the surveys and models used to measure and forecast
in the development of the statistical system, as well as with experts
crop yields (i.e., corn, soybeans, and cotton), which evolved into a new
on the study panel on quality in student financial aid that I direct-
research group that focused on nonsampling errors in any of NASS’ sur-
ed. This direction was a great way to recharge my batteries.
veys. This began a decade of recruiting staff members for NASS. Even
After CNSTAT and after I had been back at NASS for a year
when I could not convince people to come to NASS, many became
or so, the phone rang again. This time, Jeanne Griffin, direc-
friends and colleagues in statistical units of other federal agencies. Those
tor of the Division of Science Resources Statistics at NSF, called
who came to NASS contributed to an exciting time of new research.
to ask if I would like to discuss the chief statistician position.
NASS has a long history of cooperative research efforts with univer-
Accepting this position led to yet another learning experience:
sity staff members. I was fortunate to coordinate an effort with Iowa
survey contracting.
State University, learning so much from Wayne Fuller and other ISU
The statistics unit at NSF was small, with almost all the survey
faculty members that I sometimes think I should attend the depart-
work done by contract or through a reimbursable agreement with
mental reunions at JSM. One memorable cooperative effort in the
the U.S. Census Bureau. My activities involved developing stan-
early 1990s was showing how structural equation models were use-
dards for the surveys and the reporting of survey results and analy-
ful for detecting measurement error in repeated survey measurements
ses, refining a license program that provided researchers access to
taken in NASS’ yield surveys. We also developed joint work with the
data while maintaining confidentiality requirements, developing
U.S. Census Bureau. This was the first of many opportunities to work
survey cost models, consulting on program evaluations, and lead-
with the statistical staff at the bureau.
ing major survey redesigns. The cooperative research experience at
Besides the cooperative efforts, the DC area provides statisti-
NASS came in handy, as I was able to develop an agreement with
cians with the opportunity for a stimulating and continuing learn-
NASS and Washington State University to have Don Dillman
ing environment. Many agencies have programs that bring faculty
assist in each agency’s reviews of survey instruments and the
for sabbaticals (for example, the ASA/NSF Fellows program). And
emerging transition to web surveys. These collaborations helped
there are numerous seminar offerings by the Washington Statistical
improve survey forms and instructions, increase staff knowledge
Society and local graduate programs, workshops by the Committee
of visual design principles, and provide research ideas and support
on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the National Research Council,
for graduate students.
and short courses offered by training organizations. In addition, there
How I Came to GAO
are ample opportunities for activity in professional societies. Rich
Allen, a senior executive at NASS, was active in the ASA and local
With nine years at NSF and more than 30 in federal agencies in
chapter activities and drafted me into Washington Statistical Society
the executive branch, it was time to think about post-government
(WSS) service many years ago. With his encouragement (and that
activities. I received a call to interview for the position of chief
of Fritz Scheuren, another active WSS member), the path of service
statistician at GAO, a legislative branch agency, which was yet
in professional societies continued with other committee appoint-
another random step in my career. Well, maybe not so random.
ments, followed by various elected positions—most recently, serving
Following decades of being a data producer, the opportunity to be
on the ASA Board of Directors. These activities, and the opportunity
a data user in support of a decisionmaking body such as Congress
was very attractive.
28 AMSTAT NEWS JULY 2008
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