Margaret Vo Schaus's Biography

Early Career and Education

Margaret Vo Schaus began her academic journey at Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Science, Technology, and Society, as well as in English. She furthered her education at the same institution, obtaining a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering1 2.

Professional Trajectory

Government Accountability Office to Department of Energy

Schaus's early career included a role as a Senior Analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office from September 2005 to January 2010, where she honed her analytical skills3. She then transitioned to the Advisory Board Company, serving as a Senior Analyst for two years3.

Advancing through the Department of Energy

In February 2010, Schaus joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a Program Analyst, a position she held for nearly three years. She then became the Operations (COO) and Systems Analysis Supervisor for the Geothermal Technologies Office until 2015. Her trajectory within the DOE continued as she took on the role of Senior Policy Advisor for Renewable Power for nine months in 2015, followed by her positions as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor, and then Deputy R&D Director for the Office of Fossil Energy3.

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Schaus's expertise led her to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she served as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Data Transparency (Acting) at the Bureau of Fiscal Service for five months between September 2017 and January 20183.

Department of Defense

Before her current role at NASA, Schaus was the Director of Business Operations in the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering at the Department of Defense, overseeing a multibillion-dollar budget and contributing to the advancement of research and development programs4 3 5.

Appointment as NASA's Chief Financial Officer

Margaret Vo Schaus was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 30, 2021, to serve as NASA's Chief Financial Officer. In this role, she is responsible for the financial health of the agency, managing the budget and financial operations, and coordinating financial management activities with other federal agencies1 4. Her confirmation completed the senior leadership positions at NASA under the Biden administration4.

Recognition and Awards

Throughout her career, Schaus has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Exceptional Civilian Service Award, the Department of Energy's Distinguished Career Service Award, and the Secretary of Energy's Honor Award1 5.

Personal Background and Volunteering

Margaret Vo Schaus is a first-generation Vietnamese American, born in Michigan and raised in Southern California6 7 2. While there is no specific mention of her volunteering and community involvement in the provided sources, her professional achievements and leadership roles suggest a commitment to public service and excellence in government operations.

Citations

Footnotes

  1. https://www.nasa.gov/people/chief-financial-officer-margaret-vo-schaus/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. https://theorg.com/org/nasa/org-chart/margaret-vo-schaus ↩ ↩2

  3. https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-schaus-0bbb651b ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. https://spacenews.com/senate-confirms-nasa-cfo/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/president-biden-announces-12-key-climate-and-infrastructure-administration-nominations/ ↩ ↩2

  6. https://news.yahoo.com/daughter-vietnamese-refugees-margaret-vo-164818719.html ↩

  7. https://vietcetera.com/en/margaret-vo-schaus-daughter-of-vietnamese-immigrants-confirmed-as-nasas-new-cfo ↩

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