Today, Amanda Wood Laihow and Cynthia Attwood join the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission after being sworn-in to serve their respective appointments as Commissioners.  Both nominations by President Donald J. Trump were confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 9, 2020.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Laihow was Chief Counsel to current OSHRC Chairman James J. Sullivan, Jr., serving as his primary legal advisor on all agency matters. Before joining the Review Commission, Ms. Laihow served as the Director of Labor and Employment Policy for the National Association of Manufacturers, where she advocated for significant labor issues including those pertaining to employee health and safety under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.  She was also Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and, before that, Assistant General Counsel at the General Services Administration.  A Maine native, Ms. Laihow earned her law degree from the University of Maine and her undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire. 

Ms. Attwood returns to OSHRC for her third term.  She was appointed to the Review Commission in February of 2010 by President Barack Obama and served the remainder of a term that expired in 2013.  Ms. Attwood began her second term with the Review Commission in August of 2013 and completed that term in April of last year.  She served as OSHRC’s Acting Chairman and then Chairman from April 2015 until January 2017.  Prior to joining the Review Commission, Ms. Attwood was an Administrative Appeals Judge on the Department of Labor’s Administrative Review Board.  She also served as the department’s Associate Solicitor for Occupational Safety and Health, and before that as Associate Solicitor for Mine Safety and Health.  Ms. Attwood received her law degree from the University of Minnesota and her undergraduate degree from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

Upon being sworn-in, Commissioner Laihow said, “I am honored to be appointed by the President to serve as a Commissioner on the Review Commission and to continue to serve the public and the country at this very important agency. I look forward to working with Chairman Sullivan and Commissioner Attwood.” Commissioner Attwood said, “I am pleased to be able to return to the Commission and to resume its important work.  I anticipate a very productive and collegial relationship with Chairman Sullivan and Commissioner Laihow.”

Chairman Sullivan congratulated both Commissioners on their appointments and welcomed the return of a full complement of Review Commission members:

I welcome Commissioner Laihow in her new role at the Commission. Given her recent experience as my Chief Counsel, Commissioner Laihow is uniquely placed to make an immediate impact addressing the Commission’s current caseload.  I also welcome Commissioner Attwood back to the Commission for another term. Her expertise and knowledge will further enhance the Commission’s ability to effectively render decisions. Now that the agency has a quorum, I look forward to working with these Commissioners and getting back to work quickly in deciding cases to carry out our important mission.