Mr. Samuel P. Williamson
Meteorology

Mr. Williamson is the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, accountable to the U.S. Congress and the Office of Management and Budget for systematic coordination and cooperation among 15 Federal Departments and Agencies with meteorology programs. He directs the analysis and evaluation of Federal weather programs, operational requirements, and supporting research to facilitate executive and legislative funding decisions for over $3.3 billion annually. He has been instrumental in bringing to the forefront important interagency programs, like weather information for surface transportation, space weather, and phased array radar, designed to improve public safety and enhance economic well-being. He began his career as a Weather Officer in the U.S. Air Force's Air Weather Service and has served the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in numerous key positions for over 29 years. For more than 12 years, he was the principal planner of the Tri-departmental Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Program from the conception through the initial deployment of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler (WSR-88D), which vastly improved the Nation's detection and warning capability of impending hazardous weather phenomena.