Other Administration Appointees: U–Z

Benjamin Black
Former Managing Director of Fortinbras Enterprises | Former Director of Osiris Acquisition Corp

Black was a managing director of Fortinbras Enterprises and director of Osiris Acquisition Corp. He served as a term member of the Council of Foreign Relations from 2015 to 2020. Previously, he was a senior portfolio manager at Knowledge University Holdings, and worked at his father’s firm, Apollo Global Management.

Dr. Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D.
Former Undersecretary of Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs

As undersecretary of Veterans Affairs during Trump’s first administration, Lawrence oversaw the 20,000 employees and 56 regional offices distributing veteran benefits. Prior to his VA service, he was a vice president at Kaiser Associates. He spent 30 years in management consulting, working as a partner at Ernst & Young and other firms. He was a captain in the US Army and is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal.

James Baehr
Former Special Assistant to the President on the White House Domestic Policy Council

Baehr served as special counsel at the Pelican Institute for Public Policy and as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves. He previously worked as a special assistant to the President on the White House Domestic Policy Council and as a federal prosecutor at the US Attorney’s Office in New Orleans. He was also a senior fellow at the America First Policy Institute’s Center for 1776.

Sam Brown
Veteran| Small Business Owner

Brown, a purple heart recipient, was medically retired from the US Military as a captain after a deployment in Afghanistan. After his time in the military, Brown received an MBA from SMU and started a small business that provides emergency pharmaceutical support to veterans outside of the VA. Brown was the republican candidate in the US Senate race in November, which he lost to incumbent Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV).