ASA Commends OMB on Appointment of New Chief Statistician

American Statistical Association President Katherine Ensor made the following statement regarding the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) announcement of Karin Orvis as chief statistician of the United States:

Congratulations to Karin Orvis on her appointment as chief statistician of the United States. I also commend OMB for selecting such a capable, respected leader for this vital position. The chief statistician oversees the coordination of our decentralized federal statistical system, which is the backbone of the US data infrastructure, injecting objective, reliable, and timely statistics into discussions ranging from health and economy to education and security. The position is critical to ensuring objective and reliable government statistics and protecting trust in government statistics. Given its importance, I urge OMB to strengthen the position—which has become even more important since the Evidence Act of 2018 became law—so the chief statistician is better equipped to fulfill her many important roles.

I extend the ASA’s support to Karin Orvis. The ASA will continue its work in support of the position, its staff, and the broader statistical system.