The Bush Administration has nominated Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Harold Craig Manson to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. If confirmed by the Senate, Manson's responsibilities will cover areas within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service.

Manson was appointed to the bench by Governor Pete Wilson in 1998, and has most recently served in juvenile court, where he is known for his fair but direct approach in holding all participants in the system accountable -- juveniles, families and social service and criminal justice agencies.

Before his appointment to the bench, Manson served for five years as the first general counsel to the California Department of Fish and Game. At DFG, Manson gave legal and policy advice to the department's director, to the Secretary for Resources and to Governor Wilson, and gained a reputation for fair, intelligent, and open consideration of all sides of policy issues and legal disputes, and a willingness and ability to craft creative solutions to regulatory challenges.

Manson has also had a life-long career in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves, where he holds the rank of colonel. For the past five years, Manson has served as staff judge advocate at the headquarters of the California Air National Guard. Manson's military positions have included several judge advocate positions in the U.S. and overseas, and special appointments such as his 1998 position as Special Counsel for International Law, Treaty Compliance and Arms Control for the Strategic Defense Initiative Program within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Manson's military career began with his graduation with honors from the U.S. Air Force Academy, majoring in political science and international studies. After serving as a Minuteman Missile Launch Officer, he attended McGeorge School of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the Pacific Law Journal and graduated Order of the Coif.

Manson later returned to the Air Force Academy to teach various legal classes, earning distinction as Outstanding Military Educator in 1989. He has continued his teaching in Sacramento, serving as adjunct professor since 1993 on the faculty of McGeorge School of Law.

After leaving the Academy and active duty, Manson joined Downey, Brand, Seymour & Rohwer, where he represented business and government clients in litigation. While at Downey Brand, he became active in the greater Sacramento community, as well as in bar activities. He served as a member of the Eastern District's Federal Civil Rights Pro Bono Panel, and has been an active member of the Milton L. Schwartz American Inns of Court. Manson has served on the board of directors of the Business Volunteers for the Arts, the League of Women Voters, and Sacramento's public radio stations, KXPR/KXJZ.

During this period, Manson also began his eight-year tenure on the Board of Mather Federal Credit Union and his work as chairman and president of Mather Financial Services, Inc. Manson was active in the Republican Party as vice-chair and general counsel for the Sacramento County Republican Party, and as a member of the California Republican Party State Central Committee between 1991 and 1995.

Manson will be joined in Washington by his wife, Penny. Through her work as educator, story teller and actor, Penny has dedicated her career to youth tobacco and drug abuse prevention and supporting leadership, creativity and spiritual development in teens. She also performs locally in musicals and in the choir at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. When Craig is confirmed and the Mansons move to Washington, they will be missed by the many Sacramentans whose lives they have touched.