Daniel Rainey, known to many officers within the UTU, has been promoted to chief of staff at the National Mediation Board, the federal agency that administers the Railway Labor Act.

In his new role, Rainey will oversee the mediation, alternative dispute resolution, arbitration and administrative functions of the NMB. Legal affairs will remain under the supervision of General Counsel, Mary Johnson.

Rainey has participated in UTU regional meetings, making presentations on alternative dispute resolution. He also played a leadership role in creating the NMB’s Knowledge Store, accessible at www.nmb.gov.

Most recently, Rainey served as director of alternative dispute resolution at the NMB, responsible for a range of programs and projects involving airlines and railroads and their employees. He previously held the title of deputy chief of staff at the NMB.

Prior to joining the NMB as a senior staff member in 2001, Rainey was an assistant professor of communication at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and also performed federally sponsored research at the University of Massachusetts into the impact of technology on dispute resolution.

A native of Memphis, Tenn., Rainey earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in communication from Memphis State University, and completed doctoral courses in rhetoric and communication at the University of Pittsburgh.

His background also includes a consulting practice in dispute resolution. Rainey is a member of the editorial board for Conflict Resolution Quarterly.