Sean O'Keefe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sean O'Keefe
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Official portrait, 2001
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| 7th Chancellor of Louisiana State University | |
| In office February 21, 2005 – February 1, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Emmert |
| Succeeded by | Michael V. Martin |
| 10th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
| In office December 21, 2001 – December 13, 2004 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Daniel Goldin |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Griffin |
| 69th United States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office October 2, 1992 – January 20, 1993 Acting: July 7, 1992 – October 2, 1992 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Henry L. Garrett III |
| Succeeded by | John Howard Dalton |
| United States Department of Defense Comptroller | |
| In office May 22, 1989 – July 7, 1992 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Clyde O. Glaister |
| Succeeded by | John Hamre |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sean Charles O'Keefe
January 27, 1956 Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Relatives | Arthur J. O'Keefe (great-grandfather) Michael O'Keefe (uncle) |
| Education | Loyola University New Orleans (BA) Syracuse University (MPA) |
Sean Charles O'Keefe (born January 27, 1956) is an American professor and former government official. He has held many important roles. These include being the head of NASA, the United States Secretary of the Navy, and the leader of Louisiana State University (LSU). He also served as chairman of Airbus Group, Inc.. As of June 2025, he has retired from his role as a university professor at Syracuse University Maxwell School.
Early Life and Education
Sean O'Keefe was born in Monterey, California. His parents, Patricia and Patrick Gordon O'Keefe, were from New Orleans. His father was a United States Navy engineer. He worked on nuclear submarines. Because of his father's job, Sean's family lived on different naval bases.
In 1973, Sean graduated from Wheeler High School. He then went to Loyola University in New Orleans. He earned a degree in History in 1977. In 1978, he received his master's degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Sean O'Keefe's Career
After finishing his studies, O'Keefe started working for the government. He was a budget analyst for the United States Department of Defense. He also worked for the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations for eight years. This committee helps decide how the government spends money.
Comptroller for the Department of Defense
From 1989 to 1992, O'Keefe was the Comptroller for the Department of Defense. This means he was in charge of managing the money for the U.S. military. He worked to cut programs that were seen as wasteful. He was praised for how he handled the money during the Gulf War. He helped collect payments from other countries to help pay for the war.
In 1992, President George H. W. Bush made O'Keefe the United States Secretary of the Navy. He held this position until January 1993. During his time, he helped deal with a difficult situation involving behavior issues within the Navy. He also helped the Navy and Marine Corps adjust after the Cold War ended. He introduced a new plan for how the sea services would operate.
After leaving this role, O'Keefe became a professor at Pennsylvania State University. Later, he became a professor at Syracuse University.
Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget
From January to December 2001, O'Keefe worked as the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. This office helps the President manage the U.S. government's budget.
Administrator of NASA
On December 21, 2001, Sean O'Keefe became the head of NASA. NASA is the U.S. space agency. He was not a scientist or engineer, but he was good at managing large projects.
His time at NASA had three main parts:
- Fixing the Space Station Budget: From 2001 to 2003, he fixed a huge budget problem with the International Space Station. He saved about $5 billion.
- Responding to the Columbia Accident: In 2003, he dealt with the terrible Space Shuttle Columbia accident. This was a very challenging time for NASA.
- Planning Future Space Missions: From 2004 to 2005, he reorganized NASA. This was to prepare for President George W. Bush's new plan, the Vision for Space Exploration. This plan aimed to send humans back to the Moon and then to Mars.
One of his big decisions was to cancel a mission to fix the Hubble Space Telescope in 2004. He felt it was too risky after the Columbia accident. He worried that if the shuttle was damaged, it couldn't reach the space station for safety. This decision caused some debate among scientists.
O'Keefe left NASA on December 13, 2004. An asteroid, 78905 Seanokeefe, was named in his honor.
Chancellor of Louisiana State University
On February 21, 2005, O'Keefe became the Chancellor of Louisiana State University (LSU). He helped create a large fund for the university. He was popular with students because he often talked with them. He also sent encouraging emails.
He led LSU during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The university campus became a huge hospital to help people affected by the hurricane. He announced his last day as chancellor would be February 1, 2008.
Airbus Group North American Unit
In 2009, O'Keefe became the CEO of EADS North America, which later became Airbus Group's North American Unit. This company makes airplanes. He worked to help the company win a big contract for tanker aircraft for the U.S. Air Force.
In August 2010, O'Keefe was in a seaplane crash in Alaska. He and his teenage son were among the survivors. Sadly, former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens and four others died. O'Keefe had serious injuries from the crash. In March 2014, he stepped down from his role at Airbus due to these lasting medical issues.
Syracuse University
In November 2014, O'Keefe joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies as an adviser. At the same time, Syracuse University announced he was appointed as a University Professor. He had a long history with Syracuse University, where he earned his master's degree. He received awards for his public service and excellence.
In 2020, O'Keefe and other former Republican officials stated that President Trump was not fit for another term. They supported Joe Biden for president. In 2024, O'Keefe again supported Biden, but later shifted his support to Kamala Harris after Biden withdrew from the race.
Sean O'Keefe retired from Syracuse University in June 2025.
Personal Life
Sean O'Keefe is married to Laura, and they have three children. His great-grandfather, Arthur J. O'Keefe Sr., was the mayor of New Orleans from 1926 to 1929. His uncle, Michael H. O'Keefe, was also a state senator.
See also
In Spanish: Sean O'Keefe para niños
