Bea Edwards, Executive Director of the Government Accountability Project (GAP), announced that she is stepping down on June 30th and semi-retiring. Bea has served as ED at GAP since 2011 and headed GAP’s International Program since June 2006. She will continue to serve as the Director of the International Program on a part-time basis.

Edwards’ career at GAP has significant bookends. Shortly after she arrived, she received the disclosure from a World Bank staff member that ultimately toppled Paul Wolfowitz, the Bank President. Wolfowitz presented himself to the public as tough on corruption in World Bank projects, but the whistleblower revealed that he had arranged for his partner to receive pay raises that violated World Bank rules. In May 2007, Wolfowitz resigned, and in the following months, his top aides – parties to the improper pay raises – also departed the World Bank.

Last year, as Executive Director, Bea published The Rise of the American Corporate Security State, which focused on the composite implications of whistleblowers’ disclosures from the private and public sector.  Daniel Ellsberg, commenting on the book, said, “A must-read for those who love this country and wish to preserve its fast-fading democracy.”

During the past three years, GAP has represented whistleblowers from the United Nations, the food industry, the finance sector, the intelligence community and numerous federal agencies. Most notably, during this time, GAP represented Edward Snowden from the National Security Agency and defended Eileen Foster, the head of fraud investigations at Countrywide Financial. Both whistleblowers won the prestigious Ridenhour Truth-Telling Prize in 2014 and 2013, respectively.

“I believe that at GAP we have achieved a great deal in the past few years, and I expect the record to continue building in the future. The public has come to respect and defend whistleblowers, recognizing that, without them, we would be unaware of the relentless attack on our rights from corporate and state powers,” Edwards said.

Louis Clark, GAP President, wished Edwards well as she serves her final months as ED, and said, “We are happy and pleased that Bea will continue to be an integral part of our international work, which is expanding in terms of both need and opportunity. Her continued engagement at GAP will also facilitate a seamless transition for the new ED. Without question, we are expecting a banner year at GAP as a significant result of Bea’s past and current efforts, and I’m pleased that she will remain a key player on the GAP team and within our accountability, transparency and whistleblowing community.”