WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has nominated Judith McHale for the position of under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs and Philip Crowley for assistant secretary of state for public affairs, both at the US State Department. McHale is the former president and CEO of Discovery Communications. Crowley is senior fellow and director of homeland security at the Center for American Progress. He previously served as the senior director of public affairs for the National Security Council and as the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.