House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) on Thursday tapped Beverly Pheto to serve as the next staff director for the committee, replacing Rob Nabors.

Nabors was recently hired by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. “Beverly is a first-class public servant,” Obey said. “She is smart, thoughtful, tough and knowledgeable. These are tough and troubling times. To confront them, we need the wisdom and judgment of the very best people we can find, and Beverly Pheto fits that description.”

Pheto, who will be the first female to hold the top committee job since the Appropriations panel was formed, has worked for the committee since 2001, most recently as clerk of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security. Prior to that, Pheto served as the budget director for the Department of Transportation. She also has worked for the OMB.