In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Ulmer as chair of the US Arctic Research Commission. In July 2014, Ulmer was appointed a special advisor to John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, on arctic issues. She endorsed the building of more icebreakers to allow the United States Coast Guard to better research the arctic. On July 28, 2020, President Trump appointed Jon Harrison to serve as the Chair of the Arctic Research Commission. On November 10, 2020, Randy "Church" Kee, a retired Major General of the United States Air Force, was appointed to the position previously assigned to Ulmer.