Her nomination was announced by the White House on September 9, 2005, and sent her nomination to the Senate on September 13. Also on September 13, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin issued a press release saying he was "delighted" with the nomination and she would make a "valuable addition to NASA's team". He added later that it was he who recommended her for the position. She replaced Frederick D. Gregory as Deputy Administrator. She was the first woman to hold that position and thus the highest-ranked female official in NASA up to that point. Her nomination also drew praise from the National Space Society and the American Astronautical Society. Dale was confirmed as Deputy Administrator on November 4, 2005, and sworn in on November 29, 2005.