The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appointed Deborah Jeffrey as its new inspector general. She will take over the role effective May 7. Jeffrey is currently the inspector general of AmeriCorps.
“Deb will bring incredible experience in public service and oversight to the SEC,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in the press release announcing the appointment. “The Inspector General’s office plays a critical role as an independent reviewer to promote the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the SEC. I thank Deb for taking on this important responsibility. I also thank Katherine Reilly, Helen Albert, and Rebecca Sharek for their rotating service each as Acting Inspector General and their ongoing dedication to the SEC.”
At AmeriCorps, Jeffrey oversaw national service grants throughout the U.S., instituted a robust enforcement program to combat grant fraud, and championed efforts to improve financial management and accountability.
Before becoming AmeriCorps’s Inspector General in 2012, Jeffrey was in the private practice of law for 25 years. She represented individuals and entities in white-collar criminal defense and civil enforcement proceedings; defended senior government officials in high-profile criminal, congressional and inspector general investigations; and advised lawyers and law firms concerning ethics and risk management.
As vice chair of the District of Columbia’s attorney disciplinary system, Jeffrey is the author of more than 30 appellate opinions in disciplinary prosecutions. She began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Harrison Winter, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review.
“Independent oversight helps government better serve the public,” Jeffrey said. “I am honored to join the Office of the Inspector General’s excellent team in taking on this vital mission at the SEC.”