The U.S. Department of Labor has named five members and leaders for the 2024 ERISA Advisory Council, which advises on employee welfare and pension benefit plans. Among the appointees is Regina Jefferson, a professor at Catholic Law, selected to represent the broader public.
“The ERISA Advisory Council plays a fundamental role in advising the Department of Labor,” said Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Lisa M. Gomez. “We look forward to the expertise that each of the new members will bring to the council and are thankful for their invaluable contributions of time and talent.”
The initial meeting of the council for 2024 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14, 2024, and is accessible to the public. Notification of the meeting will be released in the Federal Register, with additional information provided on the council's website in April.
Professor Regina Jefferson is widely recognized as an authority in pension law, employee benefits, and tax law, boasting an extensive background in academia and policy development. Alongside her teaching responsibilities, she has contributed significantly to scholarship in these fields and has actively engaged in shaping policy through Congressional testimony and briefings. Additionally, Professor Jefferson has participated in high-level events such as the First White House Summit on Retirement Income Savings and served on advisory committees, including the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's Advisory Committee.
Joining the faculty of the Catholic University of America in 1992, Professor Jefferson has held various leadership positions within the institution, including Dean of the Law School from July 2018 to June 2019. Prior to her academic career, she gained valuable experience as a Tax Law Specialist at the National Office of the Internal Revenue Service, focusing on qualified employee plans. Her expertise was further honed during her tenure as a teaching fellow at Georgetown University, where she delved into research on the tax aspects of private pension plans.
Professor Jefferson's scholarly work is centered on employee benefits and tax law, with a particular focus on the redistributional effects of the private retirement system, the intersection of pension and tax law, and the financial intricacies of defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Through her extensive research and publications, she has contributed valuable insights to the understanding of these complex legal and financial frameworks.
