FINRA Taps Christine Kieffer to Lead Investor Education Efforts

Kieffer Named SVP of Investor Education and President of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FINRA today announced that investor education and protection veteran Christine Kieffer will serve as Senior Vice President of FINRA’s Office of Investor Education and President of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation). The appointment is effective immediately.

Kieffer brings deep expertise to these roles and has been a leader in the Office of Investor Education since its inception. For more than 20 years, she has helped shape FINRA’s approach to educating investors, as well as core FINRA Foundation programming. This includes collaborating with government agencies, non-profit organizations, and investor groups nationwide to advance financial capability, investor protection, and fraud prevention and intervention initiatives.

As head of FINRA’s Office of Investor Education, Kieffer will lead FINRA’s investor education strategy. As President of the FINRA Foundation, she will direct research and education initiatives that support Americans’ financial stability, investing goals and fraud prevention.

“Christine combines deep investor protection expertise with a vision for educating and engaging investors in a dynamic and rapidly changing environment,” said Marcia Asquith, Executive Vice President, Board and External Relations, who oversees FINRA’s Office of Investor Education. “Christine’s dedication to investor protection spans decades—she was present at the founding of the FINRA Foundation and has developed a number of key initiatives. I am confident she will be an outstanding leader of both entities.”

Kieffer is a visible and vocal advocate for investor protection and financial education. A recognized expert on financial and investment fraud, she has represented FINRA and the FINRA Foundation in public forums, media appearances and Congressional hearings, and is a published author on both financial capability and financial fraud topics.

“Few people understand the Foundation's mission and impact as deeply as Christine. Since the Foundation's earliest days, she has helped shape research, education and investor protection initiatives that have benefited millions of Americans,” said Jonathan Sokobin, Chief Economist at FINRA and FINRA Foundation Board Chair. “I look forward to working with her as we continue to expand our efforts to protect and educate investors.”

Kieffer had served as interim President of the FINRA Foundation since April. Prior to her 22 years at FINRA, Kieffer held roles at Sallie Mae and Nasdaq. She holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Economics from Vanderbilt University and is a FINRA Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professional (CRCP®). In addition to her FINRA responsibilities, Kieffer serves as Chair of the Committee Against Financial Exploitation for the National Adult Protective Services Association.

About the FINRA Investor Education Foundation

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that empower Americans with the knowledge, skills and tools to make sound financial decisions throughout their lives. For more information about FINRA Foundation research and education initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

About FINRA

FINRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. FINRA regulates one critical part of the securities industry—member brokerage firms doing business in the United States. FINRA, overseen by the SEC, writes rules, examines for and enforces compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, registers broker-dealer personnel and offers them education and training, and informs the investing public. In addition, FINRA provides surveillance and other regulatory services for equities and options markets, as well as trade reporting and other industry utilities. FINRA also administers a dispute resolution forum for investors and brokerage firms and their registered employees. For more information, visit www.finra.org.