Washington, D.C. – FHFA Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco has announced senior staff appointments in the Office of Congressional Affairs and Communications at FHFA. Meg Burns will join FHFA as Senior Associate Director for Congressional Affairs and Communications. Peter Brereton has been named Associate Director for Congressional Affairs and Mary Ellen Taylor has been appointed Associate Director for Agency Communications. Burns, Brereton and Taylor will form the executive team managing the congressional and communications functions of the agency.
For 19 years, Ms. Burns has held various positions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Burns currently manages three divisions responsible for program and policy matters pertaining to the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) single family programs. In this capacity, she has served as a senior advisor to the FHA Commissioner as well as an official spokesperson for the agency. She has testified before Congress and has represented HUD in numerous interagency mortgage market discussions and with a wide range of housing industry groups. Burns’ prior experience at HUD also includes work in the former HUD Office of GSE Oversight.
"We are extremely pleased to have someone with the depth of housing policy and communications experience as Meg Burns joining FHFA at this important time," said DeMarco. "Since the creation of FHFA, the establishment of the Conservatorships, and the housing and financial market crisis, FHFA has seen a dramatic growth in the volume and complexity of inquiries and requests from outside stakeholders and interested parties. The Senior AD position is a new one for this agency, reflecting this increased workload and associated responsibilities. Under Meg’s leadership, I look forward to FHFA enhancing its outreach and communication with Congress, other government agencies, industry and housing market stakeholders, and the general public."
Peter Brereton currently serves as FHFA’s Associate Director for External Relations. In his new position, Brereton will oversee and direct the agency’s day-to-day congressional affairs responsibilities and manage conservatorship communications. Mary Ellen Taylor, who has 20 years experience in financial services in the public and private sectors, currently serves as a Senior Policy Advisor in FHFA’s Office of Policy Analysis and Research. In her new position, Taylor will add oversight and guidance of FHFA’s internal and external communications activities to her current responsibilities managing FHFA’s industry relations and serving as a senior policy advisor.
"Together with our communications and congressional affairs staff, this team will develop and implement a robust, coordinated communications program for FHFA," said DeMarco. "The new team will also assist the rest of the agency in developing and coordinating the agency’s policy positions on legislative and regulatory matters and educating the public on FHFA’s responsibilities and activities."
The staff appointments are effective May 10th.
Corinne Russell (202) 649-3032 / Stefanie Johnson (202) 649-3030