CFPB Announces Additions to Executive Team

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) announced the following additions to its executive team: 

Desmond Brown will serve as the Deputy Associate Director for the Consumer Education and Engagement Division. Mr. Brown has more than two decades of experience working with national and local organizations to increase financial well-being and economic opportunities for consumers. He first joined the Bureau as a program specialist for the Office of Financial Empowerment in 2012. He earned his Masters of Policy Management from Georgetown University, and his B.S. in Political Science from Southern Connecticut State University. 

Jason Brown will serve as Assistant Director for Research. Mr. Brown has 16 years of Federal service, most recently as Associate Commissioner in Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics at the Social Security Administration. Prior to this appointment he served in numerous capacities as an economist at the Department of the Treasury. Mr. Brown earned his B.A. in Economics from Texas A&M University and Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University.

Karla Carnemark will serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff. Ms. Carnemark joins the Bureau with more than 20 years of experience in public service, project management and government affairs. She has worked with senior-level government executives from the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Ms. Carnemark also served on Capitol Hill on the staff of Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH). Ms. Carnemark received her B.A. from Lynchburg College.

Ren Essene will serve as Chief Data Officer. Ms. Essene has served at the Bureau in a number of capacities since 2011. She previously worked at the Federal Reserve, and her career in information management and housing issues spans over 25 years. Ms. Essene earned her B.S. in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and M.P.A. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Bryan A. Schneider will serve as Associate Director in the Supervision, Enforcement and Fair Lending Division. Mr. Schneider most recently served as the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, a cabinet-level agency. He worked for the Walgreen Co. for 15 years in numerous capacities, from divisional vice president and assistant general counsel to senior attorney. Mr. Schneider earned his B.S. in Accounting from Trine University, his M.B.A. from DePaul University and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School.