Staff & Consultants

Karen Friedman is the Pension Rights Center’s Executive Director. She develops solutions and implements strategies to protect and promote the rights of consumers, and for more than 20 years has represented their interests in the media and before congressional committees. Karen coordinates Retirement USA and the Conversation on Coverage and is responsible for the Center’s day-to-day operations. A graduate of Georgetown University, she previously worked for human rights organizations.

David Brandolph is the Pension Rights Center’s senior communications consultant. He writes and edits articles for publication, informs the media of important issues affecting pension plans and their members and helps policymakers get the information they need to make better decisions. Previously, he served as an award-winning editor and journalist for Bloomberg BNA, where he covered and reported on retirement plan issues to a national audience. He has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.

Kyle Garrett, the Pension Rights Center’s Chief Operations Officer, oversees provision of information and assistance to individuals contacting the Center and handles all Center finances in coordination with the Center’s accounting consultant. He also writes material for website publications, coordinates IT support and web support for Center staff, and provides logistical support for meetings. Kyle has worked with the Center since 2005, and is a graduate of Roanoke College.

Theresa (Tess) S. Gee is the Pension Rights Center’s Legal Director and provides legal guidance and counsel on a broad range of pension issues. Previously, she served in multiple capacities with the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Solicitor advising on matters involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and was in private practice representing individuals and other clients in numerous ERISA and employee benefit matters.

Kate Pixley is the Pension Rights Center’s Communications and Program Associate. She oversees the PRC’s communications activities and helps organize policy, legal, and fundraising activities. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a background in marketing and public relations.

Jane Smith, the Pension Rights Center’s policy analyst, conducts analyses of policies, proposals and studies and translates these into plain-English for the general public. Previously, Jane worked for the Labor Department’s Division of Technical Assistance of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). Prior to working at the Labor Department, she was a volunteer research economist for the PRC. She is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and has a Master’s degree in Economics from George Mason University.

Norman Stein is Senior Legal Counsel for the Pension Rights Center.  He provides legal guidance on many pension issues, authors legal briefs on behalf of the Center, and represents the Center before congressional panels. Previously, he was a professor of law at Drexel University, where he taught in the areas of pensions, other employee benefits, social insurance, federal business and individual taxation.

In Memoriam: Karen Ferguson founded the Pension Rights Center in 1976 and served as director and president from 1976 to 2021. Read our statement on Karen’s death on December 23, 2021.