CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam Announces Executive Leadership Appointments

Commodity Futures Trading Commission(CFTC) Chairman Rostin Behnam today announced the following executive leadership and communications appointments as he begins his chairmanship. This team will work directly with Chairman Behnam to establish the Commission's agenda and execute the responsibilities in the CFTC governing statute and other issues facing the agency. Today's announcement follows Chairman Behnam naming Tanisha Cole Edmonds as the CFTC's first Chief Diversity Officer. Chairman Behnam plans to make additional staff and leadership announcements very soon.

"I have worked with all of these individuals as a Commissioner and as Acting Chairman and have utmost respect for each of them," said Chairman Behnam. "I am confident in their knowledge, expertise and commitment to public service and the CFTC's mission to work diligently alongside me, with each other, and the excellent staff at the CFTC on critical priorities confronting the agency."

David Gillers, Chief of Staff

David Gillers will continue to serve as Chief of Staff to Chairman Behnam. Mr. Gillers joined then-Commissioner Behnam's office in 2019 and served as the federal officer for the Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee of the CFTC's Market Risk Advisory Committee in which capacity he oversaw the development and publication of the landmark Managing Climate Risk in the U.S. Financial System report.  Previously, he spent a decade as a congressional staff member working on financial services and energy matters, most recently as Democratic Senior Counsel to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. 

Laura Gardy, Deputy Chief of Staff

Laura Gardy is the Chairman's Deputy Chief of Staff and will oversee Commission administrative functions and operations with an emphasis on human capital management. Ms. Gardy previously served as a Special Counsel to Acting Chairman Behnam during his time as Commissioner. She joined his legal team in 2017 from an Associate Director position in the former Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (renamed the Market Participants Division in 2020). She previously worked at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, where she was Counsel in the Securities & Corporate Practices Group in the Office of Chief Counsel. 

John Dunfee, Chief Counsel

John Dunfee will continue to serve as Chief Counsel to Chairman Behnam. Prior to his role as Chief Counsel, he was Special Counsel to then-Commissioner Behnam from 2017 to 2021. Mr. Dunfee joined the CFTC in 2000, and has held numerous important roles at the Commission. 

Alicia L. Lewis, Special Counsel

Alicia Lewis will continue to serve as Special Counsel to Chairman Behnam managing clearing, LIBOR transition, and international regulatory matters. Ms. Lewis joined the CFTC in 2009. Since 2017, she has served as the Designated Federal Officer for the CFTC's Market Risk Advisory Committee for which Chairman Behnam is the sponsor. From 2017 to 2019, she was a member of then-Commissioner Behnam's legal team. Ms. Lewis also has served as Special Counsel in the Office of International Affairs (2020-2021), and in the International and Domestic Clearing Initiatives (2019-2020) and Chief Counsel (2009-2017) Branches of the Division of Clearing and Risk.