Chair Gensler Announces the Appointments of Four Executive Staff

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today announced that it has appointed Corey Frayer, Phil Havenstein, Jennifer Songer, and Jorge Tenreiro to Chair Gary Gensler's executive staff.

Gary Gensler was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden to Chair the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 3, 2021.

Corey Frayer is named as the Senior Advisor to advise Chair Gensler on SEC policymaking and interagency work relating to the oversight of crypto assets. Before joining the SEC, he served as Senior Professional Staff on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for Chairman Sherrod Brown. He graduated with a degree in International Economics and Finance from The Catholic University of America.

Philipp Havenstein is named as an advisor to Chair Gensler on matters related to agency administration, operations, and management. He joined the SEC in 2014 as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of Human Resources, where he advised senior management on personnel-related matters and conducted internal investigations. Mr. Havenstein received his J.D. and B.A. from The George Washington University.

Jennifer Songer is named as Investment Management Counsel to counsel Chair Gensler on matters related to investment companies and investment advisers. Previously, she served as Branch Chief of the Private Funds Branch in the Division of Investment Management's Rulemaking Office, where she focused on developing policy relating to private fund advisers and other investment advisers. Ms. Songer received a J.D. from Boston College Law School and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jorge G. Tenreiro is named as Enforcement Counsel to counsel Chair Gensler on matters involving the Division of Enforcement. He joined the SEC in 2013 as a staff attorney in the New York Regional Office and later served as Senior Trial Counsel. He previously served in a leadership role in the SEC's Pride Alliance employee affinity group and sat on the SEC's Diversity Council. Prior to joining the SEC, he was an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and a law clerk to the Hon. Julio M. Fuentes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Hon. Allyne R. Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Tenreiro received a J.D. from Yale Law School and a B.A. from Yale University.

​Moreover, Gary Gensler has recently been bringing in staff with a stronger enforcement focus, along with a more progressive agenda and William Birdthistle was named as Director of the Division of Investment Management right before this new appointment.