The CPFB's second-in-command post will now be officially held by Brian Johnson after his recent appointment as deputy director. CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger announced his appointment on May 13, 2019, but Johnson has served in an acting capacity since last year, when he was appointed acting deputy director following the resignation of his predecessor, Leandra English. Johnson first joined the CFPB in late 2017 to serve as a senior advisor to Mick Mulvaney, and was later named principal policy director in April 2018. Prior to joining the Bureau, Johnson served as senior counsel at the House Financial Services Committee for several years, where he oversaw the activities of, and set policy for, the CFPB. During his tenure, Johnson led the work for the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee on consumer protection and credit, mortgage origination, credit reporting, banking, and data security issues. During his time with the committee, Johnson was also a member of President Trump's transition team.
The CFPB also announced the addition of several senior leadership and executive positions, including the following:
Kate Fulton was named chief operating officer and is responsible for managing the Operations Division and supporting all of the CFPB's operations. Fulton has held several positions since she joined the CFPB in 2013, including senior counsel in the Legal Division and later in the Office of Supervision, Enforcement and Fair Lending; deputy chief of staff and senior counsel; and, more recently, acting chief operating officer. Prior to the CFPB, Fulton was an attorney advisor at U.S. Customs and Border Protection and practiced employment law at a law firm. She received her law degree from Boston University Law School and her B.A. from the University of Maryland.
Yasaman Sutton was named senior advisor and counselor to Director Kraninger. Sutton has more than a decade of experience in the executive branch, where she provided counsel on legal matters affecting the Office of Management and Budget, the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice. She received her law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. Prior to law school, she worked at Bank of America. was named senior advisor and counselor to Director Kraninger. Sutton has more than a decade of experience in the executive branch, where she provided counsel on legal matters affecting the Office of Management and Budget, the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice. She received her law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. Prior to law school, she worked at Bank of America.
Melissa Brand was named the director of the Office of Civil Rights. Before this appointment, she served as the CFPB's Equal Employment Opportunity complaints program manager. Prior to joining the CFPB, Brand worked as an administrative judge for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where she wrote more than 1,000 federal sector appellate decisions on discrimination. She received her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and her B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Jim Rice was named the assistant director of the Office of Servicemember Affairs. Rice served for decades in the U.S. Army, beginning as a medic, followed by enlisted and commissioned service with the Army National Guard. Later he served as a Medical Evacuation officer in the Army Medical Service Corps, and last as the director of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior program. After leaving the army, Rice transitioned to a position as the chief of the Health Service Division for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Rice earned degrees from Troy State University and the Army War College.