Consumer Assembly 2013
March 14 & 15, 2013
Embassy Suites Convention Center Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Program — Brochure
Thursday, March 14, 2013
8:45am
Welcome
Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director
Consumer Federation of America
9:00am
Transparency and a Level Playing Field
Introduction
Paul Schrader, Former Executive Director
Consumer Assistance Council of Cape Cod
Speaker
The Honorable Elizabeth Warren
United States Senate
View Presentation
9:20am
America’s Current Politics: The Consumer’s Perspective
Introduction
Larry Blanchard, Consultant, Public Affairs
CUNA Mutual Group
Speaker
Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research
Pew Research Center
View Presentation
9:50am
Does Cost-Benefit Analysis Promote or Impede Sensible Regulation?
Moderator
Maureen Thompson, Senior Principal
The Hastings Group, LLC
Panelists
Robert Adler, Commissioner
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Dan Berkovitz, General Counsel
U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Mercer Bullard, President & Founder
Fund Democracy, Inc.
11:00am
How Seriously do Smartphones Erode Privacy?
Moderator
Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection
Consumer Federation of America
Panelists
Joanne McNabb, Director of Privacy Education and Policy
Office of the Attorney General, California
Jon Potter, President
Application Developers Alliance
Gautam Hans, Ron Plesser Fellow
Center for Democracy & Technology
Michelle De Mooy, Senior Associate, National Priorities
Consumer Action
Sarah Hudgins, Director of Public Policy
Interactive Advertising Bureau
11:00am
Are Prepaid Cards Good for Consumers?
Moderator
Adam Rust, Director of Research
Reinvestment Partners
Panelists
Alpesh Chokshi, President, Global Payment Options
American Express
Lauren Saunders, Managing Attorney
National Consumer Law Center
Susan Weinstock, Project Director, Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Lisa McFarland, Head of U.S. Consumer Prepaid Products
Visa Inc.
11:00am
How Can Federal Law Enforcement More Effectively Protect Consumer Health and Safety?
Moderator
Rachel Weintraub, Legislative Director and Senior Counsel
Consumer Federation of America
Panelists
Marc Schoem, Deputy Director, Office of Compliance and Field Operations
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Daniel Smith, Senior Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Consumer Protection Branch
U.S. Department of Justice
David Plunkett, Senior Staff Attorney, Food Safety Program
Center for Science in the Public Interest
12:30pm
Luncheon and Keynote – A Safe and Sound Financial Services System?
Introduction
Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director
Consumer Federation of America
Speaker
Sheila Bair, Former Chairman
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Author of Bull by the Horns
2:00pm
Addressing Fraud Trends and Challenges
Moderator
Sally Hurme, Project Advisor, Education & Outreach
AARP
Panelists
Jonathan Rusch, Deputy Chief for Strategy and Policy, Fraud Section, Criminal Division
U.S. Department Of Justice
Steve Baker, Regional Director, Midwest Region
Federal Trade Commission
John Morton, Chief Risk Officer
Green Dot Corporation
Gary Mottola, Research Director
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education
John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud
National Consumers League
2:00pm
Will a New Mortgage Rule Expand or Threaten Homeownership?
Moderator
Barry Zigas, Director of Housing Policy
Consumer Federation of America
Panelists
Peter Carroll, Assistant Director, Mortgage Markets
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Mike Malloy, Deputy General Counsel
Bank of America
Eric Stein, Senior Vice President
Self -Help & Center for Responsible Lending
2:00pm
Do Health and Safety Labels actually Improve Consumer Health and Safety?
Moderator
Jack Gillis, Director of Public Affairs
Consumer Federation of America
Panelists
Shelley Deppa, President
Safety Behavior Analysis. Inc.
Gerene Denning, Director of Emergency Medicine Research
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa
Caroline Cox, Research Director
Center for Environmental Health
Steve Gardner, Litigation Director
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Matthew L. Myers, President
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
3:30pm
Investor Protection Priorities
Introduction
Elizabeth Costle, Director, Consumer & State Affairs
AARP Public Policy Institute
Speaker
Rick Ketchum, Chairman and CEO
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
4:00pm
Modernizing the Electric Grid – Good for Consumers?
Moderator
Irene Leech, President
Virginia Citizens Consumer Council
Panelists
John Hewa, Vice President, Research, Engineering and Technical Services
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Steve Nadel, Executive Director
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
View Presentation
John Howat, Senior Energy Analyst
National Consumer Law Center
Friday, March 15, 2013
9:00am
The Future of Universal Phone Service
Introduction
Mark Cooper, Research Director
Consumer Federation of America
Speaker
Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner
Federal Communication Commission
9:25am
The Future of Universal Phone Service
Moderator
George Gaberlavage Policy Integration Director, Consumer & Livable Communities
AARP Office of Policy Integration
Panelists
Hank Hultquist Vice President, Federal Regulatory
AT&T
Olivia Wein, Attorney
National Consumer Law Center
Mark Cooper, Research Director
Consumer Federation of America
10:15am
State Attorney General’s Consumer Priorities
Introduction
Will Ogburn, Executive Director
National Consumer Law Center
Speaker
Tom Miller, Attorney General
Iowa Department of Justice
11:00am
Consumer Advocate Priorities and Strategies
Moderator
Rachel Weintraub, Legislative Director and Senior Counsel
Consumer Federation of America
Panelists
Robert Weissman, President
Public Citizen
Ellen Bloom, Director of Federal Policy
Consumers Union
Lauren Saunders, Managing Attorney
National Consumer Law Center
Ed Mierzwinski, Consumer Program Director
US PIRG