The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has appointed Katherine Reilly as Acting Inspector General, following the retirement of Deborah Jeffrey, who held the role since 2023. The SEC’s Office of Inspector General operates independently under the Inspector General Act of 1978, reporting to both the Commission and Congress. Reilly is currently Deputy Inspector General at the SEC and previously served in several leadership roles within the agency’s Office of Inspector General, including Acting Inspector General and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations. SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins praised the Inspector General’s office for promoting transparency and operational efficiency, stating, “Katherine possesses the experience and expertise to continue these oversight efforts. We also thank Deb for her leadership and dedication in this area during these past two years.”
Reilly began her career at the Federal Trade Commission as an antitrust lawyer before entering private practice. She held several senior roles at the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. She returned to USPS-OIG in 2019 as Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Mission Support and joined the SEC in 2020. Reilly holds a bachelor’s degree in arts and a Juris Doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Laws from The University of Melbourne. Reilly’s appointment reflects the SEC’s continued focus on maintaining strong internal oversight and accountability across its operations.
