SEC Appoints Rebekah Goshorn Jurata to PCAOB; Announces Commissioner Hester Peirce to Lead Commission’s Coordination Efforts With PCAOB

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the appointment of Rebekah Goshorn Jurata as a Board member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) for a term ending October 24, 2024.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 established the PCAOB to oversee the audits of public companies and broker-dealers in order to protect the interests of investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. The PCAOB accomplishes these goals through registering public accounting firms, setting auditing standards, conducting inspections, and pursuing disciplinary actions. The SEC oversees the PCAOB and appoints its members.

“Rebekah brings significant public service experience, including at the SEC, and a deep understanding of our financial markets, that will complement the skills that Bill, Jay, Jim, and Duane bring to the Board,” said SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. 

SEC Chief Accountant Sagar Teotia added, “We look forward to working with Rebekah to further the vital work of the PCAOB. Her understanding of our financial markets and international experience will benefit the PCAOB as it oversees the audits of public companies and brokers and dealers.”

Ms. Jurata said, “I am honored to continue to serve the public as a Board member of the PCAOB.  I look forward to working with my fellow Board members to protect investors and strengthen audit quality.”

Ms. Jurata currently serves as Special Assistant to the President for Financial Policy and is responsible for advising the President and the National Economic Council Director on an array of financial services policy matters. Ms. Jurata began her professional career as a staff attorney in the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets where she focused on broker-dealer regulation, including the Commission’s proposal updating the annual audit requirements for broker-dealers. Ms. Jurata subsequently served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Daniel M. Gallagher and then as senior counsel to the House Financial Services Committee. She also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Finance Markets at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she monitored and developed policy responses to international regulatory issues involving banking, securities, commodities, accounting, cybersecurity, fintech, and insurance markets. 

In addition to Ms. Jurata’s appointment, SEC Chairman Clayton announced that Commissioner Hester Peirce has agreed to lead the Commission’s coordination efforts with the Board of the PCAOB, in coordination with the SEC’s Chief Accountant Sagar Teotia and the Office of the Chief Accountant. Chairman Clayton added, “I would like to thank Commissioner Peirce for agreeing to this important role. It will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our efforts to ensure that financial statements, the bedrock of our capital markets, have the high quality and reliability our investors expect.”