Anne Henderson selected as PBGC’s Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate

WASHINGTON – The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced that its Board of Directors has selected Anne Henderson as the agency’s Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate, effective January 12.

Henderson replaces Constance Donovan, who retired in August after nearly 11 years of service, as PBGC’s first advocate.

“The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Office of the Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate provides a vital service to participants and plan sponsors who interact with the PBGC. It is important that the Board of Directors of PBGC select a candidate who can provide the leadership, experience, and vision that Congress, stakeholders, workers and retirees have come to expect from the Office of the Advocate,” said Acting Secretary of Labor and Chair of the PBGC Board of Directors Julie A. Su. “The board is pleased to have selected Anne Henderson to serve as the next advocate, and we look forward to working with her and the dedicated staff of the Office of the Advocate to continue to promote and support defined benefit pension plans and the participants and beneficiaries they serve and provide valuable insight into how PBGC can best serve the public.”

The Office of the Advocate works directly with participants in private sector defined benefit pension plans to ensure they receive the benefits to which they are entitled from PBGC. The Office of the Advocate also assists plan sponsors in resolving disputes and other issues with PBGC and provides valuable input and recommendations to the PBGC Board of Directors related to the operations and work of PBGC.

The work of the Office of the Advocate furthers the mission of PBGC, which is to protect the retirement security of about 31 million American workers in private sector defined benefit pension plans and encourage the continuation and maintenance of the private sector defined benefit pension plans.

The advocate works independently of PBGC departments and reports directly to PBGC’s Board of Directors. The advocate submits a report to Congress annually on the activities of the office and makes recommendations, including legislative changes, to address problems and improve the agency’s mission.

In addition to the advocate, the Office of the Advocate includes two other staff members: Camille Castro, senior associate participant and plan sponsor advocate; and Emily Spreiser, associate participant and plan sponsor advocate.

“I’m thrilled and honored to serve as the next PBGC Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate, a unique role that assists plan sponsors and participants in PBGC-trusteed plans in resolving disputes with PBGC,” Henderson said. “Improving customer service has been the common thread of my federal career. I look forward to building on the efforts of the previous advocate and with Camille and Emily in the Office of the Advocate to ensure that PBGC continues to serve its customers by providing the board and Congress with an independent perspective and outlook on PBGC and the defined benefit pension system.”

Henderson currently serves as senior advisor in the Office of Policy and External Affairs, where she coordinates PBGC’s interactions with stakeholder groups and leads high-profile operational initiatives. She joined PBGC in 2008 as the agency’s communications and web content manager. During her PBGC career, she also served in temporary assignments in the Office of Benefits Administration and the Policy, Research and Analysis Department. Before joining PBGC, Henderson held public affairs positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and General Services Administration. Henderson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from The George Washington University.

PBGC’s Board of Directors selects the Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate from the candidates nominated by PBGC’s Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee solicited nominations for the position in a Federal Register Notice published July 29, 2024.