Gail Hillebrand led the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Division of Consumer Education and Engagement from its inception in 2011 through early 2020.  The division’s offices developed financial education approaches for community-based service providers and web content for the public. It also performed education and policy work addressing the needs of four special populations identified in the Dodd-Frank Act: older adults; post-secondary students; active-duty military and veterans, and their families; and economically vulnerable individuals and families. The Consumer Response office for complaint handling was added to the division during the latter part of her tenure.  Hillebrand  served on the CFPB’s Executive Committee and other governance and policy committees.

Before joining the CFPB, Hillebrand  worked for consumer protections in financial services at the West Coast Office of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. In those 25 years she analyzed, commented upon, and advocated on a wide range of issues, in Congress and state legislatures. Her issues included banking, community reinvestment, consumer credit, credit reporting, debt settlement, electronic signatures, identity theft, payments, and effective regulation of financial services.

Hillebrand  has testified five times in Congress and frequently in state legislatures. She was appointed by two California governors of different parties to serve on the California Board of Accountancy. She is a member of the American Law Institute and of the American College of Financial Services Lawyers. She is a recipient of the National Consumer Law Center’s Vern Countryman Award. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of California at San Diego and a JD from Berkeley Law School.

After leaving the CFPB in 2020, Hillebrand  served as a board member of the Faster Payments Council and led its Financial Inclusion work group through the 2022 publication of its first report, Faster Payments and Financial Inclusion.  Her current interests include bank and financial services regulation, consumer issues raised by new financial services products and features; electronic payments; fintech; financial inclusion; supports for savings and asset formation; financial services issues in elder care; and federalism in financial services law and oversight.