Steady Signals in an Uncertain 2026 January 28, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm ET Virtual

Allison Herren Lee is a former SEC Commissioner, and now co-chair of the SEC and CFTC practice group at Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto. Her practice focuses on representing whistleblowers reporting securities, commodities, banking and capital markets law violations, including a focus on ESG, governance/audit, securities law, and whistleblowers.

Before joining Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto as Of Counsel, Lee was appointed by President Donald Trump to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and sworn into office on July 8, 2019. In January 2021, she was appointed by President Biden as Acting Chair of the Commission and served in that role through April of 2021. She then continued to serve as a commissioner until she stepped down in July 2022. Throughout her tenure as Commissioner and her service as Acting Chair, she emphasized the need for fulsome and accurate disclosures so that investors have the information they need in pricing risk and allocating capital. She highlighted the need for market participants to maintain the highest ethical standards, and quickly moved to make climate change risk and ESG a top SEC priority.

As the SEC’s Acting Chair, Lee helped propel ESG issues to the forefront of the agency’s agenda. Among other things, she hired a senior policy adviser for ESG and launched an enforcement task force to evaluate and pursue tips, referrals, and whistleblower complaints on ESG-related issues. She was a champion for stronger whistleblower protections and individual accountability for violations of securities laws.

Commissioner Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Colorado and a JD from the University of Denver College of Law and has served as an Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Fellow at NYU Law’s Institute for Corporate Governance and Finance.

Anissa Vasquez serves as a director on Rivel’s governance and sustainability team, advising clients on environmental, social, and governance strategy, disclosure, and regulatory compliance. She helps companies navigate evolving regulated reporting needs such as the California climate disclosure laws (SB 253 and SB 261) and CSRD, while aligning with frameworks like TCFD, ISSB S1 and S2, and SASB. Her work includes preparing sustainability reports, conducting materiality assessments, supporting ESG assurance readiness, and translating complex requirements into clear, credible narratives for boards, executives, and stakeholders.

Before joining Rivel, Vasquez led in-house sustainability programs at Latham & Watkins and Persefoni, directing ESG strategy and reporting capabilities across the U.S., U.K., and EU. Her background spans corporate and advisory roles, with a focus on aligning climate strategy with disclosure expectations and driving value through sustainability.

Vasquez has published work in Fast Company and Trellis (formerly GreenBiz) and co-authored ESG reports with NACD and ERM. She frequently speaks at conferences, including events hosted by Pensions & Investments and the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship.

Outside of work, Vasquez is a creative writer and avid reader. She enjoys paddleboarding, live music in New York, and teaching herself piano. Most days, she explores the outdoors or relaxes with her dog, Lacy.

Vasquez holds dual degrees in environment, sustainability, and policy and geography from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, where she was part of the inaugural graduating class of the ESP program.