Governor Abbott Names Chair And Appoints Three To State Pension Review Board
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Josh McGee of Houston, Stephanie Leibe of Austin and Ernest Richards of Irving to the State Pension Review Board for terms set to expire January 31, 2021. The governor additionally named Josh McGee presiding officer. The Board reviews all Texas public retirement systems, both state and local, for actuarial soundness and compliance with state law.
Josh McGee is an economist and a leading retirement policy expert. He is a vice president at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and leads the organization’s nationwide efforts to improve retirement security. He also serves as a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and has written extensively about retirement plan design, benefit security, and sustainability. McGee received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in industrial engineering and a Doctor of Philosophy in economics from the University of Arkansas.
Stephanie Leibe is senior counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright. Her practice focuses primarily on public finance matters, including bond counsel and underwriter’s counsel for state agencies and local political subdivisions, investment banking firms and banks located throughout the state of Texas. Previously, she served as an assistant attorney general and chief of the public finance division in the Texas Attorney General’s Office. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, National Association of Bond Lawyers, and the Austin Bar Association. Additionally, she is a board member of the Dripping Springs Education Foundation. Leibe received a Bachelor of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University School of Law.
Ernest Richards is managing member at Richards Law Firm PLLC, with a focus on public and corporate finance law. Previously, he was an attorney at Mahomes Bolden PC, of counsel, where he did bond work for underwriting firms, government agencies and political subdivisions. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the National Association of Bond Lawyers. Additionally, he serves as a commissioner with the City of Irving Planning and Zoning Board, and is a member of the J.L. Turner Legal Association and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Richards received a Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.