More details here:
Meet the New SEC Chairman Elisse Walter:
Elisse B. Walter (born April 14, 1950 in New York City[1]), was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was sworn in on July 9, 2008. Under designation by President Barack Obama, she served as Acting Chairman during January 2009.[2] Her term ends June 5, 2012.[3]
Education
Walter attended Pembroke College at Brown University in 1967[1] and graduated from Yale University with a B.A., cum laude, in applied mathematics and received her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School.[2]
Career
Walter holds a Democratic seat, succeeding Annette Nazareth, who left the commission in January 2008 to work in private practice. Walter was recommended for the commissioner position by Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) in 2007, along with fellow commissioner Luis A. Aguilar.[1] Her term on the commission ends June 5, 2012.[4]
Prior to her appointment as an SEC Commissioner, Ms. Walter served as Senior Executive Vice President, Regulatory Policy & Programs, for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). She held the same position at National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) before its 2007 consolidation with NYSE Member Regulation.
Ms. Walter coordinated policy issues across FINRA and oversaw a number of departments including Investment Company Regulation, Member Education and Training, Investor Education and Emerging Regulatory Issues. She also served on the Board of Directors of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.
Prior to joining NASD, Ms. Walter served as the General Counsel of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Before joining the CFTC in 1994, Ms. Walter was the Deputy Director of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission. She served on the SEC's staff beginning in 1977, both in that Division and in the Office of the General Counsel. Before joining the SEC, Ms. Walter was an attorney with a private law firm.