Phoebe Brown Named Secretary of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board today announced the appointment of Phoebe W. Brown as the Secretary of the Board.

Ms. Brown will oversee the scheduling of the Board's open and closed meetings and preparing and maintaining records of Board actions. She also will be responsible for receiving and tracking documents filed with the Board, including comment letters on proposed rules and auditing standards.

PCAOB General Counsel J. Gordon Seymour previously served as the Board's Secretary.

"The Board relies on a vigorous public comment process to inform our rule making and standard setting," said PCAOB Chairman James R. Doty. "The Board's current regulatory workload warrants the appointment of a full-time Secretary who is well versed in the PCAOB mission and processes. Phoebe Brown is uniquely qualified to take on this important role."

Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Ms. Brown served as Special Counsel to Board Member Daniel L. Goelzer, who recently completed his second term and left the Board. Since January 2003, she advised Mr. Goelzer on all matters that came before the Board. She also coordinated and, in some cases, led certain initiatives related to the Board's programs, operations and strategic planning. From March 2011 to March 2012, she supported Mr. Goelzer in his role as Vice Chairman of the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators. From August 2009 to February 2011, she assisted Mr. Goelzer in his role as Acting PCAOB Chairman.

"I am delighted to have the chance to work with Phoebe in this new role," said Mr. Seymour. "Her institutional knowledge, background as a corporate lawyer and the keen organizational and analytical skills she has shown through her work over the years on the Board's strategic plan and other initiatives make her ideally suited to serve as the Board's Secretary."

Prior to joining the PCAOB, Ms. Brown was a senior associate of the law firm of Baker & McKenzie, where she practiced in the areas of securities and corporate law. Ms. Brown received B.A., magna cum laude, honors, from Brown University, an M.A. from Yale University, and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve the Board as Secretary," Ms. Brown said. "I believe strongly in the PCAOB's mission to protect investors by improving audit quality, and I look forward to furthering that mission in my new role."