Cheryl L. Evans, JD

Cheryl L. Evans, JD, leads the Lifetime Financial Security Program within the Finance pillar at the Milken Institute. She frequently discusses issues related to financial security, lifetime income, enhancing retirement savings, financial education, debt management, the financial security of women, digital investing platforms, financial fraud and scams, and global financial health. She has been cited in US News and World Report, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg News, Pensions & Investments, Worth, Forbes, Kiplinger, MarketWatch, CBS News, and the Washington Times. Evans is the coauthor of Shifting the Retirement Paradigm: Moving toward Lifetime Financial Security and Enhancing Retirement: Advancing Lifetime Income for All

Previously, Evans held a variety of legal, advocacy, policy, and content development roles. She worked at CFA Institute as a senior attorney in its enforcement program, helped lead research for its Future of Finance Global Initiative, and worked in its educational events and programs area, where she spoke on issues faced by women in finance and law. She worked as special counsel at the US Chamber of Commerce, where she engaged in legal writing, public speaking, advocacy, and strategy work, and was registered as a federal lobbyist. Evans was also a part of the Chamber’s 2008 Economic Crisis Working Group, led two academic working groups, and contributed to a large economic study related to securities litigation.

She spent more than 11 years as senior counsel at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). At the SEC, Evans worked in the Division of Enforcement, where she handled a variety of investigations, was a member of the WorldCom case team, served as the liaison to the Office of International Affairs, and was a part of a criminal fraud task force. She also worked in the Division of Trading and Markets, where she approved financial products and interpreted trading rules, and in the Division of Examinations, where she inspected compliance programs.

Evans was appointed to work as a special assistant US attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, prosecuting felony and misdemeanor criminal cases. She handled hearings, oral arguments, and trials, and appeared before the grand jury. She also served as a trial attorney in the Commercial Litigation Branch of the US Department of Justice, where she worked at both the trial and appellate levels, handling international trade cases, banking team trials, employment law matters, and government contract bid protests. She also served as a judicial law clerk at the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

She has served on corporate boards for the Beta Theta Chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority and Commonwealth Senior Living Center.
Evans was appointed to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Issues Committee, and she has served as a judge for InvestmentNews’ Wealth Management and Women to Watch Awards.

Evans holds a BA from Marietta College, a JD from Rutgers Law School, and an LLM in transnational business practice from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law in association with Salzburg Law School in Austria. She is a retired member of the Pennsylvania Bar.