Initiative on Financial Security

Aspen IFS Staff

Lisa Mensah, Executive Director

Lisa Mensah is an expert in using financial tools to improve the economic security of the working poor.  At IFS, Ms. Mensah leads an advisory board of corporate executives and experts to explore financial products that build wealth from birth to retirement for America’s working families.  Ms. Mensah began her career in commercial banking at Citibank prior to working 13 years with the Ford Foundation.  Serving as Deputy Director of Economic Development for the organization, Ms. Mensah led the Foundation’s work in microfinance and women’s economic development. She became the leading national funder of individual development accounts (IDAs) – an innovative savings account structured with matching incentives and personal financial training used to finance homeownership, entrepreneurship and education. Under Ms. Mensah’s leadership, IDAs grew from an experiment at a handful of sites to become a tool used by hundreds of community organizations in all 50 states.  Ms. Mensah holds an M.A. from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of The Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. from Harvard University.

Pamela Perun, Ph.D., Policy Director

Pamela Perun is a lawyer and psychologist who consults on retirement income policy issues.  She recently researched pension plans integrated with Social Security for the Boston College Center for Retirement Research and the potential effects of Social Security reform on the private pension system for AARP.  For the Urban Institute, she has written about phased retirement programs, personal accounts under Social Security, contribution limits to savings plans, trends in stock-based compensation, and universal savings accounts.  She edits Employee Benefits, Compensation and Pension Journal for the Social Science Research Network.  Ms. Perun practiced employee benefits law in Boston and Washington, D.C., and has held research appointments at Duke University, Wellesley College and Harvard University Medical School. She received a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, a Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. from Wellesley College.  She is a member of the Massachusetts, District of Columbia and California Bar Associations. 

Lewis Mandell, Ph.D., Senior Fellow

Dr. Lewis Mandell is a leading scholar in the areas of finance and managerial economics. He is also a preeminent researcher in the field of financial literacy. Dr. Mandell is currently the Kermit O. Hanson Visiting Professor of Finance and Business Economics at the University of Washington and was formerly the Dean of the University of Buffalo's Business School and Professor of Finance and Managerial Economics. Over the course of his career, Dr. Mandell has developed an expertise in consumer economics, financial planning, the financial services industry, and personal investing. His publications - which include more than 20 books - span a wide array of topics, from consumer finance to the credit card industry to the value of financial literacy initiatives. Considered an expert on financial literacy education and initiatives, Dr. Mandell's original research has offered important insights into the development of financial education curriculum. He has testified before Congress on numerous financial services industry topics, including equal opportunity lending and financial sector reform. Dr. Mandell received his B.A. from the City College of New York, his M.A. from Northwestern University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas.

Robert Weinberger, Senior Fellow

Robert Weinberger specializes in tax and financial services policy. Mr. Weinberger is the former Vice President for Government Relations for H&R Block, Inc. His responsibilities included liaison with the White House, the Treasury Department, IRS, Congress and business, consumer and public policy groups. Earlier in his career, Mr. Weinberger served in federal and state government – at the White House and Department of Commerce and Transportation, and as General Counsel to the Illinois State Comptroller – before leading government relations and public policy as an executive at Continental Bank, Unilever United States, and finally H&R Block, from which he retired in 2009. Mr. Weinberger graduated from Oberlin College and the University of Illinois College of Law. In addition, he studied at the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs and at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Raymond O’Mara, Associate

Raymond O’Mara manages the day-to-day operation of Aspen IFS, with principal focus on policy research and strategy. Additionally, Mr. O’Mara spearheads Aspen IFS’s communication operations, managing digital content and event design. Before joining IFS as an associate, Mr. O’Mara held positions with the EastWest Institute and Merrill Lynch. Mr. O’Mara received his B.A. from New York University.