Sarah Ackerstein Klein
Lawyer and consumer advocate Sarah Klein has dedicated her career to consumer protection issues ranging from financial and credit issues to foodborne illness to product safety. Many of these consumer protection issues disproportionately impact women and families, including particularly vulnerable young children and older consumers. Ms. Klein most recently served as Chief of Staff to Acting Chairman Robert S. Adler at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the federal regulatory agency that protects the public against unreasonable risks of injury or death from consumer products. The CPSC has jurisdiction over thousands of types of consumer products used in and around the home, outdoors, in the workplace, and in schools. As Chief of Staff to Acting Chairman Adler, Ms. Klein advised the Commission on policy matters relating to consumer product safety, and served as the primary strategist and manager for the Acting Chairman’s policy agenda, including setting regulatory priorities, managing internal and external constituencies, and overseeing agency operations.
Prior to joining CPSC, Ms. Klein was Senior Staff Attorney with the Food Safety Program for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. In that capacity, she represented CSPI in the regulatory arena, advising USDA and FDA on issues relating to food safety programs. Ms. Klein was twice appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the National Meat and Poultry Advisory Committee, and served on the Executive Board of the Conference for Food Protection. She also served on the Steering Committee of a multi-stakeholder initiative developing standards for the ethical production of food.
She is the author of several food safety reports and a comprehensive guide to food safety titled, “From Supermarket to Leftovers.” Ms. Klein has appeared frequently in the national media, including CNN, The New York Times, NPR, NBC Nightly News, ABC’s Good Morning
America, and others. Early in her legal career, Ms. Klein was an Assistant Attorney General with the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General. In that capacity, she drafted consumer protection legislation that is now law in the District. She has also worked with U.S. PIRG on consumer protection issues, and the National Whistleblower Center.
In addition to her role on the Maryland Commission for Women, Ms. Klein is currently serving as Vice-Chair as the Maryland Consumer Council. She lives in Chevy Chase with her husband and twin teenagers.