Lydia Parnes
Lydia B. Parnes is the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, one of the FTC's two law enforcement bureaus. The Bureau is the nation's only general jurisdiction consumer protection agency. With a staff of about 270 and a budget of $100 million, BCP enforces a wide range of laws designed to prevent fraud and deception in the commercial marketplace, as well as providing consumers with important information about the goods and services they purchase.
As Director, Ms. Parnes oversees a wide range of consumer protection policy and law enforcement issues, as well as management of the Bureau. Ms. Parnes joined the FTC in 1981 as Attorney Advisor to the Chairman. During her career, she has held a number of management positions, including Deputy Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection from 1992 to 2004, Associate Director of the Division of Marketing Practices from 1987 to 1992, and Assistant Director of the Division of Policy and Evaluation from 1985 to 1987. Ms. Parnes received her J.D. degree from the Washington College of Law at American University.