Niesa Brateman Halpern, CPA, is Vice President for Administration and Finance at the NWLC, where she is responsible for the accounting, treasury, administration, and information technology functions. Ms. Halpern embodies the NWLC's mission and is a leader in her field. As a member of the first class of women admitted to the College of the University of Virginia, she graduated from the McIntire School of Commerce, with a concentration in accounting. She gained her Master of Business Administration in Finance and Investments at George Washington University. She was a pioneer in the women's workforce of accountants by working in a "Big 8" public accounting firm upon graduation from college in 1974.
Immediately prior to joining the NWLC, Ms. Halpern served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Inc. Previously, she was Senior Vice President at the College Construction Loan Insurance Association ("Connie Lee") and Assistant Vice President, Long Range Planning and Research at the Student Loan Marketing Association ("Sallie Mae"). She also served as Director of Accounting for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac").
In addition to Ms. Halpern's commitment to her career, she has been active in community work, performing significant pro bono work and serving on boards of organizations focused on education, homelessness, and women's issues.