Washington, D.C. – ​The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that Jonathan McKernan will join FHFA as Senior Counsel for Policy.  Also, Raphael “Raffi” Williams recently joined the Agency as its Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor.

McKernan comes to FHFA from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he played a pivotal role in the development of the Treasury Housing Reform Plan released in September.  Prior to Treasury, he advised Senator Bob Corker on housing finance reform and a number of financial services issues, including Sen. Corker’s bipartisan effort to negotiate housing finance reform legislation.  McKernan also brings 10 years of experience as a banking lawyer, most recently as counsel at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, LLP.  McKernan received his J.D. with high honors from the Duke University School of Law, and a B.A. and M.A. in economics from the University of Tennessee, where he graduated summa cum laude. 

​Williams joins FHFA from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where he was Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Public Affairs.  Prior communications experience includes Capitol Hill leadership, a national campaign committee and broadcast companies.  In 2015, Williams was named to Forbes’ “30 under 30, for Law and Policy.”  Williams has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Haverford College, where he played on its Centennial Conference Champion Lacrosse team.​