International & Domestic Implications of Government Accountability

Join us for "International & Domestic Implications of Government Accountability: A Conversation with Inspector General Jay Lerner," where we explore the critical role of government oversight in both domestic and international contexts. Inspector General Jay Lerner will share insights from his career, discussing the importance of transparency and integrity in government operations, the evolving role of oversight bodies, and their impact on U.S. foreign policy and international relations.

The conversation will highlight how Inspectors General uphold accountability in areas such as foreign policy, international aid, and diplomatic agreements, while addressing global challenges like transnational corruption and cybersecurity risks. This event offers a unique opportunity to understand how government accountability influences international trust, cooperation, and governance.

A Q&A session will follow, allowing students to engage with Jay Lerner on topics such as career advice, maintaining impartiality in oversight, and the future of accountability in a rapidly changing world.

From the Speaker's Bio:
Jay N. Lerner has held a number of senior Executive and Leadership Positions during his 31 years of Federal Government service.  He worked for and on behalf of several Departments and agencies -- including 13 years in the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice, 6 years at the Department of Homeland Security, and 12 years in the Inspector General community.      

Mr. Lerner has been an Inspector General, homeland-security attorney, and Federal prosecutor, and is a lawyer and passed the Certified Public Accountants Examination.  He is grateful for the professional opportunities that have been afforded to him:

• Nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to become the Inspector General at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC);  
• Led efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of FDIC programs and operations, and conduct significant investigations in the banking sector;
• Served as Vice Chair for both the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee and the Legislation Committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency;  
• Started up two new Federal agencies (Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security);  
• Represented the U.S. Government before international bodies, including the United Nations, Organization of American States (OAS), Group of Eight, International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), and others;  
• Improved response capabilities after a financial crisis and a natural disaster;  
• Investigated on behalf of an Inquiry Commission;  
• Was point person in the enactment of legislative proposals;  
• Ran an overseas training program for foreign prosecutors; and  
• Prosecuted money-laundering and other criminal cases.      

Faculty Expert

Susan D. Page

Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and Professor from Practice at the University of Michigan's Law School. Director; Weiser Diplomacy Center

Page applies her vast foreign policy experience to the Weiser Diplomacy Center. She has served the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations in senior roles for decades, across East, Central, and Southern Africa, and in Haiti and Nepal. Page was the first U.S. ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan and served as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations in Haiti.

• government accountability
• jay lerner
• Government oversight
• Susan Page