Vanguard announced that Tonya T. Robinson will join the firm in October as general counsel and managing director of its legal division. She will be responsible for all legal and compliance activities, public policy, and investment stewardship. She will also serve as secretary of the Vanguard Board of Directors and secretary of the Vanguard funds.
“Tonya is an accomplished lawyer and trusted business leader who brings extensive experience in the public and private sectors,” said Vanguard Chief Executive Officer Salim Ramji. “She has spent her career championing access and transparency for individuals across a range of issues and amid increasingly complex legal and regulatory landscapes. We are pleased to add her counsel, business acumen, and policy expertise to further our mission of giving individual investors the best chance for investment success.”
Tonya joins Vanguard from KPMG LLP where she has served as vice chair and general counsel for Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance since 2017. Prior to joining KPMG, Tonya was the acting general counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She has held several senior roles in public service and private practice including as special assistant to President Obama for Justice and Regulatory Policy at the White House and as a partner at the international law firm WilmerHale LLP.
“I’m thrilled to join Vanguard, a firm with a rich history of helping everyday investors get a fair shake,” said Tonya. “For nearly 50 years, Vanguard has helped families save for their education and retire better with a strong ethos of integrity and commitment to client success. I welcome the chance to work with Vanguard’s talented and purpose-driven management and legal teams to help propel the next 50 years of the firm’s impact on helping investors reach their goals.”
Tonya previously served as counsel to the ranking member on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime & Drugs and as a legislative aide to members of both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. She started her legal career as a judicial clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Tonya holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy Studies and a Certificate in Women’s Studies from Duke University, a post-graduate degree in African Studies from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Harvard Law School. She serves on the boards of directors for the National Women’s Law Center and the Ethics Research Center, as well as on the board of visitors for the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy.