White House Nominates Karen Sessions As Commissioner For The Consumer Product Safety Commission

President Trump has nominated Karen Sessions to serve a seven-year term as Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), marking the latest step in reconstituting the agency following unprecedented leadership turnover. On February 11, 2026, the White House announced Sessions' nomination to replace former Commissioner Mary T. Boyle. If confirmed by the Senate, Sessions will serve a full seven-year term on the Commission, which is responsible for product safety oversight and regulation.

While Sessions does not have prior experience at the CPSC, she has held previous roles in both Trump Administrations. Sessions currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, a position she has held since April 2025. She previously served as a Senior Advisor in the Department of Homeland Security from December 2020 to January 2021. Her private sector experience spans approximately 30 years, including nearly 14 years at Verizon in various leadership positions. During her tenure at Verizon, she served as Vice President and Director of Public Policy, Law and Security, where she oversaw policy for emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles, drones, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things. She has also held senior executive roles at AI Data Holdings, ExteNet Systems, and Westgate Resorts, and served as Chief External Affairs Officer and Board Member at XG Communities LLC. Sessions also has local government experience, having served as City Commissioner and Vice Mayor of Winter Park, Florida, from 2007 to 2010.

The CPSC is governed by a five-member commission appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve staggered seven-year terms. No more than three Commissioners may belong to the same political party, and one is designated as Chairman. Sessions' nomination comes at a pivotal moment for the CPSC, which has experienced dramatic leadership changes over the past year. In May 2025, President Trump removed the three Democratic Commissioners — Mary T. Boyle, Alex Hoehn-Saric, and Richard Trumka Jr. — leaving only Republican Commissioners Douglas Dziak and Peter Feldman helming the agency. Subsequently, Commissioner Dziak resigned in August 2025, making Acting Chairman Feldman the sole Commissioner on the panel. On October 2, 2025, the administration nominated William "Billy" Hewes, III to join Feldman as a Commissioner.

Karen Sessions' nomination will advance to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for confirmation hearings. If both Sessions and Hewes are confirmed, the Commission will have three members — still short of its full five-member complement. Companies subject to CPSC jurisdiction should monitor the nominations closely, as the new Commissioners will help shape the agency's regulatory priorities and enforcement posture for years to come.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.