AGA PDT 2026

Margaret Pearson
Deputy Controller, OFFM
OMB


Margaret Ponds Pearson joins OMB as the Deputy Controller in the Office of Federal Financial Management. Margaret is a results-driven Senior Executive with over three decades of experience transforming financial operations and modernizing budget and accounting processes across Federal, State, and Local government. She joins OMB from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) where she led the Federal government’s Retirement benefits program, overseeing nearly 1,000 employees who deliver retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to 2.7 million federal retirees and their families—issuing over $8 billion each month. Since taking the helm in 2021, she cut backlogged cases by 60%, reduced processing times by 20 days, and boosted customer satisfaction by 20%. Previously, Margaret served as OPM’s Deputy CFO, guiding the agency’s financial management, budget, performance, risk, and audit functions, and stewarding more than $1 trillion in trust fund assets. She also spent nine years as OPM’s Associate CFO for Budget and Performance, navigating complex fiscal challenges and advising leaders through shifting priorities and legislative changes. Before joining the Federal government, Margaret was a senior management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she helped agencies strengthen financial management and performance. A native Washingtonian, Margaret holds a M.S. from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School and a B.A. in American Government from the University of Virginia.

Sessions :