Press Release

Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) Expands Leadership Team with Appointment of Katie Selenski as Incoming Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Director of the Retirement Research Center

Issued by Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association [DCIIA]

Oct. 9, 2025

JUPITER, FL – The Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) today announced that Katie Selenski is joining its leadership team assuming the dual roles of Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Executive Director of the Retirement Research Center (RRC), effective January 2026. Selenski will report to Lew Minsky, DCIIA’s President and CEO.

“We have been delighted to work with Katie as a consultant these last two years and are excited that she is coming aboard fulltime to join the evolving DCIIA leadership team,” said Lew Minsky, President and CEO of DCIIA. “Her long-standing dedication to the mission of improving retirement security for American workers and her leadership experience across sectors will enrich the perspective and broaden the reach of our industry community.” Selenski’s hire coincides with the previously announced hiring of Nikki Pirrello as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of the Plan Sponsor Institute, also effective January 2026.

As CSO and Executive Director of the RRC, Selenski will oversee DCIIA’s research portfolio and strategic partnership initiatives. She will continue to focus on the Workers’ Wealth Lab, a joint project of DCIIA and the Aspen Institute, with analysis powered by Morningstar, to generate insights about the drivers of wealth gaps in the U.S. retirement system and test market- and policy-based solutions. She will work closely with Minsky, Pirrello, and the Executive Committees of DCIIA and the RRC to advance DCIIA’s mission of bringing together key stakeholders to work collaboratively on enhancing retirement security and broader financial security.

Selenski brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the fields of pensions, retirement savings policy, and organizational management. From 2017 to 2023, Selenski was the inaugural Executive Director of the CalSavers Retirement Savings Board, an agency of the State of California, the fourth largest economy in the world when ranked among nations. She led a multi-disciplinary public-private partnership team to design, build, and launch the pioneering investment program for the millions of private sector workers in California without a workplace-based retirement plan. Previously, Selenski was the State Policy Director for pension policy at The Pew Charitable Trusts, a research organization based in Washington, D.C.She cut her teeth on pensions as a public sector management consultant with Harvey M. Rose Associates in San Francisco, where she provided technical assistance to jurisdictions facing unfunded pension liabilities during the financial crisis of the late 2000’s. In July of this year, Selenski was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom as a commissioner on the California Commission on Aging.

“I’m beyond honored to have this opportunity to serve this incredible community of leaders and work alongside Lew, Nikki, and the entire team to take DCIIA into its next chapter,” said Selenski. “This organization has accomplished so much already in its first 15 years, and I’m excited by the possibilities for the future envisioned by the Executive Committees of both DCIIA and the RRC. I’m deeply committed to our shared mission, and I’ve never been more inspired to help facilitate the cross-sector problem solving that will be required to fulfill it."

“Katie’s appointment rounds out a significant progression of DCIIA’s leadership team,” said Mike Raso, PineBridge Investments, Chair of the DCIIA Executive Committee. “Her background in policy, research, and government organizations—including as the head of a plan sponsor—broadens our team’s collective perspective and helps us reflect the diversity of our community of members. Her proven track record inspires confidence in her ability to take the RRC and DCIIA’s strategic partnerships to new heights.”

Selenski holds a B.A. from The University of Chicago and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She resides in Sacramento, California.

About Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA)

Founded in 2010, DCIIA is a non-profit association that brings together constituents across the financial ecosystem to help America's workforce save for retirement and achieve broader financial security. DCIIA’s 300+ member organizations include investment managers, consultants and advisors, law firms, recordkeepers, insurance companies, data providers, plan sponsors (through the Plan Sponsor Institute), and others who are collectively committed to the best interests of America's workforce. DCIIA also conducts proprietary research and participates in industry collaboration on retirement topics via the DCIIA Retirement Research Center. DCIIA is the association partner of the Journal of Retirement. For more information, visit: www.dciia.org

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