FDA’s June Stephenson Retires After 37 Years in FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel

June Stephenson, a 37-year employee in FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel, will retire on December 31, 2010.   Ms. Stephenson has been the principal secretary for every chief counsel at FDA since 1974.  At a December 8th retirement party, her contributions were recognized by almost all of the nine chief counsels with whom she worked (including Hyman, Phelps & McNamara’s Tom Scarlett), and she received the Distinguished Career Service Award from the FDA Commissioner and a Certificate of Appreciation from the HHS Secretary.  The previous night, the Food and Drug Law Institute awarded Ms. Stephenson with a Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Those of us in the private sector who have dealt with the Office of Chief Counsel these past 37 years will miss her as much as her FDA colleagues.  We have appreciated the gracious professionalism she exhibited while dealing with us.  The courteous and intelligent face she presented to all with whom she came in contact enhanced FDA’s  reputation.  We wish her a long and happy retirement!