Rhonda Cavagnaro

Bio

Rhonda Cavagnaro is Special Counsel to Saxena White and a member of the Firm’s Institutional Outreach group. She brings extensive expertise in many areas of employee benefits and pension administration with nearly two decades of public fund experience. Ms. Cavagnaro frequently speaks at industry conferences to further trustee education on fiduciary issues facing institutional investors.

Ms. Cavagnaro began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City, where she was instrumental in creating the office’s General Crimes Unit, covering major crimes. As an Assistant District Attorney, Ms. Cavagnaro gained valuable trial experience and prosecuted hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases.

Ms. Cavagnaro started her career serving public pensions as Assistant General Counsel at the New York City Employees’ Retirement System. She then went on to become the first General Counsel to the New York City Police Pension Fund in February 2002, where she worked for over 11 years, providing advice to the Board of Trustees and 140 member staff with respect to benefits administration, fiduciary issues, employment issues, legislation, and transactional matters. Ms. Cavagnaro last served as the Assistant CEO for the Santa Barbara County Employee’s Retirement System, where under the general direction of the CEO and Board of Trustees, she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the System.

Ms. Cavagnaro graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York, and earned her Juris Doctor from the California Western School of Law in San Diego, California.