Ethics Commission Members

Barbara S. Fredericks

Commissioner Barbara S. Fredericks was appointed to the Montgomery County Ethics Commission in July 2015. Ms. Fredericks is a consultant on issues of rule of law. In that capacity, she is a frequent speaker and expert consultant at domestic and international conferences on rule of law issues and an advisor on projects organized by United States government agencies, the World Bank, the United Nations and private sector organizations, including the National Academy of Public Administration and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. She is currently working with international organizations and governments throughout the world on these issues.

In 2015, Ms. Fredericks retired from her position as the Assistant General Counsel for Administration at the United States Department of Commerce, a position she had held for 25 years. She directed an office of over sixty professionals who advised and represented the Department in all areas of administrative law, including ethics, appropriations, and transparency, and on all aspects of employment law. She also served as Acting General Counsel and as the Departmental Designated Ethics Officer. She was responsible for ensuring compliance with all ethics statutes and regulations by every employee in the Department of Commerce, including the Secretary and all senior management officials. Ms. Fredericks also issued decisions on all administrative appeals filed in the Department of Commerce under the Freedom of Information Act. Ms. Fredericks received the Presidential Rank Award and the Department of Commerce's Gold Metal.

Previously, Ms. Fredericks was the Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Administration at the United States Department of Treasury, and, prior to that, worked as a litigation attorney specializing in labor and employment law.

Ms. Fredericks is an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law School in the International Graduate Program. She has also been a visiting lecturer at the George Washington University School of Management.

Ms. Fredericks has a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. from Boston University Law School.