Tax Prom 2026 — The Tax Foundation's 89th Annual Gala

Kenneth J. Kies

Former Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Ken was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in June 2025 to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Treasury Department. As Assistant Secretary, he led a team of about 120 staff responsible for developing and implementing federal tax policies and programs. Ken also served as Acting IRS Chief Counsel. As Acting Chief Counsel, he was the chief legal advisor to the IRS Commissioner on all matters pertaining to the interpretation, administration and enforcement of the Internal Revenue Laws. The Chief Counsel provides legal guidance and interpretive advice to the IRS, Treasury and to taxpayers.

Previously, he served as the managing director of the Federal Policy Group, LLC and co-managing partner of the Washington National Tax Services office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Prior to joining PwC, he served as Chief of Staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation and Chief Republican Tax Counsel to the Ways and Means Committee of the United States House of Representatives. He also served as the firm wide Chair of the Tax Practice at the law firm Baker Hostetler.

Mr. Kies holds an L.L.M., Taxation from Georgetown University Law School, 1986, a JD, Cum Laude from The Ohio State University College of Law, 1977, and a B.G.S. (The Honors Tutorial College), Cum Laude, from Ohio University, 1974.

Pam Olsen

Senior Tax Policy Advisor, PwC

Pam is a senior tax policy advisor at PwC. Until retiring as a partner at PwC, Pam served as U.S. Deputy Tax Leader and Washington National Tax Services Leader from 2012 to 2020, leading a team of tax specialists and former senior government officials and policy advisers.

Prior to joining PwC, Pam led the Washington tax practice at Skadden, Arps, and was the first woman to serve as Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the US Treasury.

Pam has represented clients in a broad range of matters, from IRS controversies and congressional investigations to the administrative process to transactional matters. She is a frequent speaker on tax, economic and federal budget matters and has testified numerous times before congressional committees.

Pam was the first woman to chair the American Bar Association Section of Taxation and served as tax and economic adviser to two presidential campaigns.

She has been included repeatedly in Chambers USA list of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and Best Lawyers in America for tax law, served as a Regent and Vice Chair of the American College of Tax Counsel, and serves on the board of several nonprofit organizations. She received the University of Minnesota’s Outstanding Alumni Award, the Treasury Department's highest award, distinguished service awards from the ABA Tax Section, Federal Bar Association, Tax Executives Institute, and the Tax Council Policy Institute, and delivered both the Lawrence Woodworth and Erwin Griswold annual lectures.

Pam received her B.A., M.B.A., and J.D. from the University of Minnesota.