Alex B. Zerden — profile dossier

In the archive

Interactive: Where Pandemic-Oversight Lawyers Went Next

Identity & role

Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies (Washington, D.C.), a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm working with financial institutions and companies on emerging technologies, financial regulation, and economic-crisis response. (Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: capitolpeak.co); Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: bankinfosecurity.com)) He was Counsel to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, June 2020 – May 2021. (Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: legistorm.com))

Career arc

Education: Tufts University; American University Washington College of Law. (Education: Tufts University; American University Washington College of Law. CNAS profile (original: cnas.org))
Financial oversight at the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under Sen. Carl Levin; founded a consulting company; assisted 9/11 survivors and families in private practice; entered the executive branch as a Presidential Management Fellow. (committee staff release (original: coronavirus.house.gov · stored capture))
Service across the U.S. government: the White House National Economic Council, the House of Representatives, the Senate PSI, and the Treasury Department — its Office of International Affairs, the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), with a focus on anti-money laundering/CFT, sanctions, and financial enforcement. (Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: capitolpeak.co); WestExec)
June 2020 – May 2021: Counsel, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. (Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: legistorm.com))
Founded Capitol Peak Strategies; concurrently an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a Senior Advisor to WestExec Advisors, and a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. (Education: Tufts University; American University Washington College of Law. CNAS profile (original: cnas.org); WestExec)

Pandemic relief oversight role

As Counsel from June 2020, Zerden worked on the Subcommittee during its first year. He departed in May 2021 — about eighteen months before the Subcommittee's December 1, 2022 fintech-fraud staff report, "We Are Not the Fraud Police." (Report: House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, majority staff, Dec. 1, 2022.)

Lobbying & industry ties

Not a registered federal lobbyist. Capitol Peak Strategies is an advisory firm — risk, technology, and regulatory consulting for regulated fintech, crypto, and financial-services clients — and the public record shows no LDA registration for Zerden or the firm. He also holds affiliated think-tank and advisory positions (CNAS adjunct senior fellow, WestExec senior advisor, CFR term member) and publishes on AML/CFT, sanctions, and fintech. (Education: Tufts University; American University Washington College of Law. CNAS profile (original: cnas.org); Not a registered federal lobbyist. Capitol Peak Strategies is an advisory firm — risk, technology, and regulatory... (original: justsecurity.org))

Where they are now (2025–2026)

His post-government portfolio (CNAS, WestExec, CFR, published commentary) is substantially policy-facing. (Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: capitolpeak.co); Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: legistorm.com))

Sources held in this archive

Original source documents and archived captures

Sources

Capitol Peak Strategies (firm site; "Risk, Tech, Regulatory Advisory"; Zerden government background incl. NEC, House, Senate PSI, Treasury/FinCEN) — Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: capitolpeak.co)
LegiStorm, Alex B. Zerden biography ("House … Select Coronavirus Crisis Subcommittee (June 2020-May 2021) Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Counsel") — Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: legistorm.com)
Center for a New American Security, Alex Zerden (CNAS adjunct senior fellow; education; WestExec; CFR term member) — Education: Tufts University; American University Washington College of Law. CNAS profile (original: cnas.org)
WestExec Advisors, Alex Zerden — https://www.westexec.com/alex-zerden/
BankInfoSecurity, Alex Zerden — Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies — Founder and Principal, Capitol Peak Strategies Washington, D.C., a risk, technology, and regulatory advisory firm... (original: bankinfosecurity.com)
Just Security, Alex Zerden author page (published AML/CFT, sanctions, fintech commentary) — Not a registered federal lobbyist. Capitol Peak Strategies is an advisory firm — risk, technology, and regulatory... (original: justsecurity.org)
Chairman Clyburn announces Select Subcommittee staff (committee release; prior Senate PSI under Levin; 9/11 work; PMF) — committee staff release (original: coronavirus.house.gov · stored capture)
Report: "We Are Not the Fraud Police", House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, majority staff, Dec. 1, 2022.