Press Release
AAJ CEO Linda Lipsen Accepts the Esther Peterson Consumer Service Award from the Consumer Federation of America
Washington, DC — American Association for Justice CEO Linda Lipsen accepted the Esther Peterson Consumer Service Award on May 17th at the Consumer Federation of America’s (CFA) Fifty-First Annual Awards Celebration in Washington, D.C. CFA bestows the honor on consumer advocates who walk in the footsteps of consumer advocate pioneer Esther Peterson.
“Esther Peterson is my advocacy idol. It’s truly humbling to be mentioned in the same sentence as her,” said Lipsen. “She was incredibly optimistic and effective in her decades of service on behalf of consumers trying to get a fair shake when they are hurt by negligent companies. Her impact is still felt today.”
Esther Peterson helped spur the creation of CFA, asking consumer advocacy, cooperative, and labor organizations to form a coalition. To that end, she was known for bringing people together and getting politicians to champion consumer causes. She worked as the first female lobbyist for the AFL-CIO and went on to become the highest-ranking woman in the Kennedy Administration. She served Presidents Johnson and Carter and created a space in the White House for consumer affairs. Esther Peterson’s achievements continue to impact consumers, from establishing grocery unit pricing and “open by” dating, to truth in labeling and occupational safety for workers.
