Ann Brown was sworn in as Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Commission (CPSC) on March 10, 1994. She was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a Commissioner and the seventh Chairman of the CPSC.

As Chairman, Ann Brown's goal is to keep families-especially children-safe in their homes. She has frequently cited the equal responsibility of consumers, industry and the CPSC in promoting consumer safety. Her actions on behalf of children have earned Chairman Brown the "Champion of Safe Kids Award" from the National Safe Kids Campaign, the "Humanitarian of the Year" award from the Danny Foundation, and the "Clarion Award" from the National Parents Day Coalition. In 1995, Chairman Brown received the "Government Communicator of the Year Award," and in 1996, the "Golden Trumpet Award" from the Publicity Club of Chicago.

Her leadership of agency efforts to provide better customer service has been honored with three awards for reinventing government from Vice President Al Gore, including an award for outstanding improvement of CPSC's toll-free hotline, its most direct link to the public.

For more than two decades prior to her appointment, Mrs. Brown was a consumer advocate. She served as vice president of the Consumer Federation of America for nearly 15 years, and was chairman of the board of the consumer advocacy group Public Voice from 1983 to 1994. In 1989, Mrs. Brown was named "Washingtonian of the Year," by Washingtonian.