Brookings Institution announces Ben Harris as Vice President and Director of Economic Studies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Brookings Institution announced today that Ben Harris has been appointed Vice President and Director of Economic Studies.  

Harris most recently served as assistant secretary for economic policy and chief economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Prior to joining Treasury, Harris was the executive director of the Kellogg Public-Private Initiative and a research associate professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.  He also served as the chief economist to Results for America and was founding president of the economic consulting group, Cherrydale Strategies.   

“Ben’s experience, expertise, and commitment to impact make him an ideal leader for Brookings and the Economic Studies program at this time,” said Amy Liu, Brookings’s Interim President. “With policymakers in the U.S. and across the globe seeking rigorous analyses and policy ideas to help them navigate today’s rapidly changing economy, Ben will further Brookings’s capacity to meet that demand.” 

Earlier in his career, Harris held several other economic policy positions, including serving as chief economist to the Vice President of the United States, a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers in the White House, and a senior economist with the Budget Committee of the U.S House of Representatives. 

Harris also previously worked at Brookings in various roles including policy director of The Hamilton Project, deputy director of the Retirement Security Project, fellow and research economist in Economic Studies, and senior research associate with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. Harris has taught as an adjunct professor at the policy schools at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University and was the senior economic adviser to Rokos Capital Management. 

Harris’ primary areas of research focus are fiscal policy and retirement policy. He has published papers and policy briefs related on a range of topics in public finance and is regularly cited in the media.  

He holds a Ph.D. in economics from George Washington University, a master’s degree in economics from Cornell University, and a master’s degree in quantitative methods from Columbia University. He earned his BA in economics at Tufts University. In 2000, Harris was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Namibia. 

“I am honored by the opportunity to lead a program featuring such a distinguished and brilliant collection of researchers and professional staff,” said Harris. “I am especially eager to further Economic Studies’ long history of producing top-quality, influential research that has informed policymaking for decades and helped shape our modern economy.” 

The Brookings Economic Studies program provides analysis of current and emerging economic issues to promote innovative and practical policy solutions. Economic Studies scholars conduct rigorous research and policy analysis and communicate their findings to inform policymakers and the public in the areas of broad-based economic growth, economic opportunity and mobility, inclusive social policy, sound monetary and fiscal policy, and climate-resilient growth.  

Harris will start on August 14, 2023.