Brookings Institution hires former US Treasury chief economist

The Washington D.C.-based Brookings Institution has appointed Ben Harris as vice president and director of economic studies.

He joins the nonprofit after most recently serving as chief economist and assistant secretary for economic policy and chief economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Prior to joining the Treasury, he was an executive director of the Kellogg Public-Private Initiative  and a research associate professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Harris has also worked as the chief economist to Results for America and was founding president of the economic consultancy Cherrydale Strategies. During the Obama administration he was chief economist to the vice president of the U.S., a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers and a senior economist with the budget committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

He also previously held roles at Brookings, including as policy director of The Hamilton Project, which produces proposals for policies to create a growing economy that will benefit more Americans. 

Commenting on the appointment, Harris said: “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 economic studies program at Brookings is focused on providing analysis of current and emerging economic issues to promote innovative and practical policy solutions.

Harris starts work in the new role on Aug. 14.