Brookings Institution picks economist Cecilia Rouse as president 

The Brookings Institution has named labor economist Cecilia Rouse as the nonprofit’s incoming president.

She joins from Princeton University, where she is the Katzman-Ernst Professor in Economics and Education. Rouse served in the White House as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2021 to 2023 and was the first Black economist to hold the position in the Council’s 77-year history.

Previously, Rouse was dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. She also served as a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2009 to 2011 and worked as a Special Assistant to the U.S. President from 1998 to 1999.

Commenting on her appointment, Brookings Board of Trustees Co-chairs Glenn Huthins and Suzanne Nora Johnson said: “We are delighted that Dr. Rouse will join the Brookings Institution as its ninth president since its founding in 1916. Dr. Rouse has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to public policy and education through her many years of dedicated public service and rigorous scholarship.”

They added: “She is the right leader for Brookings. Her leadership and managerial experiences have always shown a commitment to rigor, balance and inclusivity, which are hallmarks of Brookings’s research and values. We would also especially like to thank Amy Liu for serving as our interim president this past year to ensure the continued excellence of Brookings’s work.”