Economist, MSU professor would be first Black woman to serve on Federal Reserve Board of Governors   

LANSING, Mich.—Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement after President Biden nominated Lisa Cook, an economist, and MSU professor, to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.  

“Lisa Cook is one of the preeminent economists in the country, an esteemed Spartan professor, and mentor to countless young women. I am thrilled that President Biden has nominated her to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. If confirmed, she would be the first Black woman on the board, tasked with implementing the monetary policy of the United States. Michigan is proud to see her get nominated to such a notable post where she will help grow the economy, tackle rising costs, support the creation of good-paying jobs, and look out for working families.”   

Lisa Cook is a professor of economics and international relations at Michigan State University and serves on the steering committee of the Center for Equitable Growth, a think tank. Previously, she served as a senior economist in the Obama administration’s Council of Economic Advisors. She received her PhD in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. 

Senator Stabenow Statement on Dr. Lisa Cook Nomination to Serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors 

WASHINGTON—Senator Debbie Stabenow released the following statement on President Biden’s nomination of Dr. Lisa Cook to serve on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. If confirmed, Dr. Cook will be the first Black woman to serve on the Board. 

“Dr. Lisa Cook is the right person at the right time to serve at the Federal Reserve. I’m glad President Biden recognized this. Her nomination comes at a moment when the Federal Reserve needs the best and the brightest to help us recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Cook’s perspective and experience is unmatched and will be instrumental in our nation’s recovery. Her nomination is also historic, as she will be the first Black woman to serve on the Board. I’m so proud to see Michigan’s diversity and excellence be represented at the Federal Reserve. I look forward to supporting her confirmation.”

 Lisa D. Cook is a Professor of Economics and International Relations at Michigan State University. She was the first Marshall Scholar from Spelman College and received a second B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University. She earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley with fields in macroeconomics and international economics. She was an adjunct professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Deputy Director for Africa Research at the Center for International Development at Harvard University, and a National Fellow at Stanford University. Among her current research interests are economic growth and development, innovation, financial institutions and markets, and economic history. Dr. Cook is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and is the author of a number of published articles, book chapters, and working papers. She is also on the Board of Editors of the Journal of Economic Literature. She also served at the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama and also had visiting appointments at the National Bureau of Economic Research, the University of Michigan, and the Federal Reserve Banks of New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (Academic Advisory Council).  

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