Peterson Foundation Economic Forum | Peter G. Peterson Foundation
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The Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum brings together thought leaders shaping the future of our nation for in-depth conversations on America’s most pressing issues.
Past Events
Expert Views: Inflation, Interest and the National Debt
William C. Dudley, 10th President & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Nela Richardson, Chief Economist, ADP
With high inflation, rising interest costs, unsustainable debt and a potential recession, America faces no shortage of complex fiscal and economic challenges.
To help decipher and demystify the landscape, the Peterson Foundation’s Expert Views initiative asked experts with diverse perspectives from across the political spectrum to share their ideas and insights to help understand the landscape and identify solutions.
On November 14th, two of the initiative’s authors, William Dudley and Nela Richardson, joined us to discuss the optimal mix of fiscal, monetary and economic policy to steer us through a challenging inflationary period, while giving our economy the best chance for a soft landing amidst elevated interest rates and unsustainably high debt and deficits.
A Conversation on the Long-Term Budget Outlook with CBO Director Phillip Swagel
Phillip Swagel Director, Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
As the Federal Reserve takes necessary steps to battle high inflation, there are significant implications for our federal budget outlook. CBO’s May report showed that interest costs will add $8.1 trillion to deficits over the next decade. The 2022 Long-Term Budget Outlook, which was released on July 27, provided additional details about spending, revenue, interest, debt and deficits over the next 30 years. CBO Director Phillip Swagel joined Peter G. Peterson Foundation CEO Michael Peterson for a discussion of this new report a day after its release.America's Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Where Do We Go From Here? — Session II
James Poterba President and CEO, National Bureau of Economic Research
Diane Swonk Chief Economist, Grant Thornton
The Peterson Foundation’s latest initiative, “America’s Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Where Do We Go from Here?” convened twelve leading experts with diverse views from across the political spectrum to share their perspectives on the opportunities, challenges, and way forward for America’s economic and fiscal future. As we began a new year, two of the initiative’s authors — James Poterba (National Bureau of Economic Research) and Diane Swonk (Grant Thornton) — discussed the state of the economic recovery and how we can create a sustainable fiscal outlook that puts America on a path to economic growth and shared prosperity.
America's Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Where Do We Go From Here? — Session I
William Gale Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy, Brookings Institution and co-director, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Sita Slavov Professor of Public Policy, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University
With our economy in recovery, our debt rising unsustainably, and our nation still grappling with a devastating pandemic, America faces many critical questions for its future. Where do we go from here? To help illuminate and improve the understanding of this critical moment, the Peterson Foundation has convened twelve leading experts with diverse views from across the political spectrum to share their views on the answer to this fundamental question. As we launched this new resource, two of the initiative’s authors joined us to share their creative and thoughtful solutions to help guide citizens and policymakers through this uniquely challenging time.
Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic — Session III
The U.S. Economy, Policy Options and the 2020 Election
Lanhee J. Chen, David and Diane Steffy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies, Hoover Institution
Austan D. Goolsbee, Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The third session in the Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum’s series Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic Pandemic analyzed the unprecedented effects that this crisis has had on our economy, against the backdrop of the 2020 election. As policymakers and candidates debate proposals to help the nation recover from a severe health and economic crisis, this bipartisan conversation assessed how Washington has handled the crisis thus far – and what more needs to be done to address our mounting fiscal and economic challenges. What are the key indicators and milestones that reveal not only the extent of the damage, but also where the recovery is taking hold? What policy proposals are being put forward by the campaigns to address the still uncertain landscape?
Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic — Session II
The U.S. Healthcare System: Preparedness, Response and Future Trends
Michelle A. Williams, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvey V. Fineberg, President, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
COVID-19 is a pandemic that has exposed a range of shortcomings that exist in the U.S. healthcare sector, from a lack of preparedness, to limited supplies, to inequities in impact and access. At the same time, as we have confronted and adjusted to the situation, certain opportunities to improve the performance of our healthcare system have been revealed.
The second session in the Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum’s series Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic explored the U.S. healthcare system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and what we have learned from this crisis to help us improve delivery in the future. Where did we lack preparedness? What are the structural and systemic failures that create disparities and health inequities among different groups of Americans? Can learnings from our response help better prepare our nation for the next pandemic, and also have lasting benefits?
Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic — Session I
A Conversation With CBO Director Phillip Swagel
Phillip Swagel, Director, Congressional Budget Office
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum’s series Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic launched with Foundation CEO Michael Peterson in a conversation with Swagel about CBO’s approach in assessing a complex fiscal and economic landscape, including the organization’s analysis of the CARES Act and other legislative responses to the crisis.
Upcoming Events
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William C. Dudley
10th President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Senior Advisor
William C. Dudley is currently a senior adviser to the Griswold Center for Economic Policy Studies at Princeton University and Chair of the Bretton Woods Committee. From 2009 to 2018, Mr. Dudley was the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vice chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee, and on the BIS Board of Directors. Prior being President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Mr. Dudley served as executive director of the Markets Group at the NY Fed and was the Chief US Economist at Goldman Sachs.
Nela Richardson
Chief Economist, ADP
Nela Richardson joined ADP as Chief Economist in November of 2020. Nela is the co-head of the ADP Research Institute and leads economic research for ADP. Previously she was Principal and Investment Strategist at Edward Jones, a financial services firm. In that role, Nela analyzed and interpreted economic trends and financial market conditions and recommended investment strategies. Nela is also the former chief economist at Redfin Corp., a national real estate brokerage and technology company, where she led a team of data scientists, economists and writers to track trends in the housing market. Nela also served as a senior economist for Bloomberg, L.P., covering housing and financial markets, and has held research positions at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies and Freddie Mac. She also worked as an adjunct finance professor at the Carey School of Business at John Hopkins University. Nela earned a doctorate in economics from the University of Maryland-College Park with concentrations in financial economics, international finance and economic development. She obtained a master’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, where she was a triple major in mathematics, economics and philosophy. Nela regularly provides insight on the economy, real estate trends and capital markets to policymakers, consumers and media. She is a regular contributor to Marketplace from American Public Media and has frequently appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business CNN, Yahoo Finance, the Wall Street Journal, FORTUNE magazine, the New York Times and other national and local media. Nela serves on the foundation boards for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Business Economists. She also is a member of the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Advisory Committee and the Conference of Business Economists.
Michael A. Peterson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation
Michael A. Peterson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to addressing America’s fiscal challenges and building a stronger economic future. The Foundation engages in grant-making, partnerships and research to educate citizens and foster solutions to put America on a sustainable fiscal path. Michael sets the Foundation’s policy direction and strategy, shaping its major programs and initiatives.
Michael combines his dedication to public service with extensive private sector experience as an entrepreneur, operator and investor. In 2007, he co-founded Evolve IP, an award-winning telecommunications company named as one of America’s 50 best places to work (Inc. Magazine), best entrepreneurial companies (Entrepreneur Magazine) and fastest growing technology companies (Deloitte Fast 500). Michael also co-founded GPX Enterprises, L.P., which makes direct investments in operating businesses and real estate. Previously, he held a number of corporate finance positions, leading and executing transactions totaling several billion dollars. Michael also currently serves as the CEO of Peterson Management, LLC, which manages the Peterson family investments.
Michael is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and serves on the boards of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Partnership for New York City. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of New York, and Business Executives for National Security. He has received the Corporate Community Achievement Award from the Northside Center for Child Development, the Business Heroes of the Year Award from the Queens Chamber of Commerce, and the Visionary Award from the Committee for Economic Education. Additionally, he has established his own foundation, which focuses on a variety of philanthropic areas.
Michael graduated Magna Cum Laude and with Honors from Brown University, where he was awarded the Taubman Prize for his thesis. He received his Master's degree from the London School of Economics. Michael lives in New York with his wife, Tara Peters, and their two children.