Katharine G. Abraham

Katharine G. Abraham is a Distinguished University Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland, College Park, with affiliations in the Department of Survey Methodology. She serves as Director of the Maryland Center for Economics and Policy and is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Her career includes leadership roles as Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1993-2001) and member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (2011-2013).

• Ph.D. in Economics, Harvard University (1982)
• B.S. in Economics (with minor in Statistics), Iowa State University (1976)

Research Focus: Labor economics, economic measurement, and policy analysis. Key areas include gig economy dynamics, retirement decisions, health insurance impacts, labor force participation trends, and improving economic data systems. Her work bridges theoretical analysis with practical survey methodology improvements.

• Recent projects examine mobile device data for onsite work analysis, self-employment patterns among older workers, and labor market effects of policy changes.
• She contributes to measuring human capital and addressing survey nonresponse biases.

Scientific Recognition:

• Member, National Academy of Sciences
• Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Distinguished Fellow, American Economic Association
• Fellow, American Statistical Association and IZA Institute

Policy Impact: Chair of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking (2016-2017), which shaped the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (2018). Currently serves on advisory committees for the Congressional Budget Office, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.