Sarah L. Stafford

Sarah L. Stafford is a Professor of Economics at the College of William and Mary, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University (1990) and a Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University (1998). Her research focuses on the impact of environmental regulations on firms and industries, with particular emphasis on coastal management, regulatory compliance, and social vulnerability. She teaches courses in law and economics, environmental economics, regulation, and industrial organization.

Her research explores how policies addressing environmental hazards like hazardous waste and coastal erosion influence business and community behavior. Notable themes include the valuation of ecosystem services, social vulnerability indices in coastal regions, and the effectiveness of federal and state environmental enforcement mechanisms. Her work frequently employs empirical analysis of regulatory data, case studies of property owner decision-making, and spatial modeling of environmental risks.

Over 25 years of academic output reveals a focus on bridging theoretical economic frameworks with applied environmental policy challenges. Key contributions include studies on living shorelines as sustainable alternatives to traditional armoring, the distributional impacts of environmental justice policies, and the interplay between market forces and regulatory compliance. Her articles highlight the need for adaptive strategies in coastal zones and equitable resource allocation under climate change.

She advises no formal graduate students, though her research often engages interdisciplinary teams. Her professional activities include maintaining a Google Scholar profile and active engagement with local policy initiatives in Virginia's coastal regions.