Lisa Cook
Economist, Professor

American Milledgeville, Georgia

Quick Info

Profession	Economist, Professor
Nationality	American
Birthplace	Milledgeville, Georgia
Hometown	Milledgeville, Georgia
Date of Birth	29/03/1964
Age	62 years

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Bio/Wiki

Full Name	Lisa DeNell Cook
Other Names	Lisa D Cook Harry S. Truman Scholar
Known For	Being the first Black woman as member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors of the United States

Physical Stats & More

Height	5' 6" (168 cm)
Eye Color	Light Brown
Hair Color	Light Ash Blonde

Educational Qualification(s)

Degrees	Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Philosophy (magna cum laude) from Spelman College (1986) Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from St Hilda's College (1988) Master's degree in Philosophy from Cheikh Anta Diop University PhD in Economics from University of California (1997) Philosophy studies at the University of Senegal
Colleges/Universities	Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia St Hilda's College, Oxford Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal University of California, Berkeley Oxford University University of Senegal

Personal Life

Religion	Christianity
Hobbies	Reading Writing

Relationships & More

Controversy	Mortgage fraud allegations (August 2025): Accused of misrepresenting residences to secure better loan terms. Cook denied allegations and refused to resign under pressure.

Family

Father	Payton B. Cook (Baptist Hospital Chaplain)
Mother	Mary Murray Cook (Nursing Professor)
Siblings	Two sisters

Career

Overview	Lisa Cook is a prominent economist specializing in macroeconomics, international economics, and economic history. She began her academic career in 1997 and has held positions at leading institutions including Harvard University and Michigan State University, where she became a tenured associate professor. She was sworn in as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in May 2022, making her the first Black woman to serve on the board.
Positions	Visiting Assistant Professor at the Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School (1997-2002) Deputy Director of Africa Research at Harvard’s Center for International Development Senior Adviser on Finance and Development at U.S. Treasury (2000-2001) National Fellow and Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution (2002-2005) Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, later became a tenured associate professor Assistant Professor at Michigan State University (2005-2013), later became a tenured associate professor (2013-present) Senior Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama (2011-2012) Director of the American Economic Association Summer Program (2016-2021) Member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (2022-present)
Significant Contributions	Appointed volunteer member of Biden's presidential transition Agency Review Team for the Federal Reserve Nominated to the Federal Reserve Board by Joe Biden and confirmed by U.S. Senate in May 2022, becoming the first Black woman on the board. Re-nominated for a full 14-year term in May 2023. First Marshall Scholar from Spelman College President of the National Economic Association (2015-2016) Recipient of the Impactful Mentor Award from the American Economic Association (2019) Elected to the Executive Committee of the American Economic Association Advised the Nigerian government on banking reforms and the Rwandan government on economic development Research on African American economic history and innovation economics, including compilation of a database on lynching in the United States with other economists

Social Media

LinkedIn	https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-d-cook-b0073062/

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Grew up in Milledgeville, Georgia and participated in the desegregation of schools as a child.
2. Received a gold medal for her B.A. in Physics and Philosophy from Spelman College and was named a Truman Scholar.
3. Dissertation focused on the underdevelopment of the banking system in czarist and post-Soviet Russia.
4. Has compiled a database on lynching in the U.S. with other economists.
5. Has been a strong advocate for African American women in economics and mentorship.
6. Her research suggests that violence against African Americans under Jim Crow laws led to a lower-than-expected number of patents filed
7. Serves on the Advisory Boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the National Science Foundation, the Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation of the Smithsonian Institution
8. Research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research
9. Elected to the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in January 2022

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