Lisa Cook Age, Wiki and Bio

Lisa Cook

Quick Info

ProfessionEconomist, Professor
NationalityAmerican
Date of BirthXX/XX/1964
AgeUnknown
BirthplaceMilledgeville, Georgia
HometownMilledgeville, Georgia

Bio/Wiki

Full NameLisa DeNell Cook
Other Names
  • Lisa D Cook
  • Harry S. Truman Scholar
Known ForBeing the first black woman as member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors of the United States

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 6" (168 cm)
Eye ColorLight Brown
Hair ColorLight 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)
Colleges/Universities
  • Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia
  • St Hilda's College, Oxford
  • Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal
  • University of California, Berkeley

Personal Life

ReligionChristianity
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

FatherPayton B. Cook (Baptist Hospital Chaplain)
MotherMary Murray Cook (Nursing Professor)
SiblingsTwo sisters

Career

OverviewLisa Cook began her academic career in 1997, focusing initially on international economics. She taught at institutions including Harvard University and Michigan State University, where she became a tenured associate professor.
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
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.

Some Lesser Known Facts

Grew up in Milledgeville, Georgia and participated in the desegregation of schools as a child.
Received a gold medal for her B.A. in Physics and Philosophy from Spelman College and was named a Truman Scholar.
Dissertation focused on the underdevelopment of the banking system in czarist and post-Soviet Russia.
Has compiled a database on lynching in the U.S. with other economists.
Has been a strong advocate for African American women in economics and mentorship.