Jason Furman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jason Furman
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Official portrait, 2013
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| 28th Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers | |
| In office August 2, 2013 – January 20, 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Alan Krueger |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Hassett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 18, 1970 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Eve Gerber |
| Relations | Gail Furman (mother) Jay Furman (father) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, MA, PhD) London School of Economics (MSc) |
Jason Furman (born August 18, 1970) is an American economist and a professor at Harvard University. He teaches at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is also a senior expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
From 2013 to 2017, Furman was the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA). This is a group of experts who advise the President on economic matters. He was chosen for this role by President Barack Obama. Before that, he was a deputy director at the U.S. National Economic Council. He also advised Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential election campaign.
Since 2019, he has taught an introductory economics course at Harvard. He is also part of several important groups. These include the Council on Foreign Relations and the Group of Thirty. He helps guide economic discussions and policies.
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Early Life and Education
Jason Furman was born and grew up in New York City. His father, Jay Furman, worked in real estate. His mother, Gail Furman, was a child psychologist. Jason Furman is Jewish. His brother, Jesse M. Furman, is a judge.
Furman finished high school at the Dalton School in 1988. He then went to Harvard University, where he earned a degree in social studies in 1992. After Harvard, he studied at the London School of Economics. He later returned to Harvard to get more degrees. He earned a master's degree in government in 1995. In 2004, he completed his PhD in economics. His PhD advisor was Greg Mankiw, who also led the Council of Economic Advisers for President George W. Bush.
Starting His Career in Economics
In 1996, while still a student, Furman worked for a year at the Council of Economic Advisers. He was hired by economist Joseph Stiglitz. Later, he worked with Stiglitz at the World Bank. He then joined the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration.
Furman also helped with several presidential campaigns. These included the campaigns of Al Gore in 2000 and Wesley Clark in 2004. In 2004, he became the director of economic policy for the John Kerry campaign. After that, he worked at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. There, he helped stop a plan to change the Social Security system.
He also taught at several universities. He was a visiting scholar at New York University. He also taught as a visiting lecturer at Columbia University and Yale University.
From 2006 to 2008, Furman worked at the Brookings Institution. He directed the Hamilton Project. This group creates ideas for economic policies. These policies aim to help the economy grow for everyone.
Working for President Obama
In 2008, Jason Furman joined Barack Obama's presidential campaign. He was the Economic Policy Director. During Obama's first term as president, Furman was a deputy director at the National Economic Council. He worked with Lawrence Summers and Gene Sperling.
He helped create the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This law included spending to help people and businesses. Furman also helped design the administration's plan for corporate taxes. He also played a role in creating the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as "ObamaCare."
On June 10, 2013, President Obama named Furman as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. President Obama called him "one of the most brilliant economic minds of his generation." He said Furman gave "straightforward, unvarnished advice." Furman's appointment was supported by both major political parties.
As chairman, Furman helped lead important discussions about the economy. These included topics like tax reform, competition, and new technologies like artificial intelligence. He was a high-level government official. He regularly attended meetings with the President's Cabinet.
Personal Life
Jason Furman and his wife, Eve Gerber, live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They have three children.
