Leif Olson is a Senior Research Analyst at the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC), where he supports key initiatives including the State Economic Development Executives (SEDE) Network, the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA), and other research projects at CREC. He conducts both qualitative and quantitative analysis for clients while providing communications materials and staff support.
Mr. Olson holds a Master of Arts in International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he specialized in Economic Policy and contributed regularly to student publications as an economics columnist. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Wartburg College. Prior to his current role, Mr. Olson worked as a writer at Evolution Finance and as a Transatlantic Programming Intern at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Berlin. His expertise spans economic research, policy analysis, and international affairs, with published work appearing in academic journals and policy publications.