After a nationwide search, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has named Roberta Downing and Ryan Nunn assistant vice presidents in Community Development, both effective June 1.
“Roberta’s vast experience in regional and national policy work and Ryan’s deep understanding of economic disparities are well-suited to our mission to advance opportunities for low- and moderate-income communities,” said Alene Tchourumoff, senior vice president of Community Development and Engagement. “Their leadership experience and commitment to public service will serve our communities well.”
Roberta Downing will be assistant vice president in Community Development leading policy development efforts. Downing will join the Minneapolis Fed from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, where she is assistant commissioner for external relations.
Downing served as deputy director of federal and regional affairs for Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser. She has also held senior roles on the legislative teams of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the American Psychological Association. Prior to those roles, she was a health policy staffer in the U.S. Senate. Downing has an M.S. and a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
“Joining the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is an extraordinary opportunity to address issues of poverty and inequality during a time of unprecedented economic crisis. Throughout my career in public policy, research, and community engagement, my focus has always been on families and populations that have been left behind,” said Downing. “I look forward to working in collaboration with communities of color, rural communities, tribal nations, and others to develop policy options that strengthen and sustain the economic well-being of everyone.”
Ryan Nunn will be assistant vice president in Community Development and will lead the applied research function. Nunn joins the Minneapolis Fed from the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., where he is a fellow in economic studies and policy director for the Hamilton Project.
Nunn has extensive experience in exploring and understanding economic disparities by geography, race, and gender. Nunn has also served as an economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he conducted microeconomic analysis and briefed the assistant secretary for economic policy and other Treasury Department leadership on labor and public finance issues. Nunn has M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in public policy and economics from the University of Michigan.
"I am excited to join Community Development and contribute to its vital work of supporting people in low- and middle-income communities,” said Nunn. “I believe economic analysis has great value when applied to urgent questions about public policies, and I look forward to working with stakeholders, practitioners, and policymakers to focus our research on the most relevant questions. Particularly in a crisis of the kind unfolding today, we need evidence-based solutions to the problems that confront our communities."
About Community Development
The Community Development team at the Minneapolis Fed works to advance the economic well-being of low- and moderate-income people and communities across the Ninth Federal Reserve District. Through high-quality applied research, policy development, communication, and convening, the team works to enhance understanding of emerging issues to support evidence-based decision-making on policies that affect low- and moderate-income people.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks that, with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the Federal Reserve System, the nation’s central bank. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is responsible for the Ninth Federal Reserve District, which includes Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis participates in setting national monetary policy, supervises numerous banking organizations, and provides a variety of payments services to financial institutions and the U.S. government.