Richmond, VA (Dec. 16, 2020) – The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF), a statewide convener of public and private sectors to create transformative early childhood solutions for Virginia, elected Kartik B. Athreya, Ph.D., executive vice president and director of research for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as a new board member at VECF’s quarterly meeting on Dec. 16.

As a published author in a variety of academic journals, Dr. Athreya also serves as associate editor at the Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control. His current research in macroeconomics and consumer finance aims to measure and understand household financial distress and debt repayment decisions, to quantify the links between household investments in human capital and the stock market, and to assess the importance of risks associated with college enrollment for educational attainment and inequality. In recent years, he has taught a doctoral course in macroeconomics at the University of Virginia and authored a book entitled “Big Ideas in Macroeconomics.” Most recently, he served as a member of the Back to Work Virginia task force, a committee to re-envision and sustain a more equitable child care system for the Commonwealth. He earned his doctorate from the University of Iowa.

“We welcome Kartik to our dedicated team of statewide business and community leaders, all of whom are deeply committed to eliminating the disparities that have a profound impact on school readiness for at-risk children across the Commonwealth,” said Ned W. Massee, president of Croatan Advisors and board chair of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. “His insights and research will contribute greatly in all aspects of our work to build equitable and durable early childhood systems in Virginia.”