I am a policy-oriented economist dedicated to advancing policies that promote equity, sustainability, and global development, working at the intersection of macroeconomic research, policy analysis, and strategic advocacy. I have authored publications in various formats—policy reports, academic articles, and editorials—designed to influence decision-makers and engage diverse audiences. My work has been featured in major media outlets, including Reuters, BBC, NPR, Al Jazeera, The Intercept, openDemocracy, Vox, and The Hill.
Beyond specific policy issues, my work is driven by a broader mission to reshape economic thought and practice, ensuring that global economic structures support full employment, climate resilience, and a just transition centered on working people and communities. Through rigorous economic analysis, narrative change, and coalition-building, my work seeks to challenge dominant policy frameworks that have reinforced austerity, deepened inequality, and constrained the ability of governments to invest in long-term resilience.
Throughout my career, I have engaged with global institutions, civil society organizations, labor movements, and policymakers in the United States and internationally. I have worked closely with officials from the Global South to ensure their perspectives and priorities are central to economic policy debates. My work has shaped high-level policy discussions, including efforts to reform IMF governance, expand fiscal and monetary space for Global South nations, and develop alternatives to extractive economic models that undermine labor and environmental protections.
As a dual US and Romanian citizen, my education reflects the two places I call home. I hold a B.A. in Mathematics from Bard College, an M.S. in economic policy and Theory from the Levy Economics Institute, and a Ph.D. from the Bucharest University of Economics in Romania. My academic research focuses on the role of money, the international financial architecture, and the intersection between policy space and countries’ positions within a global currency hierarchy.
Work Experience
As an independent economist and policy researcher, my work covers global economic governance, the international financial architecture, climate and development finance, industrial policy, digitalization, and labor rights. My clients include United Nations agencies, think tanks, civil society organizations, and labor federations, where I contribute strategic policy analysis, research, and high-level engagement on policy issues. I am a research fellow with the Climate and Community Institute. Sometimes, I write analytical pieces about current events at the intersection of climate, economics, and geopolitics.
Recent projects include:
Contributing as an external expert to United Nations reports, providing insights on economic governance, climate & development finance, and policy autonomy to support country-level structural transformations.
Supporting ActionAid USA and the Bretton Woods Project in developing a civil society proposal to reform the Special Drawing Rights architecture, advocating for its use in financing climate and development goals.
Research on the intersection of debt, climate, and workers' rights for the International Trade Union Confederation, analyzing how financial policies impact labor and sustainability efforts.
Coordinating research on debt and climate for the Center for Economic and Policy Research, leading to the publication of two key reports on the economic implications of climate finance.
In addition to my research and policy work, I actively engage in public discourse and advocacy, contributing to high-level discussions through policy briefings, media engagements, and expert panels. My work has been cited by major media outlets and policymakers, reinforcing the need for economic strategies that prioritize equity, sustainability, and democratic governance.
Previously, I held research and policy roles at leading institutions shaping economic policy debates. As Senior Policy Advisor at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, I led research and advocacy on climate finance, debt sustainability, and IMF governance, working closely with policymakers, media, and civil society organizations to advance progressive economic reforms. I was an Economic and Social Policy Advisor at the International Trade Union Confederation, representing over 200 million workers worldwide, where I developed policy research and advocacy strategies on sovereign debt, trade, and global economic governance, representing labor interests in key international economic fora. Before that, I conducted macroeconomic analysis on fiscal policies, austerity, and global financial stability as a Research Associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, where I produced policy reports that informed public discourse and influenced legislative discussions.
While studying at the Levy Institute, I co-founded Economic Questions (formerly The Minskys), a pluralist economics blog, where I served as managing editor and frequent contributor, and was an organizer and active participant in the Young Scholar Initiative of the Institute for New Economic Thinking.
Here are some examples of my work across different topics, including speaking engagements. A more extensive list of my publications can be found here.
If you would like to get in touch and discuss my work, have research and writing ideas, or projects that might benefit from my expertise, you can send me a message through this form.