Jessica Wachter

Jessica Wachter was named the Chief Economist and Director of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA) in May 2021. In this role, she oversees economists, data scientists, and other professionals who provide economic analysis and data analytics in support of the SEC’s mission.

Dr. Wachter joined the SEC from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania where she was the Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Chair of Quantitative Finance and a Research Associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research. Prior to Wharton, Dr. Wachter taught at New York University's Stern School of Business. She previously served on the boards of the American Finance Association and the Western Finance Association and as associate editor of the academic publications Review of Financial Studies and Journal of Economic Theory. Dr. Wachter graduated with an A.B. in Mathematics magna cum laude and a Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University. Her research focuses on behavioral finance, capital markets, and financial crises.