Kari Heerman

Kari Heerman is a senior fellow and director of Trade and Economic Statecraft at the Brookings Institution. Previously, Dr. Heerman was acting chief economist in the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of State. In that role she led the office’s team in its mission of providing advice and analysis on complex, emerging issues at the intersection of economics and foreign policy; offering tools to advance economic diplomacy; and serving as a liaison to technical experts in economics across academia, industry, partner governments, and other institutions. Prior to joining the State Department, Dr. Heerman was a deputy assistant United States trade representative in the Office of Trade Policy and Economics at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). She served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers focusing on international economic issues from 2021-2023.