Susan M. Gates is a senior economist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. She leads research and analysis efforts focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of federal, state, and local government agencies and systems. Her research applies insights from the economics of organizations, personnel economics, and labor economics to help public and private sector organizations make better decisions and deploy resources effectively. Two key areas of emphasis throughout her career have been defense workforce and resource management, and K–12 school leadership. Her defense research has focused on the cyber workforce, acquisition workforce, requirements, military-civilian conversion, outsourcing and privatization, readiness, total force management, training and professional development, and options for improving the provision of services that support the warfighter, such as military child care and finance and accounting services. Gates received her Ph.D. in economics from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and her M.A. in Russian and Eastern European studies from Stanford University.
Ph.D. in economic analysis and policy, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University; M.A. in Russian and Eastern European studies, Stanford University; A.B. in mathematical economics, Brown University
