School of Public Policy Welcomes Christopher Thornberg as Senior Research Fellow

The School of Public Policy is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Thornberg, PhD, as a senior research fellow, further expanding the school's growing portfolio of specialized economic and policy research in Los Angeles.

Thornberg is the founder of Beacon Economics, a leading independent research and consulting firm known for delivering accurate, insightful, and objectively based economic analysis. His appointment strengthens the School of Public Policy's capacity to translate rigorous, data-driven economic research into actionable policy guidance for the region and beyond.

"I am thrilled to add Chris to our growing list of impressive fellows,” said Pete Peterson, dean of the School of Public Policy. "With his established career providing evidence-based analysis at the state and local policy levels here in California, he brings timely expertise during these challenging times in our state, which will benefit our students and the state’s policy makers."

Already, Thornberg has played a pivotal role in supporting Pepperdine and Beacon Economics in launching "Alternative Viewpoints on California Policy," a series of whitepapers developed on various California policy issues with the mission of driving balanced debate through data-based research.

As senior fellow, Thornberg will continue his research on critical California policy debates while also bridging his forecasting experience with the school's programmatic initiatives on the local government and economics curricular tracks of the MPP program.

“I’m delighted and honored to join the School of Public Policy as a senior fellow,” said Thornberg. “By combining SPP’s academic reach and Beacon Economics’ commitment to independent, data-driven analysis, this partnership can challenge pervasive public narratives and help people better understand the economic realities of the world around them.”

About Christopher Thornberg, PhD

Christopher Thornberg is a renowned economist and public speaker with deep expertise in economic and revenue forecasting, regional economics, economic policy, and labor and real estate markets. Throughout his career, he has consulted globally for private industry, cities, counties, and public agencies, and has addressed hundreds of business, government, and nonprofit audiences as a speaker.

Dr. Thornberg founded Beacon Economics LLC in 2006. Under his leadership, the firm has grown into one of the most respected research organizations in California, serving public and private sector clients across the United States.

Dr. Thornberg first gained national recognition for forecasting the subprime mortgage market crash that began in 2007, making him one of the few economists on record to have predicted the global recession that followed. More recently, during the Covid-19 pandemic, he was an outspoken voice against predictions of a depression that never materialized, consistently urging audiences to look past economic narratives that diverge from the underlying data.

Originally from upstate New York, Dr. Thornberg holds a PhD in Business Economics from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BS in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo.