The EFP team works hard to bring you the latest economic, demographic, and quality of life data for Santa Barbara County and the region. Our department also provides real-world, hands-on training in data analysis and research to undergraduate students from a range of majors, such as economics, computer science, and statistics.
Many of our student interns continue their education in graduate programs like UCSB or UC Berkeley or are hired by private firms and government agencies, both in the U.S. and abroad. Our graduate senior research analysts have gone into academia, government, and consulting roles like Rice University, U.S. Department of Treasury, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Analysis Group.
Peter Rupert, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Dr. Rupert joined the Economic Forecast Project as its executive director in 2010. He is a professor of economics and former Chair of the UCSB Department of Economics. He is Associate Director of the UCSB Laboratory for Aggregate Economics and Finance, founded by Nobel Laureate Finn Kydland. He is an Editor of the European Economic Review and Labour Economics. Prior to joining UCSB, Dr. Rupert spent 12 years as a Senior Economic Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Dr. Rupert has held appointments at the University of Western Ontario, State University of New York at Buffalo, West Virginia University, the University of Southern California, and University of London. Dr. Rupert earned his B.S. from Santa Clara University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. at University of Rochester. His areas of specialization include macroeconomics, monetary economics, economics of the criminal justice system, labor, and household economics.
Emily Johnson
Assistant Director
Emily joined the Economics Forecast Project as Assistant Director in 2024, following a lifelong passion to use economics in impactful, community-focused work. Prior to this role, she spent three years with the Environmental Protection Agency and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Chongqing, China. Emily holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Arizona and an M.A. in Economics from UCSB. Her research interests include international economic development, effective altruism, education, and financial literacy.
Jonah Danziger
Senior Research Analysts
Jonah Danziger is a graduate student researcher at the Economic Forecasting Project (EFP), which he joined in the summer of 2025. Before beginning his PhD at UCSB, he earned his BA in Economics from Oberlin College in 2020 and spent three years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he gained experience in applied economic research and policy analysis. His current research focuses on environmental and resource economics and housing, with papers on restoration, fire mitigation, and housing policy. By combining empirical analysis with policy evaluation, his work aims to inform sustainable and equitable solutions for communities and the environment.
Emma Joergensen
Senior Research Analysts
Emma is a PhD student in the Department of Economics at UC Santa Barbara. Her research interests include macroeconomics, labor, and the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence on the broader economy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Mathematics, and a Master of Arts in Economics, both from UCSB.
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