Heather Mcghee

Heather McGhee is a policy advocate, author, and media contributor known for her work on inequality in America, offering insights into economic and social policy. After co-chairing the task force for the landmark Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2009, Heather McGhee established herself as a leading voice in economic and social policy. McGhee earned her B.A. in American Studies from Yale University in 2001 and furthered her legal education with a J.D.

from UC Berkeley School of Law in 2009. Her career began at Demos, a non-profit progressive think tank, which she joined in 2002. During this period, she connected with Elizabeth Warren in 2003 on issues of credit card debt, demonstrating her early impact on consumer protection. She briefly served as Deputy Policy Director for the John Edwards 2008 presidential campaign before returning to Demos in 2009.

Expanding her leadership roles, she became Chair of the Board of Directors of Color of Change in December 2019, taking the helm of the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. Her profound analysis on societal costs was further detailed in her book, ‘The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,’ published in March 2021, which rapidly became a #3 New York Times bestseller. Continuing to expand the reach of her work, ‘The Sum of Us’ was adapted into a Spotify podcast in July 2022 by Higher Ground, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, bringing her critical research to a new audio audience. In February 2023, a young readers’ version of ‘The Sum of Us’ was released, making complex policy discussions accessible to a broader demographic.

McGhee remains a highly sought-after policy advocate, author, and media contributor, known for her incisive insights into America’s economic and social landscape.