Judy Shelton
Judy Shelton is a distinguished economist, author, and policy advisor specializing in international finance, monetary policy, and global economic strategy. She currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute, a leading non-profit public policy research and educational organization dedicated to advancing free-market principles and sound economic policy. Shelton served as an Economic Advisor to President Donald Trump during his first term and was nominated by the Trump Administration to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Previously, Shelton served as Chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy and as the U.S. Executive Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), where she played a key role in supporting market-based reforms and economic development across emerging economies. Renowned for her advocacy of a return to the gold standard, Shelton has been a vocal critic of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. Over her career, she has advised policymakers at the White House, the U.S. Congress, and the Pentagon on issues related to global finance, monetary reform, and national security economics.
Judy Shelton Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Senior Fellow
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Co-Director, Sound Money Project
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Economic Adviser
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Fellow
Academic History
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Ph.D., Business Administration
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M.B.A., Business Administration
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B.S., Business
EARLY CAREER & ACADEMIA
Judy Shelton began her distinguished career in economic policy and academia, establishing herself as a thought leader in international finance, monetary reform, and economic growth.
From 1985 to 1995, Shelton served as a Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, one of the nation’s leading public policy think tanks.
She first joined Hoover as a National Fellow and postdoctoral scholar, conducting research on global monetary systems, fiscal policy, and the economic collapse of the Soviet Union.
In 1995–1996, Shelton was appointed Economic Advisor to the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform, chaired by former U.S. Congressman and HUD Secretary Jack Kemp.
Her corporate experience includes serving on the Boards of Directors of Hilton Hotels Corporation and Atlantic Coast Airlines, where she contributed to corporate governance, strategic oversight, and financial policy.
TESTIMONIES & MEDIA PRESENCE
Shelton has testified before the U.S. Congress as an expert witness for multiple committees, including the Senate Banking Committee, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House Banking Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Joint Economic Committee.
Her testimony has focused on Federal Reserve policy, exchange rate stability, international capital flows, and U.S. competitiveness in the global economy.
A frequent media contributor, Shelton appears regularly on CNBC, Fox Business, and other major financial outlets, offering analysis on U.S. economic policy, inflation, central banking, and the future of global finance.
PUBLICATIONS
Shelton is the author of several influential books and policy papers on monetary economics, global finance, and the role of sound money in economic stability.
Her publications include Good as Gold, a critical examination of monetary policy and the value of gold in global finance; The Coming Soviet Crash, a prescient analysis of the Soviet Union’s impending economic collapse and its dependence on Western credit; and Money Meltdown, a widely discussed work advocating for monetary stability.
Her editorials and opinion pieces have been featured in leading financial publications including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Hill, The Weekly Standard, and the Cato Journal.