Mary Daly

Since 2018, Mary Daly has led the San Fracisco Federal Reserve Bank, the largest and most diverse Federal Reserve District, representing one fifth of the nation's population. Having dropped out of high school as a teenager, Daly worked at Target and a doughnut shop until a mentor encouraged her to get her GED. From there, Daly charted a remarkable path, starting her career at the Bank in 1996 as an economist specializing in labor market dynamics and economic inequality. She has since served as research advisor, vice president and head of macroeconomics, senior vice president and assistant director of research, and executive vice president and director of research. 

Daly has published influential work on wage, employment, and labor force dynamics, and through her speeches and public commentary, she helps demystify key issues faced by policymakers, including inflation dynamics, financial stability, and the relationship between monetary policy and inequality. Daly made history as the first openly gay woman to lead a regional Federal Reserve bank, and her leadership is underpinned by her belief in the need for public servants to be vulnerable, compassionate, optimistic, and pragmatic to help solve pressing challenges.