Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
  • In Person

The Global Economy at a Crossroads: Leadership in an Uncertain World

Note: This is a past event, additional resources may be available below.

Thu Jul 9, 2026

Date

Thu Jul 9, 2026
5:30pm – 6:30pm MDT

Location

Paepcke Auditorium
1000 N. Third Street
Aspen, CO

Contact

    [email protected]
    970.544.7970

Hosts

  1. Aspen Community Programs

Presented as part of the Hurst Lecture Series.

Distinguished economist and former Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. joins Nancy Lazar, chief global economist at Piper Sandler, for a timely conversation about the forces shaping the global economy. With decades of leadership across the public and private sectors, including roles at the Federal Reserve, TIAA, and the Council on Foreign Relations, Ferguson offers an experienced, clear-eyed perspective on financial markets, economic resilience, and the policy decisions that will shape the future of growth and stability.
Paepcke Auditorium, doors at 5:00 pm

Registration
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required, and capacity is established on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an event is at capacity, we will have an in-person waitlist at the door.

Parking
Parking is very limited. Please carpool, walk, bike, or ride RFTA.

Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., is the Steven A. Tananbaum Distinguished Fellow for International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. Mr. Ferguson is honored to be included in The Wall Street Journal’s first annual “250 Most Influential & Effective Directors” list. He is the Immediate Past President and CEO of TIAA. He is currently the Chief Investment Officer at the incubation firm Red Cell Partners, where he is a Director and the Chairman of the Investment Committee, and serves as the Executive Chairman of Andalusian Credit Partners. Prior to joining TIAA as the CEO and President, Mr. Ferguson was head of financial services for Swiss Re and Chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corporation.

Mr. Ferguson was also the Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System. He began his career as an attorney at the New York City office of Davis Polk & Wardwell and was an Associate and Partner at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Ferguson is a member of the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He serves on the boards of Alphabet, Inc. and Corning, Inc. Mr. Ferguson serves on the boards of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and other nonprofit organizations, as well as those of various private fintech companies. Mr. Ferguson holds a B.A., J.D., and Ph.D. in Economics, all from Harvard University.

Nancy Lazar is the chief global economist at Piper Sandler and leads the economics research team. Nancy’s work is known for its unbiased, comprehensive, highly detailed approach. Before joining Piper Sandler, she co-founded Cornerstone Macro, Wall Street’s premier macro boutique. Prior to Cornerstone, she was co-founder, and vice chairman of ISI Group for more than 20 years. Nancy has been an Institutional Investor-ranked economist since 2001, repeatedly placing in the top two, and hitting #1 in both 2015 and 2025.

Nancy was named to Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Prior to co-founding ISI in 1991, Nancy was a senior vice president at C.J. Lawrence. She is a 1979 graduate of Kalamazoo College in Michigan. Nancy is a member of The Economic Club of New York, New York Forecasters, Money Marketeers, NYABE, NABE and Women in Finance & Housing.

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