Sarah Rosen Wartell

Sarah Rosen Wartell, a public policy executive and housing markets expert, became the third president of the Urban Institute in February 2012. Wartell co-founded the Center for American Progress in 2003, serving as its first chief operating officer and general counsel. Later, as executive vice president, she oversaw its policy teams and fellows. Her work focused on the economy and housing markets, and she directed the Mortgage Finance Working Group and "Doing What Works" government performance program. Wartell was President Bill Clinton's deputy assistant for economic policy and the deputy director of his National Economic Council. In the White House from 1998 to 2000, she led over a dozen interagency working groups, negotiated legislation, and managed policymaking in housing and community development, financial markets and banking, insurance, consumer protection, pensions, and tort reform. At the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1998, Wartell advised the federal housing commissioner on housing finance, mortgage markets, and consumer protection. Wartell practiced law with the Washington, D.C., firm of Arnold & Porter and was a consultant to the bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission. She has an A.B. degree with honors in urban affairs from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She holds a J.D. degree from Yale Law School.