Mark Zandi is chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, where he directs economic research. Moody’s Analytics, a subsidiary of Moody’s Corp., is a leading provider of economic research, data and analytical tools. Dr. Zandi cofounded Economy.com, which Moody’s purchased in 2005.

Dr. Zandi is on the board of directors of MGIC, the nation’s largest private mortgage insurance company, is the lead director of PolicyMap, a data visualization and analytics company used by policymakers and commercial businesses, and is a director of the Coleridge Initiative, a nonprofit that facilitates the exchange of data across governments. 

He is a trusted adviser to policymakers and an influential source of economic analysis for businesses, journalists and the public. Dr. Zandi frequently testifies before Congress and conducts regular briefings on the economy for corporate boards, trade associations and policymakers at all levels. 

Dr. Zandi is the author of Paying the Price: Ending the Great Recession and Beginning a New American Century, which assesses the monetary and fiscal policy response to the Great Recession. His other book, Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis, is described by The New York Times as the “clearest guide” to the financial crisis. Dr. Zandi is host of the Inside Economics podcast. 

Dr. Zandi earned his BS from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.

Cristian deRitis, Deputy Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, specializes in assessing the economy’s impact on household finance, housing, credit markets and public policy. Named on two U.S. patents for credit modeling, he created loss forecasting and stress testing systems for financial institutions. He joined Moody’s in 2008, after serving as a director with Fannie Mae. He also was an adjunct professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Gaurav Ganguly is Head of International Economics at Moody’s Analytics, where he heads economic research for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. His research interests include international economics, geopolitics and climate change. Together with his research group, he focuses on the key risks facing the global economy and the ways in which these might manifest. His economic scenarios, forecasts and analysis are used by financial institutions, governments and companies to actively manage risks. He is a well-known public speaker and frequently comments on economic issues across and appears in the media. Based in London, he has taught at various Universities in the UK and held visiting academic positions, including a research fellowship at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College. Gaurav obtained his Master’s degree and a doctorate in Economics from the University of Oxford.

Steven G. Cochrane, PhD, is Chief APAC Economist with Moody’s. He leads the Asia economic analysis and forecasting activities of the Moody’s research team, as well as the continual expansion of the company’s international, national and subnational forecast models. In addition, Steve directs consulting projects for clients to help them understand the effect of regional economic developments on their business under baseline forecasts and alternative scenarios. Steve’s expertise lies in providing clear insights into an area’s or region’s strengths, weaknesses and comparative advantages, relative to macro or global economic trends. 

A highly-regarded speaker, Dr. Cochrane has provided economic insights at hundreds of engagements over the past 20 years and has been featured on CNBC, CNA, Bloomberg TV, Wall Street Radio, and the PBS News Hour. Through his research and presentations, Steve dissects how various components of the macro and regional economies shape patterns of growth. His extensive expertise on U.S. and global economic issues makes also him a popular speaker at client conferences and executive briefings.

Steve holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Penn Institute for Urban Research Scholar. He also holds a master's degree from the University of Colorado at Denver and a bachelor's degree from the University of California at Davis.

Marisa DiNatale is a Senior Director and Head of Global Forecasting at Moody’s. Marisa oversees all forecasting and publication operations in the Economics group within Predictive Analytics at Moody’s. Her areas of specialization and research are U.S. labor markets, household balance sheets and credit, and international economics. She is a cohost of the Moody’s weekly podcast “Inside Economics”. Marisa started her career as a labor economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, DC. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Boston University.

Dante DeAntonio is a senior director at Moody’s Analytics. He manages and regularly contributes to Economic View. Dante specializes in U.S. macroeconomics, with a focus on the labor market and regional economics. Dante regularly presents to clients and conferences, and has been featured in a number of media outlets. Before joining Moody’s Analytics, he worked as an economist in the Current Employment Statistics program at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Dante is also an adjunct professor in the Economics and Finance Department at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Previously, he was an adjunct in the Economics Department at Lehigh University. He holds a master’s degree and PhD in economics from Lehigh University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Pennsylvania State University.

Mark Hopkins is a senior director at Moody’s with responsibilities for international macroeconomic research and global forecasting, including the design and maintenance of the Moody’s Analytics global macro model and suite of country forecast models. Dr. Hopkins has also been responsible for forecasting Canada’s economy and U.S. federal fiscal policy, and oversees the U.S. international trade forecast. Previously, he taught macroeconomics at Gettysburg College and served as an international economist on the staff of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. He has published in the areas of international economics, economic growth and foreign policy. He received his PhD in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a BA from Wesleyan University.

Alfredo Coutino is a director at Moody’s Analytics. Dr. Coutino is responsible for analysis, modeling and forecasting for Latin America. Based in the West Chester PA office, he is in charge of real-time coverage of Latin America for Economy.com. He is a regular presenter at our annual Macroeconomic Outlook Conference. He has been a speaker at United Nations conferences and at the American Economic Association and has published papers on applied econometrics with Nobel laureate Lawrence Klein. Dr. Coutino received his PhD in economics from the University of Madrid after completing doctoral studies at Temple University.

Justin Begley is a U.S.-based economist at Moody’s Analytics. He covers the economies of Minnesota, Alabama, Wyoming, and several U.S. metro areas. His research focuses on U.S. fiscal policy, geopolitical risk, and the U.S. labor market. He also works on developing models to forecast high-frequency data of the U.S. economy and is a regular contributor to Economic View. Prior to joining Moody’s Analytics, Justin held fellowships at Florida State University and in political economy at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Justin holds a master’s of science in economics from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Canisius College.

Matt Colyar is an economist at Moody’s Analytics. His work is primarily focused on the labor market and monetary policy in the U.S. He also covers the economies of Pennsylvania and several U.S. metro areas. Matt is a regular contributor to the Moody’s Talks Inside Economics Podcast with Mark Zandi. He lends his expertise to major publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post through frequent media interviews. Prior to joining Moody’s Analytics, Matt worked at the World Bank, focusing on private-sector development in South Asia, and in private industry as a financial analyst. He received his master’s degree in applied economics from Lehigh University and his bachelor’s degree in business administration from West Chester University.