Aspen Economic Strategy Group Welcomes Four New Members
Aspen Economic Strategy Group Welcomes New Members
Leading business executives and academics join bipartisan group dedicated to promoting evidence-based solutions to America’s economic challenges.
WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 10, 2026 – The Aspen Economic Strategy Group (AESG), co-chaired by former U.S. Secretaries of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and Timothy F. Geithner, today announced four new members. Joining the group of top business executives, distinguished academic economists, and leading policymakers are:
Patrick Collison, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stripe
Gita Gopinath, Gregory and Ania Coffey Professor of Economics, Harvard University
Peter Orszag, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Lazard
Evan Spiegel, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Snap Inc.
The AESG is a bipartisan group committed to promoting evidence-based solutions to significant challenges confronting the American economy.
“As the United States faces fast-moving technological disruptions, rising global competition, and domestic cost pressures, the need for a thoughtful approach to how our nation should meet this moment has never been greater.” said AESG Director Melissa S. Kearney. “This group of new members will bring valuable perspectives to the AESG’s work to advance bipartisan dialogue about effective solutions to our nation’s most pressing economic challenges.”
The full list of 2026 AESG members can be viewed here.
New Member Biographies:
Patrick Collison, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stripe
Patrick Collison is cofounder and chief executive officer of Stripe, a technology company that builds programmable financial services. Patrick and his brother John started Stripe in 2010 with the goal to make accepting payments on the internet simpler. Today millions of businesses—from hypergrowth startups to global enterprises like Ford and Amazon—use Stripe to accept payments, send payouts, and manage complex global businesses online. Patrick is also a cofounder of the Arc Institute, a biomedical research institute that is pioneering a new model for basic research in partnership with Stanford, UCSF and UC Berkeley.
Gita Gopinath, Gregory and Ania Coffey Professor of Economics, Harvard University
Gita Gopinath is the Gregory and Ania Coffey Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Her research focuses on International Finance and Macroeconomics where she is a leading voice on dollar dominance, exchange rates, trade and investment, international financial crises, monetary policy and debt. Previously, she was the First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from January 2022–August 2025 and prior to that she was the Chief Economist of the IMF from January 2019-January 2022. In her role as FDMD, the #2 official of the IMF, she oversaw the work of senior staff, represented the Fund at multilateral fora such as G7 and G20, maintained high-level contacts with member governments and Board members, the media, and other institutions, led the Fund’s work on surveillance and oversaw large IMF programs, such as those for Argentina and Ukraine.
Peter Orszag, CEO and Chairman, Lazard
Peter R. Orszag is the CEO and Chairman of Lazard, the global financial advisory and asset management firm renowned for independent, differentiated advice and solutions grounded in contextual alpha—the broad insight and judgment needed to navigate macroeconomic, geopolitical, and other factors, helping leaders see beyond what the world sees today. Peter joined Lazard in 2016 and previously served as CEO of its Financial Advisory business. He has had a distinguished career spanning finance, public policy, and academia. Prior to joining Lazard, Peter was Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Obama Administration and Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). He also served in the Clinton Administration at the Council of Economic Advisers and as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. Peter is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Council on Foreign Relations, and he serves on the board of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and as a trustee of Mount Sinai Hospital. He graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and earned his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar.
Evan Spiegel, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Snap Inc.
Evan Spiegel is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Snap Inc. Snap is a technology company that empowers people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world and have fun together. Evan and Snap co-founder Bobby Murphy created Snapchat while at Stanford University. Today Snap is a publicly traded company with nearly 950 million monthly active users around the world. He and Bobby also co-founded the Snap Foundation, which supports underrepresented youth in Los Angeles. In 2017, Evan formed the Spiegel Family Fund, which is committed to philanthropy in California and across the United States. In addition, following the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, Evan co-founded a new nonprofit organization called the Department of Angels, which supports fire-impacted residents as they recover. He also established a 10-year longitudinal effort focused on environmental and public health, encompassing a consortium of academic and medical institutions around the country called the LA Fire HEALTH Study. Evan serves on the boards of KKR & Co. Inc., the Berggruen Institute, and Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences. He is also a member of the Business Roundtable and the Business Council. Evan graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Engineering, Product Design. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Miranda and their four children.