Staff
Lawrence W. Reed
President
Lawrence W. (“Larry”) Reed became president of FEE in 2008. Prior to that, he was a founder and president for twenty years of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. He also taught Economics full-time and chaired the Department of Economics at Northwood University in Michigan from 1977 to 1984.
He holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Grove City College (1975) and an M.A. degree in History from Slippery Rock State University (1978), both in Pennsylvania. He holds two honorary doctorates, one from Central Michigan University (Public Administration—1993) and Northwood University (Laws—2008).
A champion for liberty, Reed has authored over 1,000 newspaper columns and articles, dozens of articles in magazines and journals in the U. S. and abroad. His writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, among many others. He has authored or co-authored five books, the most recent ones being “A Republic—If We Can Keep It” and “Striking the Root: Essays on Liberty.” He is frequently interviewed on radio talk shows and has appeared as a guest on numerous television programs, including those anchored by Judge Andrew Napolitano and John Stossel on FOX Business News.
Reed has delivered at least 75 speeches annually in the past 30 years—in virtually every state and dozens of countries from Bulgaria to China to Bolivia. His best-known lectures include “Seven Principles of Sound Policy” and “Great Myths of the Great Depression”—both of which have been translated into more than a dozen languages and distributed worldwide.
His interests in political and economic affairs have taken him as a freelance journalist to 78 countries on six continents. He is a member of the prestigious Mont Pelerin Society and an advisor to numerous organizations around the world. He served for 15 years as a member of the board (and one term as president) of the State Policy Network. His numerous recognitions include the “Champion of Freedom” award from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the “Distinguished Alumni” award from Grove City College.
He is a native of Pennsylvania and a 30-year resident of Michigan, and now resides in Newnan, Georgia.
Carl Oberg
Executive Director
After receiving his BA from American University in Washington, DC, Carl spent ten years working his way through the federal government bureaucracy with occasional stops as a “beltway bandit” in the defense industry. During this time he traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and learned “how the sausage is made” when it comes to international trade policy. A decade of government work eventually turned Carl into a strong libertarian and an enemy of coercion. In December 2007, Carl left the government and entered the graduate program in Economics at George Mason. During his education, he was also an intern at the Cato Institute and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Upon graduation in May 2009 Carl entered the Koch Associate Program, a non-profit management program, while working at the Americans for Prosperity Foundation as a state policy writer. In June 2010, he was lucky enough to meet Larry Reed and be offered the position of Executive Director at the Foundation for Economic Education. The rest of the story is still in progress. Carl and his wife Caren live at FEE headquarters in Irvington, NY. They own a tremendous cat named Shisha. Carl is a brewer and a baker. There are no plans for candlestick making at this time.
Linda Newton
Director of Human Resource & Finance
Linda was thrilled to join FEE as assistant to the President and Executive Director. She was a liberty lover (and her husband was weaned on The Freeman). Her administrative gifts, honed through 25 years of experience proved to be what FEE needed during a time of program and staff changes, so her responsibilities have expanded. Her family’s 3,600-book library includes great fiction, history, the arts, and hundreds of titles in economics, political science, philosophy, and social commentary. Linda relaxes by watching great films – but mostly reads.
Sheldon Richman
Editor, The Freeman & TheFreemanOnline.org
Sheldon Richman is the editor of The Freeman, the flagship publication of the Foundation for Economic Education, and TheFreemanOnline.org. He started reading free-market literature as a teenager. In his last year of high school he was given copies of The Freeman, which initiated his longtime friendship with FEE and dedication to the freedom philosophy. He started his career as a newspaper reporter in suburban Philadelphia and worked briefly for the Associated Press. Formerly a staff member at the Cato Institute and the Institute for Humane Studies, Sheldon graduated from Temple University in Pennsylvania with a B.S. in radio, television, and film. He writes and lectures on a variety of issues relating to the freedom philosophy. His articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, American Scholar, Independent Review, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, American Conservative, Christian Science Monitor, and other publications. He is the author of three books, including Separating School and State, and is a contributor to The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Sheldon and his wife, Cheryl, live near Little Rock, Arkansas. He has three children, five stepchildren and four grandsons.
Margaret E. Poteet
Director of Development
As Director of Development Margaret‘s primary responsibilities include the design and implementation of a comprehensive development program. She works with our president and executive director to build and strengthen the organization’s relationships with its investors and engage new support. Margaret has more than ten years of fundraising experience in both the non-profit and political arena. Her interest in politics led her to a role as a congressional staff member for U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and on the local level in Atlanta as a political consultant and campaign manager. Prior to joining FEE in June 2011 she worked with Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta as a Regional Director of Development. When Margaret’s not working she enjoys trail running, hiking, traveling and visiting her sixteen nieces and nephews in her hometown of Augusta.
Michael Nolan
Managing Editor, The Freeman & TheFreemanOnline.org
Michael Nolan has been managing editor of The Freeman, TheFreemanOnline.org, and other FEE publications since 2008. He used to write textbooks in Asia. Before that, he went to Hillsdale College, and he could tell you some stories.
Tsvetelin Tsonevski
Director of Academic Affairs
Tsvetelin Tsonevski joined FEE in April 2010 as editor of FEE.org. Following the steps of Adam Smith, Tsvet began his career as legal counsel at the Bulgarian Customs Agency. He joined the free-market community first as “Social Change” analyst at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation in Washington, DC and then as research coordinator at the Institute for Humane Studies in Arlington, Va. Tsvet has lectured on competition law, international trade law, trademarks law and EU law in the US and in Europe. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Institute for Market Economics and writes a weekly column for the Institute for Radical Capitalism in Bulgaria. Tsvet holds law degree from Bulgaria and LL.M. in law and economics from George Mason School of Law. In his spare time he likes to collect frequent flyer miles.
Anna Cuthrell
Director of Programs and Alumni Relations
Anna Cuthrell is the Director of Alumni Relations and Assistant Director of Programs. Anna completed the Charles G. Koch Internship and Associate Programs. In addition to her work at the Foundation for Economic Education, she also writes for a monthly blog, CapitalistChicks.com. Anna is originally from Latrobe, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Saint Vincent College. When she is not working, Anna enjoys watching Shark Week, spending time with her fiancé, and learning how to become a true “southerner” – one glass of sweet ice tea at a time.
Aaron Ensley
Director of K-12 Education Outreach
Aaron Ensley joined the Foundation for Economic Education in March of 2011. Prior to that Aaron was an adjunct professor at Northwood University, where he taught economics and philosophy of enterprise. In addition, he was a contributing lecturer at Cornerstone Schools in Detroit, teaching 8th graders. Aaron owned and operated Absolute Lawn Services in Brighton, Michigan for ten years. Aaron received his Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Detroit Mercy and his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Northwood University. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys mountain biking, backyard ice hockey, traveling, camping, singing karaoke and teaching Church groups on the study of economics and the Bible. He lives with his wonderful wife, Erin, who has supported him in all his endeavors.
Brandon Wasicsko
Assistant Director of Programs
Brandon Wasicsko is an economics graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University where he studied under Dr. Brad Hobbs and co-founded a campus club for pro-liberty students. Before joining FEE, Brandon was a Conference Director on the executive board of Students For Liberty and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Liberty and Society. He was an intern at the Ayn Rand Institute and currently studies at the Objectivist Academic Center. In his spare time, Brandon enjoys cooking, reading, and listening to big band, jazz, and classical music.
Chuck Grimmett
Director of Web Media
Chuck Grimmett became the Director of Web Media at the Foundation for Economic Education in January 2012. He is a graduate of Hillsdale College, where he studied mathematics, economics, and was the photo editor of the college paper. He was a two-time intern at FEE before coming onboard full time. Chuck loves to kayak, hike, read, and spend time with his fiancée, Amanda. When not running FEE’s digital media, he is a paleo blogger and a freelance photographer.
