Terrific presentation, great slides and graphs, very engaging speaker - Jon Haverman.  Thank you. Very educational and thought provoking, not just a bunch of political talking points.

Jim Romaggi

OLLI / UNR Reno Nevada, 14 Nov 2022

So far, all the NEED talks have been factually-based, with no obvious political or cultural biases. A breath of fresh air these days.

Bruce Kaplan

Lifelong Learners group, 11 Feb 2022

The members of SIR Branch 8 are interested in lifelong learning as part of enriching their lives in retirement.  Jon Haveman hit the sweet spot with an informative and challenging presentation to our group.  He clearly responded to our many questions, and contributed to the economic education of our members and guests.  Thanks Jon!

Steve Schramm

SIR Branch 8 - Contra Costa County, 10 Jan 2022

I am a member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in San Francisco and was able to attend a six-part class, presented largely by Jon Haveman, on contemporary economic issues. The class was terrific, and Dr. Haveman is a wonderful and very energetic and responsive teacher. If you're looking for someone to discuss or lead classes on the economic issues we read about in the paper every day, he's your guy.

Joe Castrovinci

Members, OLLI San Frascisco, 26 Jul 2021

Mina Kim, representing NEED, did a nice three-day presentation on ZOOM for the OLLI adult ed program.  Quite knowledgeable and fielded questions from non-eco audience of over 50 with good humor.

Richard R. Palmer

OLLI SHORTS group , 13 Jul 2020

Mina Kim

Students at OLLI - American University; courses for mostly smart retired professionals, 13 Jul 2020

Jon!  Thank you again!  You made me look brilliant for bringing you to our group!  Perhaps we can have you back after this mess is behind us to talk about some great recovery statistics!

Molly Harris

Sotheby's Cocktail Party, 22 Jun 2020

Dr Haverman,

Robert Fusco

ESCOM, 06 May 2020

Dana Tom

Webinar: Private Cocktail Party, 25 Mar 2020

The Money Talks Club of Sun City, South Carolina, is a group of seniors  who are interested in the current and future financial and economic influences on our society. We were introduced to Jon Haveman and the NEED Organization by Scott Baier who is the chairman of the economic Department at Clemson University. This relationship has provided presenters who spoke to our membership and provided a wealth of knowledge. “Behavioral Economics”, “Trade and Tariffs”, were two topics presented 2019.  The Economic Impact of “Immigration” and “Climate Change” are scheduled for this year. The concept of “Too Big to Fail” is currently being discussed.

We find the NEED Organization and the presentations by their speakers to be exceptional resources that not only inform but also educate our membership with the facts and without bias.  Our members typically have portfolios – that’s why they have been able to settle in Sun City.  They have a keen interest in the presentations and truly appreciate the credentials and preparation by the NEED speakers.  We in the Money Talks Club will continue to leverage this fruitful relationship, and remain very grateful for our association made possible by Scott and Jon.

Organizers of the Money Talks Club in Sun City, South Carolina (Gregory Blackburn and Tom Loveledge)

Money Matters Talks Club, 21 Mar 2020

Jon's economics class at OLLI was one of the best classes I've ever taken .  He has a gift for being able to explain in layman's terms complex economics concepts.  I was honored to attend this class from such a prominent economist who served in the  White House Council of Economic Advisors and who worked with Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen. I am so glad that Jon presented to my friend Liz Pratt's social club and, in so doing, drove all the way from Marin County to Walnut Creek without ever asking for any compensation. 

Art Straus

Economics class at OLLI, 12 Mar 2020

I really enjoyed Jon's informative talk and the rest of the group seemed very enthusiastic too.  He took the time to answer questions and spoke in language that didn't require a Ph.D. in economics to understand.  These are troubling times and his talk was tailored to address up-to-the-minute concerns.

Susan Beck

Walnut Creek Area Neighbors and Newcomers Club, March 10, 2020

Jon is a great speaker and everyone really enjoyed his talk.  I especially appreciate how he tailored the talk to meet our interests.  The discussion format was very effective.  And, yes, he even made GDP interesting.

E. A. Pratt

Walnut Creek Area Neighbors And Newcomers Club, 11 Mar 2020

As a retired trusts and estates lawyer and a former econ major as an undergrad, I very much enjoyed Jon Haveman's survey of macroeconomic topics and data in this 12-hour course. I think NEED's vision of informal public education and discussion of economic principles, policies, and history is worth developing. Indeed, I need more explanation to understand how economists deal with such issues as climate change (especially measurement of costs in the event of failure to mitigate), trade deficits (what exactly compensates for the outflows that constitute a trade deficit?), and rent control (how do economists quantify the public value of a scarce commodity -- i.e., conveniently-situated or rich land -- that traditionally has been considered strictly "private property").  Seems like there are lots of externalities and political values that never get adequately considered by economists. But I am interested in learning and discussing.

Mark Frisbie

Berkeley OLLI (on-line viewer), 07 Mar 2020

Non-partisan, informative, and engaging, Jon Haveman's discussion on climate change left me feeling inspired with practical strategies to approach the climate crisis. I was particularly captivated by the Global GHG Abatement Cost Curve, which includes steps that individuals, organizations, and governments can take to reduce our carbon footprint and their respective financial costs. More than half of the recommendations listed reduce carbon emissions and have a negative financial cost. Activities like switching from incandescent to LED lighting, migrating to hybrid cars, and utilizing energy from landfill gasses effectively pay for themselves and continue to save us money over time.

Our leaders could serve us well by employing this research in their decision-making. Carbon has a cost, and at the very least, we should move fast to implement climate-friendly measures that are net free or pay us back to employ them.

Christian Martine

Rotary Club of Palo Alto, 06 Jan 2020

Jon spoke to the Marin chapter of the COO Forum. His overview of the current state of the economy was very interesting and helpful in thinking about my business. He was able to pull multiple threads together in a coherent story in ways that I often find hard when reading or learning about economic situations. I highly recommend other business leaders engage with Jon's group. 

Anne Kubek

COO Forum of Marin, 20 Feb 2020

Jon's presentation this morning was excellent. Though my name is Adam Smith, I'm not actually an economist, and Jon made the information very clear and approachable. He answered all questions in a knowledgeable and friendly way and the only disappointment was that we didn't have longer to discuss this fascinating and important topic. He also gave me a bit of personal economic advice towards the end that was greatly appreciated. Thank you for joining us, Jon!      

Adam Smith

COO Forum - Marin Chapter , 20 Feb 2020

Doris Geide-Stevenson presented on the topic on the update of the U.S. Economy.  This topic can be difficult to understand but she made it very easy to understand the causes and effects of economic movement.  She was engaging and in tune with the audience and responded to questions with great explanations.  The material provided by NEEDelegation was a good supplement.  We enjoyed Doris so much we just recently booked another presentation with her on inequality.  I highly recommend organizations take advantage of this great resource.

Terri McCulloch

Weber County League of Women Voters, 21 Jan 2020

Dana Tom

Palo Alto Rotary Club, 06 Jan 2020

Jon spoke at our weekly Rotary meeting about the economics of addressing climate change. The content is well suited for a general audience, and a cluster of interested members surrounded him with additional questions after the talk. A number of members made a point to tell me (as his host and chair of the speaker committee) that they appreciated his talk. Our members have high standards for speakers, and we would consider having Jon or a colleague speak again on another topic in the future.

Sally Tomlinson

Rotary Club of Palo Alto, 06 Jan 2020

I have attended a number of these informal Tuesday night sessions and always find them to be stimulating and fun. We typically have participants with a wide variety of perspectives and the conversations are enthusiastic and respectful. In the modern polarized political climate that feels like an antiquated notion - people actually taking the time to articulate their views and actively listen to one another. Jon has created something very unique and I look forward to each event. 

Larry Sweeny

"Think Tank Tuesday" - Small Group Setting, 22 Oct 2019

Jon's Tuesday small-group discussions are lively, engaging, and informed by excellent slide decks. They also tackle some of the hottest issues of the day, such as immigration and housing, with clear-eyed analysis. He is doing a real service by distilling some of the best economics research to help engaged citizens better understand many of the most serious public policy questions we face.

Jonathan Marshall

Tuesday discussion group, 22 Oct 2019

Your presentation at the CMANC Fall Meeting yesterday at the Embassy Suites in San Rafael was outstanding.

Stanley W Ekren

California Marine Affairs & Navigation Conference, 10 Oct 2019

Great information, displayed in a digestible way. Definitely had many takeaways. 

Steve

Marine Conference, 10 Oct 2019

I recently attended an eight-session, sixteen-hour class entitled “Economics and Public Policy” presented by Jon Haveman, Ph.D. economist. The class was part of the OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) program of senior education at Dominican University in San Rafael, California.

Jon’s class was extremely well-organized, clear, comprehensive, and accessible, even for novices. Jon used appropriate and understandable projected slides of charts and graphs to illustrate the material during the presentations. His speaking manner was calm, clear, and polite, and he answered all questions until the material was understood.

Jon founded the National Economic Education Delegation (NEED), a 401(c)(3) nonprofit whose purpose is educating the broader public on issues of economics and public policy. I believe he recognized during his career in government and academia that average citizens often do not have sufficient understanding of basic economics to judge the economic implications and impacts of government policies on their own lives and society at large. 

He recognized the importance of this understanding, or lack thereof, for our country, as well as at the state and local levels, as we citizens grapple with, debate, vote, etc. in ways that will help shape our collective future. Consequently, he founded NEED and has recruited Ph.D. economists in all 50 states so that they, and he, can pursue this goal through giving free talks to any civic organization upon request.

As a citizen who believes that the price of citizenship is constant participation in our civic/governmental dialogues—and not just on election day—and that the best and most effective citizen is an informed one, I celebrate Jon’s contribution in this regard! 

Therefore, I encourage all citizens to learn, participate, and support Jon and the NEED project in any way you can.

Roy S. Smith

San Rafael, CA

Roy Smith

OLLI class at Dominican University, 21 Sep 2019

The food was terrific. And, that was perhaps the BEST speaker I’ve seen in any ProVisor meeting in my 2 years in the organization.

Carter Welch, The Shirlwas Group

ProVisors SF1, 11 Sep 2019

On behalf of the Rotary Club of San Rafael Harbor, I thank you very much for your fine talk today on the Economics of Climate Change.

While most of us had at most a superficial understanding of proposals like cap & trade and carbon tax & dividend, we benefited from your thorough treatment of those subjects and gained a stronger understanding of the benefits and costs of both proposals.

We were impressed both by your clear delivery style and the wealth of data you have that is so pertinent to the topic.

We hope to have you back soon to make presentations in other topics of economics.

Stan Green

Rotary Club of San Rafael Harbor, 13 Aug 2019

Dr. Haveman has given numerous presentations to our Chapter and they have all been great. His latest one, Economics of Climate Change, set a Peninsula Chapter meeting record for attendance!  His presentation style and commentary are second to none. All members found the information presented to be very interesting, insightful, and easy to understand. We will definitely be having Dr. Haveman and NEED back at a future event soon.  

Derek Rampone

CSMFO Peninsula Chapter, 16 Jul 2019

Jon's presentation titled Economic Inequality had our members spellbound, intrigued and full of questions.  Both Jon's narrative and slide presentation were fascinating and rather easy to follow and understand. I highly recommend Jon to speak to any group.

Stan Hook

Rotary Club of Ross Valley, 24 Jul 2019

Jon is one of very few individuals who is able to simplify the message that climate change exists and tackling it should not be rocket science. The world just needs to focus on picking off the low hanging fruit first (of course that's easier said than done). Although I have been a professional in the renewable energy field for over a decade, I never expected to be so inspired by Jon's presentation about the economics of climate change. 

Phil Alwitt

CSMFO, 16 Jul 2019

Jon is an excellent speaker. The members of the Marvelous Marin Breakfast Club found his presentation very interesting and informative. We would love to have Jon back at a later date.  

Ken Franceschi

Marvelous Marin Breakfast Club, 11 Jul 2019

As a public policy advocacy organization, NBLC relies on objective, evidence-based data to make sound public policy decisions.  Jon Haveman's presentation on the economic impacts was just what we needed to better understand the costs of addressing climate change and the economic reality if we don't.  His presentation was very clear, hard hitting and compelling on what the challenges are.  We appreciated that there were several economists who prepared the presentation and two others who peer reviewed it. It meant a lot to the members to know that we were getting the best information available.  We highly recommend JJon Haveman and NEED when you want to get the real picture on economic impacts!

Cynthia Murray

Members of North Bay Leadership Council, 20 Mar 2019

The presentation on inequality was clear and accessible to the students - it produced a lot of fascinating questions and lively discussion.  As a class, we studied the psychological impact of inequality on people and it was great to get an economic perspective on the multiple factors for an increase in inequality in the United States.  The presentation showed the social sciences at work and how an integrated approach to looking at things can be more fruitful than from a single perspective.    

Albert Cho

AP Psychology Students, 11 Mar 2019

Jon Haveman was a highlight for our annual Climate Corps (www.climate-corps.org) fellowship retreat. Each of the nearly 80 Fellows provided positive feedback on Jon's talk, remarking how refreshing and important it was to hear from an economist viewpoint on our climate crisis.  Jon was a dynamic speaker who clearly connected with our high energy group of emerging climate and sustainability professionals.  I would recommend Jon and the NEED organization to any group who seeks a broader, pragmatic view of the economic impacts of climate change.  Thank you Jon!  Respectfully, Stephen Miller, Climate Corps Program Director

Stephen Miller

Strategic Energy Innovations Climate Corps Fellows, 15 Feb 2019

As someone who studied economics in college and is emerging into the sustainability field, it was great to hear an experienced economist share his knowledge and perspective on climate change.  

Luis Zavala

Sustainability Professionals- Climate Corps, 15 Feb 2019

Jon brings a professional yet accessible atmosphere into the classroom that most would find riveting, regardless of their background in environmental economics. His presentation begs questions from the listener and provides a setting for academic discourse that may not be present in other workshops. The presentation provides the framework for climate topics to a diverse array of audiences

Kean Abraham, Climate Corps Fellow at Capitol Corridor

Sustainability Professionals , 15 Feb 2019

The economics of climate change is a massive web of complexities, but Jon's expertise makes sense of the big ideas. His presentation was balanced and tailored to the specific needs of our group, offering well-informed perspectives from both sides of the debate. The Q&A session was most interesting, as well.  

Alex Wood

Young climate professionals, 15 Feb 2019

Having the chance to have an economist (Jon Haveman) come and talk to us about the challenges of implementing climate change policies was truly eye opening. Most of the fellows usually dwell in the technical side of things and do not have much exposure to the policies that allow our various programs and projects to run. Hearing this information makes it much easier to understand why certain programs are funded and others are not without politics muddying the conversation. NEED is doing a great job at educating the populace and I hope their work continues to grow. 

Alana Lindsay

Climate Corps Retreat Fellows, 15 Feb 2019

I participated in one of Jon's ThinkTank Tuesday policy discussions last night. We went thoroughly through the ins and outs of current U.S. trade policy. The conversation was very informative and I'll look forward to another such event. 

Greg Maloney

TTT, 13 Nov 2018

Jon Haveman (NEED) gave my senior economics students a very informative and engaging presentation about income inequality. He presented real-world examples of the causes and potential solutions to income inequality as well as important economic information informed citizens should possess. His slide deck contained graphs and statistics that were easy to digest and his explanations made difficult concepts easy to understand. My students thoroughly enjoyed it and they would love to have him come back at some future date. Highly recommended! 

Tristan Bodle

High School Economics Class, 12 Oct 2018

Jon was a great addition to my student's understanding of economic indicators and the impact of the Great Recession.  He has a comfortable and direct manner with my students and it was a positive experience for all.

Ann Tepovich

AP Economics Class, 05 Oct 2018

Jon makes complicated yet critically important economic concepts, data, and trends understandable by mere mortals!

Marv Zauderer

ExtraFood.org, 10 Oct 2018

The expertise Jon conveyed to my senior Economics students at Redwood HS was both impressive and engaging.  His passion for helping future voters better understand the importance of basic economic principals was evident as he answered their questions and challenged them to consider new ideas.

Mike Kelemen

Seniors at Redwood High School, 21 Sep 2018

Jon came into my AP Economics class to teach my students the main facets of the stock market and give them an introduction to investing. Not only was it apparent that Jon knew a lot about said topic, but he also made it interesting for the students who were engaged and asking questions the whole time. Jon was extremely competent in handling questions and making the content accessible to the age group. I have already asked Jon to come back in just a few weeks to discuss the Great Recession with my students. I'm already looking forward to hearing what he has to say!

Stephen Hart

AP Economics, Redwood High School, 20 Sep 2018

Very informative!  Economics is possibly the largest force in our global society - shouldn't we all know more?

Shannon Greenwood

TTT, 11 Sep 2018

I participated in one of NEED’s ThinkTank Tuesday policy discussions. Jon Haveman sent us some powerpoint slides ahead of time on the topic of income inequality, briefly presented his points and economic data at our gathering, and then facilitated conversation. I really appreciate that NEED is facilitating such important conversations like this. Not all of us agreed around the table, but we learned from one another and will hopefully continue these conversations in other venues. 

Dr. Laura Stivers

Dean, School of Liberal Arts and Education

Dominican University of California

Laura Stivers

ThinkTank Tuesday Policy Discussion, 11 Sep 2018

My students thoroughly enjoyed learning from a real economist. Weeks later they made reference to points from his talk, and used them to help explain other economic issues. Jon was able to explain complex economic issues in a way that was easily understood by my students. They all looked disappointed when the bell rang, and wanted me to invite him back for more talks. Jon offered an insightful and relevant lecture to my students, and kept them engaged for the entire class. Later students told me that they were thinking about explanations he had presented in class, and using those to help them understand related issues.

Francie Salle

Drake High School Economics Classes, 31 Jul 2018