Research associate 
wab@wilder.org

Allen provides economic research consultation to a wide variety of projects. He is an economist with more than 20 years’ experience in industry analysis, urban and regional economics, strategic business analysis, and economic forecasting. His current research interests include contingent valuation methods, social return on investment models, social networks, and regional economic simulations.

He has a BS degree from MIT in Urban Studies and Planning and he has completed the coursework toward a PhD in Economics from the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the American Economic Association and the Project Management Institute.

Recent projects

• Evaluating changes to the refugee cash assistance program
• Benefit-cost analysis of drug courts in Minnesota
• Forecast of affordable housing needs in the East Metro
• Incentive compatibility of contingent valuation methods
• Econometric estimate of the value of open space in Washington County