John Downen is a senior research fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, specializing in economic and fiscal impact analysis. Prior to his current role, he spent two years with Camoin Associates, a national economic development consultancy. Before joining Camoin, he had spent 15 years with the University of Utah, beginning as a research analyst at the Bureau of Economic and Business Research and working up to deputy director of economic and public policy research at the Gardner Institute.

Downen has also held a wide variety of positions in California, Louisiana, and Montana, including technical editor for a large engineering firm, editorial assistant and copy editor for various computer magazines, freelance editor, and research associate and publications and program coordinator for a small nonprofit organization. Downen holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in physics from Georgetown University and a master’s in economics from Tulane University, as well as a certificate in applied GIS from the University of Utah.