For more than four decades, the Center has been focused on the #WorkThatMatters. In the beginning, that meant bringing award-winning financial and economic education to teachers and students across Greater Cincinnati. Our reach has since expanded to classrooms in 46 states. The Center also now delivers world-class research to drive better decision-making by clients in the public and private sectors.
The Center began as a teacher training initiative of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce in 1976. In 1977, the Center was incorporated and established a permanent existence as part of the University of Cincinnati.
While the Center has maintained its teacher training as a core service, we’ve added student programs and competitions, an award-winning online financial program called $martPath, partnerships for the financial education of the larger community, and a research team to serve businesses and governmental partners in our region.
Every year, the Center’s research team consults with more than 30 business clients on their economic data and analysis needs. Their work includes everything from market analyses to feasibility studies, economic impact projects, and workforce development initiatives. Through this work, the Center and its partners contribute to the health and vitality of our region’s economy.
The Alpaugh Family Economics Center is a part of the Council for Economic Education’s national network.
The Center is also a member of the Association of University Business and Economic Research.
Equipping every child and every community leader with the tools to make effective economic and financial decisions.
The Center has won several national awards for its programs and its online financial education platform, $martPath.





Faculty & Staff

Ben is a Research Associate at the Economics Center. Ben received his PhD in Economics from the University of Oregon in 2018 specializing in monetary theory and econometrics. Before coming to the Economics Center Ben was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Thomas More University where he taught Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Money & Banking, and Applied Econometrics with R. Ben is a Cincinnati native who loves trivia nights and cooking.

Ian is an Economics PhD candidate (expected June ’23) from the University of Cincinnati, after having previously received an MA in Economics from Claremont Graduate University (2017) and a Bachelor’s from Northern Kentucky University (2015). His research interests are Health Economics, policy evaluation, Bayesian Econometrics, and machine learning. In his free time, he likes to record music or travel. A native Cincinnatian, Ian lives in Northern Kentucky with his wife, daughter, and dog.

Brad joined the Economics Center after working in an economic development role for a local community for nearly seven years. In that role, he was very successful in managing business retention and expansion efforts, as well as coordinating the attraction of new corporate investment and jobs to the community.
Phone: (513) 556-2969 | Email

As Student Enterprise Program Director for the Economics Center, Erin is responsible for organizing and implementing the Student Enterprise Program (StEP) in thirty-two elementary and intermediate schools across Cincinnati. Her duties include overseeing the StEP school stores and annual Market Madness event, two programs that are dedicated to giving students (grades 3-5) a safe platform to learn the importance of making good choices on a daily basis.
Prior to joining the Economics Center, Erin was a Branch Service Manager at National Bank & Trust in Wilmington, Ohio. She also spent two years as K-12 substitute teacher for Warren, Clinton and Butler Counties.
Erin earned her BA in Business Marketing from Wilmington College and a Master’s Degree in Middle Child Education from Mt Vernon Nazarene University.
Phone: (513) 556-8546 | Email

Megan Heare is Senior Research Associate at the Economics Center. Prior to this role, Megan was a Graduate Assistant at the Economics Center. She graduated with a master's degree in Applied Economics from the University of Cincinnati. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Southern Indiana. Her duties include literature review, data collection, economic analysis, and report writing.
Phone: 513-556-2022| Email

Dr. Heath is the Executive Director Emerita of the Center. Prior to her role as longtime ED of the Center and Alpaugh Chair at the University of Cincinnati, she was the director of the Center for Economic Education at the University of Memphis. In that role, with the support of the state of Tennessee and First Tennessee, she founded the $mart Tennessee program, which provides financial education to children in elementary, middle, and high schools. Since the program began in 2006, $mart Tennessee has been adopted by over 400 schools and has reached over 75,000 children.
At the University of Memphis, Dr. Heath taught undergraduate and graduate classes; they included micro theory, principles, and the economics of sports and labor. At the UM College of Business, Dr. Heath has served as head of the Economics Department. She is the recipient of a number of honors and awards. Dr. Heath has received the two highest teaching awards at the University of Memphis: the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000, and the Distinguished Teaching Award in 2010. The Carnegie Foundation recognized Dr. Heath with the 2010 Tennessee Professor of the Year Award.
In 2008, she earned the Kenneth G. Elzinga Distinguished Teaching Award, the economics discipline’s highest award. Also in 2008, she was the recipient of the Educator of the Year Award from the National Association for Financial Literacy. She received the Harold Love Award for Community Involvement in 2007, and in 2006, was named the Financial Educator of the Year by the Tennessee Bankers Association.
Dr. Heath is a member of the National Association of Economic Educators, a member of the national Board of Directors of the Council for Economic Education, and a member of the Economics Standing Committee of the National Assessment of Education Progress. In addition to her numerous professional accolades, economic education professionals around the country regard Dr. Heath as a leader in the field.
She received her PhD in Economics at the University of South Carolina in 1986, specializing in labor economics and quantitative methods. She received a Visiting Research Fellowship to Princeton University to conduct research in economics education and has published extensively in the area. Dr. Heath received her BA from Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, in 1978. She is a native of Ohio.
Phone: (513) 556-1653 | Email

Sue Heilmayer joined the Economics Center in 2012 as the Business Manager. Her responsibilities include all accounting functions for the Center. Strategic long and short range forecasting and budgeting enable the Center to ensure fiscal responsibility.
Prior to joining the Center, Sue worked as a Plant Controller for the Keebler Corporation and as a self-employed accountant.
Sue received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1990 from the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Phone: 513-556-2952 | Email

Erna is the Center's Administrative and Program Assistant. Prior to joining the Center in January, 2022, Erna worked at Mercy Heath Physicians for eight years as their registrar. She earned an associate’s degree in Applied Science/Occupation Therapy Assisting from Cincinnati State Community and Technical College.
Erna is also fluent in Bosnian.

Before his arrival at the Alpaugh Family Economics Center, Dr. David Mahon served as the Director of the Miami Dade College Center for Economic Education, where he was awarded the Rising Star Award by the National Association of Economic Educators and the Council on Economic Education.
In addition to his role as Director, Dr. Mahon was an Assistant Professor of Economics. Before becoming a college professor, Dr. Mahon taught mathematics, economics, and various social studies courses as a high school teacher.
He received his Ph.D. in Economic Education at the University of Delaware, a Master's degree in Economics at the Florida International University, and his undergraduate degree at Cornell University.

Kathy Palmer joined the Center as Marketing and Communications Director in November 2019. She leads marketing efforts, media relations, and stakeholder communications at the Center.
Prior to this role, she worked in media relations and marketing for Simply Money Advisors and Allworth Financial, where she created the Simply Money TV news franchise, and produced financial and consumer content that aired on Fox 19, Local 12, CNBC, Fox Business, and Cincinnati.com. She was also a TV news manager in several markets.
She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Kalamazoo College.
Phone: (513) 556-2986

Emily Schalk is the Director of Professional Development at the Economics Center. Her responsibilities include preparing and writing grants, donor engagement, and program facilitation. She is currently coordinating the state-wide implementation of $martPath, the Center’s 1-8 grade online financial literacy program.
Emily earned her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2009. She began her career as a high school English teacher. Prior to joining the Economics Center, she worked as a middle and high school college readiness adviser and event coordinator at Northern Kentucky University.
Emily received her Master of Arts in English degree from Northern Kentucky University in 2020.
Phone: (513) 556-5198 | Email

Katie Smith joined the Economics Center in early 2015 as an Education Programs Associate. Her primary role is assisting the director of the Student Enterprise Program (StEP) in several elementary schools throughout the greater Cincinnati area.
Katie spent 17 years in the banking industry working for Provident Financial Group, prior to its 2005 acquisition. While there, she gained experience in both customer-facing and back end operations capacities. She continued her career in the Information Technology field as a project manager for Convergys Corporation, and then in a similar role at American Modern Insurance Group. After taking off time to spend with her two young boys, Katie rejoined the work force as a Teacher Assistant at St. Veronica School.
Katie earned her Bachelor of Science from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and also completed graduate studies in the College of Business at UC. She resides on the east side of Cincinnati with her husband and sons.
Phone: (513) 556-8545 | Email