About The Author

Gayle Allard is a California native who has lived most of her adult life in Europe. She has been an economics professor at the IE Business School in Madrid since 2002, after professional stints at JP Morgan and The Economist Intelligence Unit. She has discovered that teaching economics to MBA students is almost her favorite thing to do. She received her PhD from the University of California, Davis, and her research has centered on labor market policy and development issues. Gayle has been a pioneer in online and virtual education, teaching in "blended" programs at the IE since they were launched, and developing numerous interactive exercises, games and simulators to enhance student learning. She teaches three courses (MOOCs) and her own specialization on Coursera which have had hundreds of thousands of students. She is frequently quoted in the international media on economic issues.

Gayle is married with five children (including two sets of twins!) who are now living around the world. She is also an avid traveler with a special passion for Africa. She teaches an Africa elective at the IE and leads volunteer trips to sub-Saharan Africa every year. She is the founder and president of the Wuha Sira Foundation, which promotes women´s education and access to clean water in Ethiopia.