Megan Jenkins leads Pacific Legal Foundation’s strategic research team, which informs PLF’s litigation in pursuit of greater liberty for Americans.
Megan first discovered the power of economic research as an undergraduate at Utah State University. Her research on endangered species in Trinity County, California, revealed how even the most well-intentioned policies can do real harm, shutting down livelihoods and plunging people into poverty. From then on, Megan has dedicated her career to doing research that matters.
After earning a master’s degree in economics from Utah State, Megan had the opportunity to help develop the Center for Growth and Opportunity, a university-based research center. Over the next six years, she helped build the organization’s research team and craft a strategy for high-impact research. She also revamped CGO’s student programs to ensure that undergraduate and master’s degree students had opportunities to become experts and to co-author real-world research.
Megan is committed to ensuring that PLF’s research doesn’t just sit on the virtual shelf but is getting out there to those who can use it. She has authored op-eds in outlets including USA Today, Deseret News, and The Hill, and she has spoken about her research on C-SPAN and national radio outlets.
Megan lives with her husband Cody, two small children, and one very old black labrador in the mountains of Northern Utah. When she’s not doing research for liberty, she enjoys camping and hiking in the summer and skiing the best snow on Earth in the winter.