David Nelson

David Nelson became interested in economics in college when he took a course called “Economics for Non-majors”. Within two weeks he was hooked and changed his major from chemistry to economics. Nelson couldn’t understand how something as important and useful as economics was not taught to him during his 12 years as a student in Seattle Public Schools. Nelson went on earn a master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Oregon. In his early years of teaching economics at Oregon State University, Nelson became acquainted with the Council on Economic Education, a national organization devoted to helping young people gain an understanding of basic economic concepts and the operation of the U.S. economy. During his first year at Western Washington University, Nelson founded the Center for Economic Education at WWU with the goal of providing resources and instructional materials to K-12 teachers. Over the next 30 years that Nelson directed the Center, thousands of Washington State teachers attended for credit classes, noncredit workshops, and borrowed materials made available by the Center. Nelson has authored a number of publications related to the teaching of economics. Today, David continues to enjoy teaching economics and finance classes at Western Washington University and looks forward to working with the Washington Council as it furthers the important work of economic and personal finance education for teachers and students in our state.