William Shobe

Bill Shobe is the director emeritus of the Center for Economic & Policy Studies.  

After receiving his BA in Political Science from Vanderbilt, Bill went on to attend Lewis & Clark Law School, where he received his JD, and the University of Minnesota, where he received his Ph.D. in Economics. While at UVA he also served as a Professor of Public Policy in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and an adjunct faculty member in the Economics Department.

Bill began working for the Cooper Center in 2004. He is passionate about finding effective solutions to pressing environmental problems; he has helped design features of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as well as of other emission markets. 

Before joining UVA, he served as Associate Director for Economic & Regulatory Analysis with the Virginia Department of Planning & Budget, where he coordinated state expenditure forecasts and the economic analysis of state regulations. He has also served as an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Bill retired in June, 2024. He continues to consult with the Cooper Center on select projects.