Sarah Rosen Wartell is a public policy executive and housing markets expert who serves as president of the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan social and economic policy research institute in Washington D.C. She previously worked in the Federal Housing Administration and National Economic Council, and co-founded the Center for American Progress.

Wartell practiced law with the Washington, D.C., firm of Arnold & Porter, was a visiting scholar and adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center, and was a consultant to the bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission.

In the White House from 1998 to 2000, she led over a dozen interagency working groups, negotiated legislation, and managed administration policymaking in housing and community development, financial markets and banking, insurance, consumer protection, pensions, tort reform, and other areas.

She served as its first chief operating officer and general counsel and later, as executive vice president.

During her tenure, Urban has articulated its strategy to “elevate the debate” by providing data and evidence to inform policy decisions.