Rebecca Blank

Rebecca Margaret Blank (September 19 1955 – February 17 2023) was an American economist and academic administrator who served in high‑level positions within the United States federal government and higher education. She held senior roles in the Department of Commerce during the administration of President Barack Obama, including a period as acting Secretary of Commerce for more than one year. After her public service career, she became the ninth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, leading the institution from 2013 until 2022. Blank’s work spanned economic research, statistical oversight, and university governance, and she was recognized for her contributions to both national policy and academic administration.

Early life and career

Rebecca Blank was born on September 19 1955 in Columbia, Missouri, and grew up in Roseville, Minnesota. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in economics. She continued her graduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a Ph.D. in economics.

Following her doctoral work, Blank joined the Brookings Institution as the Robert S. Kerr Senior Fellow. In that capacity, she engaged in research and policy analysis on economic issues. She later served as Dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, overseeing academic programs and faculty development within the school.

Blank’s academic career included positions as a professor of economics at Northwestern University, where she directed the University of Chicago–Northwestern University Joint Center for Poverty Research. She also held teaching appointments at Princeton University and MIT, contributing to coursework and research in economic theory and applied policy analysis.

During the 1990s, Blank was appointed to the Council of Economic Advisers under President Bill Clinton. In that role she participated in White House deliberations on a range of economic, social, and regulatory matters, providing expertise that informed federal decision‑making.

In her personal life, Blank married Hanns Kuttner in 1994; the couple had one daughter together. She remained active in professional circles until her illness in early 2022, when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after falling ill while vacationing in Europe. Rebecca Blank passed away on February 17 2023 at a hospice facility in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, at the age of 67.

Cabinet tenure

Blank entered federal service during the Obama administration in June 2009 as Under Secretary for Economic Affairs and head of the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA). The ESA is responsible for overseeing the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, two principal statistical agencies. In this position she supervised a staff of economists and policy analysts who produced reports and forecasts that informed domestic and international policy decisions.

While at ESA, Blank oversaw the 2010 decennial Census operation, which was completed on schedule and under budget, yielding savings of approximately $1.6 billion for that year. Her leadership extended to managing the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation as a Board Representative appointed by Secretary Gary Locke.

On November 18 2010, the Department of Commerce announced Blank’s appointment as Acting Deputy Secretary. In this capacity she served as chief operating officer for the department, focusing on management and policy matters across its twelve bureaus. She oversaw nearly 45,000 employees and a budget of roughly $10 billion.

Blank was nominated by President Obama to become Deputy Secretary of Commerce in late 2011. The United States Senate confirmed her appointment on March 29 2012 by unanimous consent. Shortly thereafter she assumed the role of Acting Secretary of Commerce for the first time, beginning August 1 2011 after Secretary Gary Locke departed for a diplomatic post as U.S. Ambassador to China. President Obama nominated John Bryson to succeed Locke; Bryson was sworn in on October 21 2011.

Blank’s second tenure as Acting Secretary began on June 11 2012 when incumbent Secretary John Bryson entered medical leave following a seizure and subsequent legal issues. Blank transferred the powers of the office to herself for an undetermined period, continuing to lead the department during this transition.

On March 18 2013, Blank announced her resignation from the Commerce Department to accept the position of chancellor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Following her departure, Cameron Kerry was designated Acting Secretary of Commerce pending Senate confirmation of Penny Pritzker.

Legacy

Rebecca Blank’s career bridged federal economic policy and higher education administration. In the Commerce Department she played a key role in ensuring the timely completion of the 2010 Census and in managing large statistical agencies that provide essential data for policymaking. Her oversight contributed to significant cost savings and efficient operation of national statistical programs.

As chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Blank guided the institution through a period marked by fiscal constraints and shifting state policies. She confronted an in‑state undergraduate tuition freeze and substantial reductions in state funding while working to mitigate faculty departures that followed legislative changes affecting tenure protections and governance structures. Blank implemented scholarship initiatives aimed at increasing access for students from families earning less than $60,000 annually, and she oversaw growth in freshman enrollment as well as improvements in four‑to‑six year graduation rates.

Blank also championed efforts to highlight the histories of marginalized populations within the university community. She supported the establishment of a Public History Project and initiatives that recognized the Ho‑Chunk Nation, whose ancestral land hosts the campus, as well as the presence of historically African‑American fraternities and sororities. Her tenure saw record increases in student body and faculty diversity, although she faced criticism from some student activists regarding campus climate issues and the removal of certain statues.

Throughout her public service and academic leadership, Blank maintained a focus on data‑driven decision making, institutional efficiency, and inclusive educational opportunities. Her contributions to federal economic analysis and university governance left an imprint on both national policy infrastructure and higher education administration.