Rethinking | Reframing | Redefining

Economic Development

Rethinking | Reframing | Redefining

Economic Development

CVL Economics is a Los Angeles-based economic consultancy practice specializing in inclusive economic development and growth with an emphasis on the role of the creative economy. Founded in 2021 in response to a rapidly shifting economic landscape, CVL recognizes that communities, institutions, and organizations are facing unprecedented challenges as they navigate uncertainty.

Our team strives to take the complex and challenging and make them clear and actionable by employing a combination of advanced data analytics and rigorous qualitative methods to guide regional strategy, program, and policy development. We’re dedicated to the idea that it takes a combination of insights and imagination to transform the status quo and invested in our clients and partners who seek to make a bold impact.

LEADERSHIP

Adam J. Fowler

Founding Partner

Adam J. Fowler is a recognized thought leader in economic analysis, workforce development, and public policy. He has provided expert commentary to a wide variety of media outlets, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, and National Public Radio. Previously, he was the Director of Research at Beacon Economics and served on Gavin Newsom for Governor’s Economic Development, Housing, and Agriculture Policy Committee. He has presented on workforce development policy to the California Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, & Internet Media and recently presented research at LA 2021: Future of Creative Talent Summit, Amplify Music, and the Sociable Cities Summit.

Uday Ram

Founding Partner

Uday Ram specializes in resilient economic development, which is informed by over 20 years of domestic and international experience in the planning discipline. Prior to co-founding CVL Economics, he headed the Sustainable Growth and Development practice area at Beacon Economics where he focused on regional economic development, industry analysis, and stakeholder outreach and engagement. Previously, he served as an advisor to Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Resilience and led the development of the first Safety and Security strategy for the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. Past project work includes research on inclusive planning along the Lower Los Angeles River, informal planning practices on Skid Row, and the intersection of economic development and land use.

EXPERTISE

CVL Economics provides services across three interconnected practice areas with the goal of not simply applying best practice and insights but advancing fresh evidence-based solutions to expand the possible. Across all our client engagements, partnerships, and project teams, we work to foster mutual respect and deliver services, products, and experiences that exceed expectations.

Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy

Culture and the creative economy are essential to sustainable economic growth and development. Creativity and innovation provide momentum for expanding the economic potential for people and regions and will continue to be a key mechanism for expanding economic opportunity. Arts, culture, and creative industries provide important linkages across the economy and can drive growth across sectors.

Services include creative sector and economic opportunity analysis, assessment of community strengths and assets, and equitable creative economy development strategies.
We help communities thrive by designing equitable policies that support a thriving creative ecosystem and support good jobs and market opportunities.
We provide empirical insights and recommendations tailored to the local context and work closely with public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to understand and support policy goals

Economic Development and Inclusive Regions

CVL Economics partners with communities to build for an inclusive and thriving future by supporting economic development strategies and policies that leverage local assets, support talent, generate innovative industry growth, job creation, and understand and navigate macroeconomic opportunities and challenges. Regions are unique and the portfolio of strategies are varied and diverse across regions – from infrastructure development, workforce development, and ecosystem development to support for small business formation and industry cluster incubation and acceleration.

Services include understanding skills gaps across industries to support and evidence base and strategy for investment and training.
We help partners build expand partnerships that center talent, are industry-led, and supported, and map onto key policy goals of sustainability, equity, and job quality.
We provide empirical insights and support to reimagine and clarify robust career pathway and apprenticeship programs that map onto labor market challenges and needs.

Talent and Workforce Innovation

CVL Economics partners with governmental, non-profit, and private sector organizations to develop innovative solutions and policies to build a strong pipeline of talent and navigate the changing demands of business and industry. We bring together leaders from across the workforce development ecosystem – private industry, trade associations, organized labor, undergraduate institutions, primary and secondary schools, community colleges, workforce development boards, economic development organizations, non-profit organizations – to understand the local landscape.

Services include creative sector and economic opportunity analysis, assessment of community strengths and assets, and equitable creative economy development strategies.
We help partners build expand partnerships that center talent, are industry-led, and supported, and map onto key policy goals of sustainability, equity, and job quality.
We provide empirical insights and support to reimagine and clarify robust career pathway and apprenticeship programs that map onto labor market challenges and needs.

Want to work with us?

For more information, please email us at info@cvleconomics.com