Center for American Progress

Cristina Tello-Trillo

Chief Economist

she/her

Team

Economic Policy

Cristina Tello-Trillo is the chief economist in the Economic Policy department at American Progress. Prior to joining American Progress, she was a senior economist at the U.S. Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies, where her research on parental leave, trade and labor markets, and economic inequality was published in leading peer-reviewed academic journals. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland.

She holds a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors and spending time with friends and family.

Latest

at a time

How Federal Debt Puts a Damper on Your Wallet ArticleSeptember 23, 2026

A row of cars for sale at a dealership, each flying a small American flag from its roof, parked in front of the dealership building under a mostly clear blue sky.

How Federal Debt Puts a Damper on Your Wallet

Federal debt is adding to the affordability squeeze, quietly raising household monthly bills for mortgage, auto, and student loan payments.

Sep 23, 2026

Cristina Tello-Trillo

Wealth Inequality Has Grown During the Trump Administration ArticleSeptember 15, 2026

Blurred silhouette of a person's head in front of a monitor filled with stock charts, moving averages, and price data in green and pink.

Wealth Inequality Has Grown During the Trump Administration

The wealthiest 0.1 percent of households have gained more than 8,000 times as much wealth per household as the bottom 50 percent since the end of 2024.

Sep 15, 2026

Cristina Tello-Trillo, Sara Estep, Corey Husak

2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels ArticleSeptember 4, 2026

Job seekers wait in line for free resume preparation services.

2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels

New calculations show the economy would need to add about 97,000 jobs per month to keep the employment-to-population ratio from declining.

Sep 4, 2026

Cristina Tello-Trillo, Christian E. Weller

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