Charis Ailes

Charis Ailes is a Research Scientist who joined the team at The University of New Mexico’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research in January 2023. She holds two Master’s degrees in economics, the first from New Mexico State University and concentrated on Public Policy Analysis; the second from The University of New Mexico, with a concentration in Public Economics. Having started out with a Bachelor’s in Sociology, she considers herself a sociological economist with interests including homelessness, marginalization, unemployment and labor force participation. She worked with at-risk youth for a while in teen shelters and other programs before realizing that she wanted to help society in a different way.

Charis began her career in economics as a Governor’s Intern at the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ Economic Research & Analysis Bureau. She then spent five years as a data analyst in the private sector, developing her data analysis skills by working for HP Inc. She now uses those skills to further her work in her field. Charis has done projects for the Rail Yards Market and for the State Auditor’s Office and has other projects in the pipeline. She also assists with BBER’s quarterly New Mexico forecasts (FOR-UNM). On the side, she teaches economics part time at Central New Mexico Community College and attends economics conferences whenever she can.

Originally from the West Coast, Charis has chosen New Mexico as her home. Her weekends are usually spent with her husband and daughter, hiking, thrift store shopping, attending church functions, improving their house, and finding places for their very hyper dog to run around.