From the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (registration here):

Benefit-Cost Analysis for U.S. Regulations co-sponsored by the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)

Benefit-cost analysis is used around the world to assess regulatory impacts. This workshop introduces the use of Benefit-Cost Analysis for Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs) in the Federal government. The topics will include issues of identifying the market failure, establishing the correct baseline, choosing the policy options, estimating benefits, estimating costs, and identifying transfers. The focus will be on analyses of U.S. health, and safety regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with further examples from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the last two decades. The concepts and practices we’ll discuss are equally applicable to analyses conducted in other policy areas and in other countries or at a sub-national level. The workshop will be structured as an overarching presentation with examples from past RIAs used as practical example to be discussed by the participants. This workshop is intended for both economists and other practitioners who have a working knowledge of Benefit-Cost Analysis and the general concept of measuring welfare effects. This working knowledge will then be applied to the Regulatory Impact Analysis context. The presenters are seasoned practitioners with substantial experience in conducting these analyses for federal regulatory actions. This workshop is intended for both economists and other practitioners who have a working knowledge of Benefit-Cost Analysis and the general concept of measuring welfare effects.

Meet the Presenters:

• Aliya Sassi earned her PhD in Economics at the University of New Hampshire. She is a Senior Economist at the U.S. FDA where she serves as a subject matter expert, project lead, and economic consultant to top level management and develops benefit-cost analyses of FDA regulations. Her areas of expertise include regulatory impact analysis, food safety, international trade, and economic modeling. Previously, she has detailed as a Senior Economist at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as an Assistant Director of Economics at FDA and taught economics at the University of New Hampshire.
   
• Lizzi Quin earned her PhD in Economics at Michigan State University. At the FDA she has developed benefit-cost analyses for drug, medical device, animal drug, biologics, and tobacco regulations. Previously, she has detailed at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is currently an Assistant Director of Economics at FDA and oversees benefit-costs analyses covering all FDA-regulated products. 
   
• Chris Dockins earned his PhD in Economics at Duke University, focusing on Environmental Economics and Public Finance. At the EPA he has helped develop benefit-cost analyses for EPA’s air, water, hazardous waste, and chemicals regulations, performed and published research on related topics, and directed a division of scientists in EPA’s National Center for Environmental Economics. He also teaches benefit-cost analysis at Johns Hopkins University and environmental economics at the University of Maryland.
   
• Charles Griffiths earned his PhD in Economics at the University of Maryland. At the EPA he has worked on the estimation of the social cost of carbon and helped develop benefit-cost analysis for EPA’s air, water, and chemical regulation. He has conducted research on climate change, health risks, water regulations, air regulations, and voluntary programs and was a Senior Economist for Environment, Energy, and Agriculture at the President’s Council of Economic Advisors. He also teaches benefit-cost analysis at Johns Hopkins University and environmental economics at the University of Maryland.
   
• Aaron Kearsley did his graduate work in Economics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Aaron is a Senior Economist at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services within the office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, which reviews all regulatory impact analyses for the Department and its agencies prior to publication. He was previously an economist at FDA, specializing in drug and tobacco regulations.