Indian-American Renu Khator to lead Dallas Fed board

Indian-American Renu Khator has been named the chairperson of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' board of directors.

59-year-old Khator, who has served as the president of University of Houston (UH) and chancellor of UH System, joined the board in 2011 and was appointed deputy chair two years later.

"I am excited and honoured to receive this opportunity, and for the recognition it brings to the University of Houston. As chair, I look forward to adding my perspective to the important monetary policy discussions conducted by the talented and dedicated members of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas," Khator said.

Khator was UH System's first woman chancellor, UH's first foreign-born president and the first ever Indian immigrant to lead a comprehensive research university in the US.

Since 2008, she has overseen the UH System's more than 65,000 students and a budget of over $1.3 billion.

The Federal Reserve Board in Washington, recently announced the appointments of Khator and others for its 12 Federal Reserve banks across the country, with each institution guided by a nine-member board.

These boards work with their respective Federal Reserve Bank presidents to offer grassroots economic information and input on management and monetary policy decisions.

This year, Khator has been recognised by several organisations for her commitment to excellence in higher education.

Among her 2014 honours are the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the President of India, National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association President's Award and the Pride of India Award.

In addition to overseeing UH and UH System initiatives, Khator shares her energies and insights with several organisations including the Indian Prime Minister's Global Advisory Council, the American Council on Education, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Technology Center, the Methodist Hospital Research Institute Board, the Business-Higher Education Forum and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Khator was born in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, India and earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Kanpur before pursuing her master's degree and a Ph.D in political science from PurdueUniversity in the US.

A noted scholar in the field of global environmental policy, she has published numerous books and articles on the subject.

Photograph: Department of Redundancy Department/Wikimedia Commons