Sheila Bair, named the 2nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2008 and 2009, is a former Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). She oversaw the organization from 2006-2011, notably during the Financial Crisis and its aftermath.

The FDIC, founded in 1933 as a part of the New Deal to restore confidence in the banking system, is one of two government agencies that supply deposit insurance to those who bank with American financial institutions. Prior to this role, Sheila had myriad roles in academia and a brief stint running for Congress. After retiring from the FDIC, Sheila re-entered academia and became the first female President of Washington College and today serves on a number of boards and governance committees.

In today’s episode, Ross and Sheila discuss Sheila’s early career, her interest in economics, and what led her to her job at the FDIC. They then continue into a conversation about her tenure as Chair of the FDIC in the backdrop of the monolith Financial Crisis and the FDIC’s role in that crisis. Finally, they discuss Sheila’s post-FDIC career, including her stint as President of Washington College as well as her interest and involvement in Scholars of Finance.