Michael Austin

Michael Austin is a free-market economist and policy advisor whose work is driven by a conviction that strong families and individual freedom are the foundation of a healthy society. As president of Knowledge & Decisions Economic Consulting and a member of Project 21, he has devoted his career to advancing public policy rooted in economic reality rather than political fashion.

Austin served as chief economist to two governors of Kansas and as director of fiscal policy at the Kansas Policy Institute, where he worked closely with state legislators on tax, budget, and regulatory reform. His analysis earned national attention for exposing government misrepresentation during the COVID-19 era, including misleading claims surrounding mask mandates and testing practices.

Recognized by the American Enterprise Institute as an emerging poverty scholar, Austin’s work focuses on lifting people toward financial independence through policies that reward work, responsibility, and enterprise. His research and commentary have been featured by Bill O’Reilly, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Tax, the Foundation for Economic Education, and a wide range of state and local media outlets.

During the Trump administration, Austin was appointed as an advisor to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, further extending his influence at the national level.

He holds a business degree from Washburn University and a master’s degree in economics, with honors, from the University of Kansas. Across every role, Michael Austin remains committed to the idea that sound economics, honestly applied, is one of the most powerful tools for restoring opportunity and human dignity.