Idaho Economic Outlook Symposium

Keynote Speaker Jason Hansen

Distinguished Research Economist, Nuclear Science and Technology, Idaho National Laboratory

Jason Hansen is Distinguished Research Economist at Nuclear Science and Technology, Idaho National Laboratory, where he practices energy economics, leads international courses on energy adoption, and consults on strategic initiatives.

With 22 years of experience in economics, Hansen possesses expertise in nuclear energy, supply chains and logistics, financial risk, and modeling and simulation. His academic background includes doctoral studies on environmental and natural resources economics and an M.A. in economic theory from the University of New Mexico, and a B.A. in economics from Idaho State University. In addition to focus on research, he has held several teaching positions such as economics professor.

Before joining Idaho National Laboratory, Hansen was on the faculty of the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey California. He serves as the co-chair of the Economic Modeling Working Group in the Generation IV International Forum.

Hansen holds a PhD in environmental and natural resource economics from the University of New Mexico. He has nearly 70 scientific publications, almost 100 invited and contributed talks, and 3 book chapters.

Iris Buder

Associate Dean, MHA Program Director and Associate Professor of Economics, Idaho State University

Dr. Iris Buder teaches undergraduate courses in the economics of health care, labor economics, microeconomics, econometrics, mathematics for economics, and economic issues. Her research interests in the area of health economics include analyzing the economic costs of diseases, conducting cost-effectiveness analyses for public health interventions, and researching health disparities. Her research interests in the area of labor economics include labor market disparities, occupational prestige, and wage disparities. She currently serves as a board member for Health West Community Center.

Karl Geisler

Associate Professor of Economics, Idaho State University

Dr. Karl Geisler received his Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno. As a regional economist his research primarily examines how economic activities spillover between jurisdictions, such as how casinos impact employment in host and adjacent counties. 

Nathan Murray

Economic and Community Development Advisor, Idaho Power

Nathan Murray serves as an Economic and Community Development Advisor for Idaho Power, where he partners with communities and economic development organizations across southern and eastern Idaho to attract, retain, and expand business within the company’s service territory. His work bridges infrastructure planning with business recruitment, helping position Idaho communities for sustainable, long-term growth.

Before joining Idaho Power, Nathan was the Director of Economic Development and Urban Renewal for the City of Twin Falls, where he led business expansion efforts that contributed to more than $2 billion in capital investment. Earlier in his career, he spent 15 years in city planning and economic development in a neighboring state, leading transformative projects such as the redevelopment of a 200-acre former U.S. Steel site into a modern industrial park, recruiting $50 million in investment near a municipal airport, and crafting his city’s first comprehensive Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Nathan and his wife, Sherry, are the proud parents of twins and triplets. Their first family car was a 29-foot stretch Lincoln Continental limousine, an unconventional but fitting response to a unique family circumstance.