By David Simpson
An Old Dominion University administrator has been elected to the board of the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
Barbara Blake, chief administrative officer of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at ODU, started her term July 1 and will serve through June 30, 2025. C2ER publishes the quarterly Cost of Living Index (COLI), referenced in the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the United States, and promotes excellence and leadership in community, economic and workforce research.
"I am so excited to be part of this crucial economic index contributing to the U.S. Statistical Abstract," Blake said.
The Cost of Living Index compares the price of goods and services among cities across the United States.
Earlier this year, Blake was selected to serve as a member of the Research Administrators Certification Council's Certified Research Administrator Item Review Committee. The two-year appointment began March 1.
Blake holds a bachelor of science in international business from High Point University; a master's in international studies from the University of Leeds, Leeds, England; and a doctorate in higher education administration from The George Washington University. Her research interests include the economics of social issues, such as the economic impact of the opioid epidemic in Virginia.
At ODU, she received the 2018 Administrator of the Year Award from the Strome College of Business.
