Ana Hernández Kent
Senior Researcher
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Ana Hernández Kent is a senior researcher on the Community Development Research team at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. A nationally sought-after expert in household wealth, the essential role of women in the economy, and the economic importance of affordable and accessible child care, Kent serves as lead coordinator for the Community Development department’s workforce resilience initiative.
She regularly gives presentations in the community and her work has been widely featured in national outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, USA Today, Financial Times and Planet Money, among others.
Kent serves on the family services committee of the Ronald McDonald House in St. Louis and was a graduate of FOCUS St. Louis’ Emerging Leaders program in 2020. She was named a 2022 Domer Dozen honoree, which recognizes outstanding Notre Dame University graduates ages 32 and younger. Her book, Empowered Mama: The Real-Talk Guide to Pregnancy, Postpartum Life, and Newborn Care, published in 2024.
Kent received a Ph.D. in experimental psychology with concentrations in social psychology and quantitative methods in behavioral sciences from Saint Louis University, where she also earned a master’s degree in experimental psychology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame.