Lessons Learned Oral History Interview Archive

Our interviews augment our document-based research by revealing general observations, valuable insights, and unanticipated “Lessons Learned” that we believe will be helpful to policymakers in the future.

Our interviews recount a multitude of perspectives and also provides a human dimension to these rare and extraordinary events. These are the stories of the decisionmakers, who, as the U.S. housing market crashed and the exposure of   the inherent weaknesses in the financial system sent markets into a freefall, were tasked with crafting the emergency response not knowing how,   or even if, they could contain the damage and restore stability. We hear from the deputies, the lieutenants, and the analysts who worked through the night shepherding possibilities and pouring over numbers. They are men and women who answered their government’s call to service, and put their expertise at its disposal, leaving jobs, families and vacations behind.

The practical revelations contained in these interviews combine with our case studies, and other research, to create a multi-dimensional record and powerful resource for crisis-fighting. You can access the interview transcripts and summaries below.