Christopher Towner (Former Staff) Senior Director

Christopher Towner serves as Senior Director, Budget and Data Analytics at First Focus on Children, analyzing federal budget issues and broader government data as they relate to children.
Before joining First Focus, Christopher served as a policy analyst at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he gained experience researching issues related to taxes, health care, Social Security, disabilities, discretionary spending, and budget process. As a part of that role, Christopher was the lead analyst for the McCrery-Pomeroy SSDI Solutions Initiative, editing and authoring pieces related to improving the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program for individuals with disabilities, those who pay into the program, and the larger economy, culminating in the publication of two volumes on the subject. Prior to that, Christopher worked in political fundraising at a non-profit organization.
Christopher holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Boston University, and he originally hails from just outside Chicago, Illinois.
Key Stats on the Effect of COVID-19 on Kids
Aubrey Edwards-Luce, Averi Pakulis, Cara Baldari, Carrie Fitzgerald (Former Staff), Christopher Towner (Former Staff), Conor Sasner (Former Staff), Kathy Sacco, Michelle Dallafior, Miriam Abaya (Former Staff), Olivia Gomez (Former Staff) | November 19, 2020 |
The COVID-19 pandemic is doing more than exposing the racial, ethnic, and economic disparities existing in our society; it is compounding them, and so …
Ongoing budget process offers lawmakers an opportunity to reverse trend and invest in kids
Christopher Towner (Former Staff) | November 18, 2020 |
Our Children’s Budget 2020 – released this fall during our annual Children’s Budget Summit – underscores an alarming trend: the share of federal spending …
What the Next Administration Might Spend on Children
Christopher Towner (Former Staff) | October 29, 2020 |
With the election fast approaching, we analyzed the established track records of each candidate’s spending on children. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike …
The Next Presidential Agenda Should Invest in Kids – At Home and Abroad
Christopher Towner (Former Staff) | October 23, 2020 |
Former Obama White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jason Furman recently published a “Memorandum on Priorities for Economic Policy” addressed to the next …
Congress Must Act Quickly to Pass Additional Relief for Struggling Children and Families
Aubrey Edwards-Luce, Averi Pakulis, Bruce Lesley, Cara Baldari, Carrie Fitzgerald (Former Staff), Christopher Towner (Former Staff), Claire Williams, Conor Sasner (Former Staff), Michelle Dallafior, Olivia Gomez (Former Staff), First Focus Campaign for Children | August 10, 2020 |
Given recent spikes in COVID-19 caseloads, an economic crisis that continues to deepen, and an upcoming school year faced with daunting challenges, it is …
Comment on the continuation of the Household Pulse Survey
Averi Pakulis, Cara Baldari, Christopher Towner (Former Staff), Olivia Gomez (Former Staff) | July 31, 2020 |
First Focus on Children submitted the following comment to the Office of Management and Budget. Excerpt: The coronavirus pandemic has hit the United States …
Fact Sheet: Aid to Children and Families in the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800)
Aubrey Edwards-Luce, Averi Pakulis, Bruce Lesley, Cara Baldari, Carrie Fitzgerald (Former Staff), Christopher Towner (Former Staff), Drew Aherne (Former Staff), Michelle Dallafior | May 22, 2020 |
As part of ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting economic crisis, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Health and Economic …