David Garcia Ozua, PhD | Development Economist

I study and fight for the economic future of border communities — the neighborhoods, families, and small businesses that standard policy metrics miss and institutions routinely underserve.

My work spans federal economic research, direct social services, civic oversight, and transnational investment. I spent two years as an Economic Assistant with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, contributing to the Consumer Price Index and working directly with economists to understand how local data shapes national policy. That experience revealed both the power and the limits of how we measure economic life — which led me to develop the Border Living Index, a framework for capturing the real economic pressures facing families in the South Bay-Tijuana region.

Over 15 years in this community I've directed $3.5 million to first-time business owners, designed programs delivering 27,000+ social services annually, and provided independent oversight of nearly $460 million in public school infrastructure investment. I've served as a Civil Service Commissioner, Rotary Club President, and NIH research board member.

Right now I'm focused on one of the most important economic development opportunities in the region: transforming the National City Marine Terminal into a hub for defense manufacturing and blue tech industries — creating high-wage jobs for South Bay residents and positioning the region within the broader U.S. industrial strategy.

If you're working on similar issues, I'd like to connect.