Patrick Chovanec

Patrick Chovanec is an economic advisor and former chief strategist for Silvercrest Asset Management, based in New York City. He has spent much of his life in China and has traveled widely to a variety of unusual destinations, including North Korea. He taught as an Associate Professor of Practice at Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management (SEM) in Beijing and as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Patrick’s insights into the global economy and US-China relations have been featured in major media outlets, including CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Fox Business, NPR, BBC, and print media such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Washington Post, Business Week, and Foreign Policy.

Patrick learned to fly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and earned his Private Pilot’s License in September 2021. His mission in writing this book is to demystify and encourage interest in aviation by bringing readers along with him, in the cockpit and exam room, on his unexpected journey to become a pilot. Whether you choose to follow in his footsteps, or just satisfy your curiosity, you’ll never see flying in an airplane the same way again.

Born in the Chicago area, Patrick graduated with a BA in political economy from Princeton University and an MBA in finance and accounting from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Before his career in Asia, Patrick worked in Washington, D.C., as an aide to political strategist William Kristol and to later Speaker of the House John Boehner. He also served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves for nine years.

Patrick lives with his wife and three children in New York City.