Mark A. Cochran
Mark Cochran is lead researcher at the Public Capital Foundation, focusing on post-labor economics, incentive alignment, and institutional design for long-term civic stability. His work most recently appeared in AI & Society (Springer Nature). He studied computer science, economics, and philosophy at Trinity University and Northwestern University, and earned his MBA from Rice in 2017.
Andrew Cochran
Andrew Cochran specializes in narrative design and behavioral insights for strategic communication. His work examines narrative as a coordination mechanism — how complex ideas move through institutional and public contexts. He has held positions at Pixar, Hulu, and Disney. He holds a degree from Tulane University. At the Foundation, he translates research across domains into clear, actionable frameworks for diverse audiences.
Yundan (Dandan) Cheng
Dandan Cheng builds scalable systems for analysis and operations, with over a decade leading product development and organizational transformation initiatives. She holds a degree in economics from Rice University. Her work at the Foundation focuses on systems modeling, institutional structure, and applied governance.
The Public Capital Foundation traces its intellectual origins to 2022, when the rapid emergence of capable AI systems made certain conclusions about economic structure, institutional design, and long-term governance feel less like speculative futures and more like near-term engineering problems. The Foundation was incorporated as a Texas nonprofit corporation in March 2026.
The research team's earlier applied work was conducted through Metis Management Solutions, a consulting practice serving private-equity firms and manufacturing companies, and through The Next Coast Research Group, under which the team's first peer-reviewed publication appeared.