Cathy Kling, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a professor of economics, has served as the director of CARD since July 2013, after having served many years as the division head of CARD's Resource and Environmental Policy Division. She received a bachelor's degree in business and economics from the University of Iowa and a doctorate in economics from the University of Maryland. In her work at CARD, Kling is undertaking research to examine how agricultural practices affect water quality, wildlife, soil carbon content, and greenhouse gases.