Introducing the 2025 Sound Money Fellows -

(Charlotte, North Carolina) – The <a href="https://www.soundmoneydefense.org/sound-money-explained">Sound Money Defense League</a> and <a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/">Money Metals Exchange</a> are proud to announce the inaugural members of the 2025 <a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/fellowship">Sound Money Fellowship</a>—a unique opportunity designed to foster advanced research in the field of sound money.
This brand new fellowship attracted many strong candidates with interesting proposed research topics. Ultimately three fellows comprise the program’s first class.
The fellows will advance scholarship pertaining to sound money by conducting in-depth exploration of monetary history, policy analysis, and monetary sociology.
Researchers will produce three short articles and one insightful paper furthering our understanding of sound money.
Findings will be published in the Sound Money Review, an annual publication that highlights the contributions of our fellows while serving as a valuable resource for academics, legislators, the <a href="https://mises.org/mises-wire/sound-money-movement-chalks-seven-state-legislative-victories-2024">sound money movement</a>, and the greater public.
Introducing the 2025 Sound Money Fellows:
Joakim Book is a professional editor and writer with a passion for monetary economics and financial history.
He holds a Master’s degree in economic history from the University of Oxford, and a joint undergraduate degree in economics and economic history from the University of Glasgow.
He has been a research fellow at the Mises Institute and the American Institute for Economic Research and writes regularly for Mises Daily, The Daily Economy, and more.
Matt Layton is an accomplished executive and thought leader with over 20 years of experience spanning both the private and public sectors. With a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and an MBA from the University of Oklahoma.
In the private sector, Matt has excelled as the Senior Vice President of Analytics & Business Insights at LegalShield. He helped found the LegalShield Economic Stress Index, a groundbreaking tool featured in major outlets such as Forbes, Yahoo Finance, and US News & World Report.
In public service, Matt served as Vice Mayor and Councilman for the City of Ada, Oklahoma, where he led legislative and strategic planning efforts, overseeing budget management and economic development initiatives. His leadership extended to the Planning & Zoning Commission, aligning municipal growth strategies with community goals.
A champion of sound policy and innovative solutions, Matt’s work reflects a commitment to understanding and addressing the complex interplay between monetary policy, economic health, and societal well-being.
Samuel Peterson is a Policy Associate at the Institute for Energy Research. Samuel is a graduate of Grove City College where he earned a B.A. in economics.
Samuel’s popular writing has been published on numerous sites including AIER, Mises Wire, and National Review. His academic research has been published in The Grove City College Journal of Law and Public Policy and The Independent Review: A Journal of Political Economy. He has also contributed to policy papers published by The Heritage Foundation, The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, and IER.
A proud Floridian, Samuel now lives in his fiancée’s homeland of West Michigan. 
“We’re extremely excited to provide this opportunity for individuals with a deep passion for sound money,” said Stefan Gleason, President of Money Metals.
“We’re not simply selling and storing gold and silver widgets. I started this company with a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sound-money-movement-new-path-monetary-freedom-money-metals-qu3ze/" rel="noreferrer noopener">belief in sound money</a> as a core tenet,” said Gleason.
The Sound Money Defense League and Money Metals Exchange remain dedicated to promoting sound money through the Sound Money Fellowship and <a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/programs">many other offerings</a>.

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