Urban is pretty much the perfect place for me. I am able to see how social programs are working on the ground and then convey ideas for program improvement to policymakers. As someone who wants to help improve policies and programs for disadvantaged individuals and also give those individuals a voice in the process, it is a great place to be.
Theresa Anderson is a research associate in the Income and Benefits Policy Center at the Urban Institute, where she works primarily on completing evaluations of workforce development programs. She has worked on evaluations of programs such as the Health Profession Opportunity Grants, Accelerating Opportunity, Family-Centered Community Change, and the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program. She has expertise on a wide range of social assistance programs and is skilled in mixed-methods research.
Before joining Urban in 2012, Anderson completed analysis on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly called Food Stamps) and Unemployment Insurance at the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. At the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, she researched disability and other social policy issues for the Social Security Administration and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. She has also worked for organizations that provide direct legal and social services to low-income urban families.
Concurrent with her work at Urban, Anderson is pursuing a PhD in public policy and public administration at George Washington University, where she earned her MPP. She also received a BA from Hampshire College in Massachusetts.
