Team

The Poverty Solutions team consists of faculty, staff, and student research assistants. Poverty Solutions also collaborates with faculty affiliates across the university. Get to know our team and our vision for our workplace culture below.

Faculty Directors

Staff

Director of Housing Stability Programs and Policy Initiatives

Jennifer Erb-Downward

See bio
Senior Data and Policy Analyst

Samiul Jubaed

See bio
Managing Director, Detroit Metro Area Communities Study

Sharon Sand

See bio
Director of Communications and Public Engagement

Lauren Slagter

See bio
Senior Program Manager, Detroit Partnership on Economic Mobility

Sam Stragand

See bio

Full directory

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Get involved

See ways that U-M faculty, students, community groups, and journalists can connect with Poverty Solutions
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Our Workplace Culture

Our ability to collectively fulfill the mission and values of Poverty Solutions begins with our culture. Here, we believe: everyone deserves to be treated with respect, trust is built, and collaboration leads to a stronger team and stronger outcomes. To foster this culture, we practice respect, trust-building and collaboration by committing to:

  1. Extend the most generous interpretation of the intentions, words and actions of others.
  2. Hold ourselves accountable for the impact of our words and actions and seek to make amends when necessary.
  3. Do what we say we will do, uphold commitments whenever possible, and re-establish expectations when we can't keep our original commitments.
  4. Be attentive to each other in our time together.
  5. Reserve judgment, and ask questions as a way to clarify assumptions and solicit diverse points of view, recognizing the limits to our expertise.
  6. Voice concerns and needs, and affirm colleagues when they do so.
  7. Set aside time for reflection in our workflows, so we can celebrate our successes and learn from our missteps.
  8. Learn about the unique skill sets, perspectives, and personal experiences of our teammates through formal and informal interactions that emphasize fun and celebration.
  9. Regularly revisit and express appreciation for how our individual and collective work advances the organization's mission and strategic goals.
  10. Proactively check on each other's well-being in the course of our work interactions, being mindful of others' comfort.

How we engage with each other impacts how we engage in partnerships inside and outside the university and in the mentoring of students. By committing to our vision for our internal workplace culture, we are better able to live out our organizational values, resulting in work that has a more widespread, relevant, and meaningful impact on preventing and alleviating poverty.