Kristin Seefeldt has been appointed acting faculty director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan until June 2025, while inaugural director Luke Shaefer is on sabbatical.
Seefeldt, associate faculty director since 2019, is widely recognized for her significant contributions to U-M’s poverty research over the past three decades.
Her early work included research on U-M welfare reform studies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. From 2004-10, she served as assistant director of the National Poverty Center, which preceded Poverty Solutions, launched as a presidential initiative in 2016.
Seefeldt, an associate professor of social work and public policy, holds a master’s and Ph.D. in sociology and public policy from U-M.
She leads the Guaranteed Income to Grow Ann Arbor pilot, providing $528 monthly payments to 100 low-income entrepreneurs and gig workers in Ann Arbor in 2024 and 2025.
Additionally, she contributes to the Community Tech Workers program in Detroit, focusing on the impact of policy and economic changes on daily life.
“I am enthusiastic about the future outlook of the Poverty Solution initiative, and I am looking forward to working with Professor Seefeldt as its acting director. Her professional track record places her in a unique position to lead this initiative to new levels of growth and engagement,” said Valeria Bertacco, vice provost for engaged learning.
Seefeldt takes over from Shaefer, who founded Poverty Solutions in 2016, emphasizing action-based research in collaboration with policymakers and community groups. During his sabbatical, Shaefer will continue leading Rx Kids, a citywide maternal cash assistance program in Flint, recently funded with $20 million from Michigan’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
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