The UNC Center for Community Capital has named Lucy S. Gorham senior research associate for asset-building programs and policy.
She will conduct research and analysis to understand what products, services and public policies hold promise for increasing the economic stability and upward mobility of low- and moderate-wealth families and communities.
“Lucy brings the perfect blend of academic, policy and practical experience to the center’s work of developing sound policies and industry practices that improve economic opportunity in the United States,” said center director Roberto G. Quercia.
Gorham brings 30 years of diverse experience designing, implementing and evaluating asset-building programs and policies at the local, state and national levels. Her research has examined the changing shape of the U.S. labor market for less-educated workers and its impact on growing economic inequality; trends in wealth and earnings inequality in urban and rural geographies; best practices in asset-building programs and policy; post-purchase housing counseling; and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Before joining the center, Gorham spent nine years designing and implementing asset-building programs at a Durham, N.C. nonprofit. She conducted research through the UNC Center for Urban and Regional Studies and held professional staff positions in the U.S. Congress on the Joint Economic Committee and the House Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources.
Gorham serves on the boards of several nonprofits, including the board of managers of the National Community Tax Coalition, and the steering committees of CFED Assets and Opportunity Network and North Carolina Assets Alliance.
Gorham may be reached at (919) 843-3976 or lucy_gorham@unc.edu.
Asset-building is a key area of study for the UNC Center for Community Capital, the leading center for research and policy analysis on the transformative power of capital on households and communities in the United States. Part of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the center offers research and analysis that helps policymakers, advocates and the private sector find sustainable ways to expand economic opportunity to more people more effectively. For more information, visit www.ccc.unc.edu or call (919) 843-2140.