General SPI

Social Policy Institute Launch Event

Date: September 24, 2019 3:00 – 6:00 pm
Location: Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman Hall, Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis launched the Social Policy Institute (SPI), a new university-wide initiative dedicated to addressing pressing social issues through empirical research, dissemination of evidence-informed policy, and training in social policy. Leading the Institute is Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for Policy Initiatives at the Brown School and the Founding Director of the Centene Center for Health Transformation.

Attendees spent an afternoon learning about perspectives on SPI’s mission and goals from university, industry, and government leaders and celebrated at a reception following the program.

Speakers included:

  • Dan Ariely, Founder of the Center for Advanced Hindsight and James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University
  • Ray Boshara, Senior Adviser and Director of the Center for Household Financial Stability at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
  • Marion Crain, Interim-Provost and Wiley B. Rutledge Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis
  • Adrienne Davis, Vice Provost and William M. Van Cleve Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis
  • Sandy Fernandez, Senior Director of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
  • Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Director of the Social Policy Institute and Shanti K. Khinduka Distinguished Professor of the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis
  • Jesse Hunter, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Centene Corporation
  • Andrew D. Martin, Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis
  • Mary McKay, Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis
  • Nisha Patel, Managing Director of Narrative Change and National Initiatives at Robin Hood
  • Richard Reeves, Director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative and John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair and Senior Fellow of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution
  • David Williams, Chief Tax Officer of Intuit, Inc. and Executive Director of the Intuit Tax and Financial Center

If you were unable to attend the launch, you may watch a recording of the program at this link.

View the SPI Launch Program to read speaker bios and read more about the event program.

For questions or more information, contact socialpolicy@wustl.edu.