Growing inequality, lack of economic mobility and persistent poverty in this rich nation are driving the reemerging government interest in strategies to reduce poverty. CLASP offers technical assistance to governments, advocates, and service providers and promotes policies that provide opportunity for all. We also manage Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity: The Source for News, Ideas and Action, a foundation-led initiative intended to ensure poverty reduction is part of the public discourse.
An Important Announcement From CLASP
by Joe Onek
Today, I am proud to announce the appointment of Olivia Golden as CLASP's new executive director. She will succeed current ED Alan Houseman, who will step down at the end of the year after more than three decades of distinguished leadership. Olivia will join us in August.
Olivia is absolutely the right person to lead CLASP at this important moment -- both for us as an organization and for a country carving out priorities for the future. From our roots as a pioneering public interest law firm in 1969, CLASP has become the leading voice on national policy for low-income people. With her background, Olivia is a natural fit to build on Alan's and our staff's tremendous work and advance new policy solutions that help families and individuals rise out of poverty.
Over her 35-year career, including roles at nonprofits and in the public sector, Olivia has consistently delivered results for low-income children and families. During her eight years in senior executive roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) -- including as Assistant Secretary -- during the Clinton Administration, Olivia was a key player in designing and implementing Early Head Start and tripling the level of funding for child care.
Under her leadership, the D.C. Children and Family Services Agency emerged from federal court receivership and markedly improved the lives of children in the District. Olivia is currently an institute fellow at the Urban Institute, where she leads research and policy initiatives on families' economic security and children's well-being. She's also led initiatives on the impact of federal health and social welfare programs in states and on the implications of health reform for low-income children.
Olivia's strong track record and nuanced understanding of the issues that matter to poor Americans will allow her to hit the ground running when she joins CLASP this summer.
This is an exciting time for our organization. In the coming months, we look forward to honoring Alan's outstanding achievements over his many years at CLASP, while integrating Olivia's talents to advance the causes we all care so deeply about.
To find out more, read today's press release.
Best regards,
Joe Onek
Chair of the CLASP Board of Directors
The Politics of Economic Opportunity: Will Growing Poverty Affect Election 2012
Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, an initiative managed by CLASP, hosted the half-day forum, The Politics of Economic Opportunity: Will Growing Poverty Affect Election 2012? This event examined how the struggles facing growing numbers of low-income families will affect the 2012 elections. Watch the full event online. READ MORE »- Aug 23, 2011 At the Forefront: Poverty Impact Projections
- Jul 28, 2011 Poverty and Opportunity: What Difference Can a Task Force Make?
- Jodie Levin-Epstein | Dec 10, 2010 Illinois Poverty Commission Recommendations
- Jodie Levin-Epstein | Sep 14, 2010 Poverty and the Census Data (MSNBC video)
- Jodie Levin-Epstein | Jun 10, 2010 Criticisms of an Improved Poverty Measure Go from Spin to Soap
- Lavanya Mohan | Mar 29, 2013 CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - March 2013
- Jodie Levin-Epstein | Mar 18, 2013 Insights from the Ideas for Action Awards: Financial Asset Building
- Lavanya Mohan | Mar 04, 2013 CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - February 2013
- Spotlight on Poverty and the National League of Cities | Nov 15, 2012 Building Opportunity
- Spotlight on Poverty and The National League of Cities | Oct 18, 2012 New City Strategies to Alleviate Poverty





