Emily Schmitt is a Principal Associate in MEF’s Income Security and Economic Mobility domain. She has expertise in a range of human services programs and experience leading and contributing to research, evaluation, strategic planning, and technical assistance projects for federal, local, non-profit and philanthropic funders.
Immediately prior to joining MEF, Emily was chief operating officer and senior researcher at The Adjacent Possible. Before that, she spent 14 years at the Office of Planning Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Most recently, she was OPRE’s Deputy Director, providing executive leadership and strategic direction for OPRE’s mission, including oversight for over 100 research projects and development of OPRE’s research and evaluation learning agenda. She also oversaw OPRE communications, with a commitment to clearly communicating research concepts using plain language for a wide audience. Prior to becoming Deputy Director, Ms. Schmitt served as a federal project officer, developing and overseeing research projects related to TANF, homelessness, behavioral economics, and more.
She is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School (MPP) and Harvard College (A.B., Sociology). Emily works remotely from Durham, NC, where she lives with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys reading novels, trying new vegetarian recipes, spending time with family and friends, and exploring Durham.