Maria Cancian

Maria Cancian joined the board in May 2021. She is the dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, where her research focuses on policies and programs that affect family well-being, particularly among underserved families or those experiencing poverty. Before joining Georgetown University, Cancian, who earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan, served as associate dean for social sciences and fiscal initiatives and as director of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She also served as senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, and deputy assistant secretary for policy for the Administration for Children and Families. Cancian is a champion of inclusive and culturally responsive engagement in policy research and a leading voice for greater diversity in the research community.