photo of Madeline Brown
Madeline Brown
Senior Policy Associate
Interim Project Director, Housing Crisis Research Collaborative
Research to Action Lab
I chose Urban because I'm surrounded by people who believe equitable American systems are possible. We just have to be brave enough to try them, diligent in studying them, and humble enough to course correct when we learn something new.

Madeline Brown is a senior policy associate in the Research to Action Lab at the Urban Institute, where she promotes racial equity and inclusion in local, state, and federal policy. She currently focuses on financial security and the racial wealth gap, developing timely products, growing the evidence base, and leading technical assistance to inform policymakers and practitioners. Her work also includes the policy domains of housing, civic participation and representation, broadband access, and workforce development and examines the ways these systems were shaped by structural racism. Before joining Urban, she worked at FairVote, a nonprofit focused on US electoral reform, providing research and analytical support.

Brown graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from Emory University and received a master’s degree in public administration and policy from the School of Public Affairs at American University.

Research Areas
Race and equity
Economic mobility and inequality
Wealth and financial well-being
State and local finance
Sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression
Neighborhoods, cities, and metros
Tags
Workers in low-wage jobs
Housing affordability
Asset and debts
Black/African American communities
Campaigns, proposals, and reforms
Child care
Community data use
Wealth inequality
Race, gender, class, and ethnicity
Racial wealth gap
Structural racism
Wealth gap
Civil rights laws and regulations
Economic well-being
Financial Well-Being Data Hub