The Research to Action Lab at the Urban Institute is, to me, an irreplaceable part of the important work done at Urban. Research can be helpful to policymakers only if it can be understood, be replicated at scale, and comes with technical assistance from highly qualified practitioners. The Lab is the vehicle that translates Urban’s cutting-edge research into actionable progress.
Martha Fedorowicz is a training and technical assistance manager in the Research to Action Lab at the Urban Institute, where she works with local government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and nonprofits to conduct policy research, provide technical assistance, and translate research into practical tools for policymakers. Her policy areas of interest include economic development, affordable housing, mobility from poverty, and community engagement.
Before joining Urban, Fedorowicz was a special projects administrator with the City of Lansing’s Department of Neighborhoods and Citizen Engagement and a summer policy associate in the City of Detroit’s Department of Neighborhoods. Fedorowicz has a bachelor’s degree in political science and French and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan; she also served as a youth development Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 2012 to 2014.
Urban experts are permitted and empowered to work and affiliate with outside organizations, whether serving on boards, volunteering their time, or providing advice and counsel. And Urban welcomes visiting scholars, nonresident or affiliated fellows who work for other organizations. These outside affiliations enrich our perspectives and our learning environment. We also require all paid and unpaid experts to disclose their affiliations to Urban leadership and follow rules governing their engagement to ensure transparency for audiences and independence of experts.
