Prof. Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Director

Executive Director's Office

Director, the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute (MJB), Israel’s leading center for applied social research.

Michal Grinstein-Weiss is an esteemed academic and the newly appointed Director of the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. In this role, she brings her extensive experience and visionary approach to advancing social research and policy initiatives. Previously, Dr. Grinstein-Weiss served as the Shanti K. Khinduka Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for Policy Initiatives at the Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, where she also directed the university-wide Social Policy Institute. She remains a Nonresident Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution.

A recognized authority on social mobility, Dr. Grinstein-Weiss has significantly influenced the design and implementation of innovative social policies that enhance household financial security, both in the U.S. and globally. She currently leads several large-scale research initiatives aimed at developing savings policies, promoting financial inclusion for low- and moderate-income households, and integrating behavioral insights into healthcare delivery. Her work fosters evidence-based programs that make healthcare more accessible and intuitive for underserved populations through unique industry-academic partnerships.

Key Accomplishments

  • Research Funding: Secured over $50 million in research funding as a principal investigator and received more than 100 research grants.
  • Funding Sources: Received support from leading institutions, including:
    • Fortune 500 Corporations: Intuit Inc., Prudential, Centene Corporation, MetLife, MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth, JPMorgan Chase, Envolve PeopleCare, Walmart, etc.
    • Government and Professional Organizations: U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, etc.
    • Philanthropic Foundations: The Ford Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Smith Richardson Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Mott Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, etc.
    • University Centers: National Poverty Center, Center for Financial Security, National Center for Family and Marriage, Center for Advanced Hindsight, etc.
    • Non-Profit Organizations: Joint Distribution Committee, JINDAS, Prosperity Now, Operation Food Search, LaunchCode, St. Louis Area Housing Authorities, Economic Empowerment for Women, The Pew Charitable Trusts, etc.
    • International Organizations: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Ministry of Social Affairs of Israel, National Insurance Institute of Israel, Keren Shalem Foundation in Israel, Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Jewish Funders Network, etc.
  • Publications: Published or accepted nearly 100 peer-reviewed journal articles in top-tier journals across multiple disciplines. She also served as guest editor for a COVID-19-focused special issue for the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
  • Reports and Presentations: Authored over 150 reports, briefs, toolkits, book chapters, and working papers. She has organized more than 80 workshops, symposia, and high-level meetings attended by policymakers, practitioners, academics, and foundation leaders. Dr. Grinstein-Weiss has delivered over 280 presentations at major conferences and meetings, including testimony to the United States Senate and a TEDx presentation.
  • Media Features: Her work has been featured in more than 300 media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Vox.com, National Public Radio, and Israel’s leading news platforms.

Examples of Awards and Honors Received

  • Washington University’s Outstanding Mentor (2020)
  • Named one of social work’s highest-impact faculty in scholarly productivity by Research on Social Work Practice (2016)
  • Advisor for the Clinton Global Initiative-America, leading the Financial Opportunity Working Group
  • Inaugural Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research (2014)
  • Recipient of the Deborah K. Padgett Early Career Achievement Award from the Society for Social Work and Research (2011)

Academic Career Highlights

  • Founding Director of the Social Policy Institute at Washington University: Established to reduce inequities in health, financial security, housing, and education at local, national, and global levels. The Institute was launched with support from leading corporations like Intuit Inc., Centene Corporation, MasterCard, and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.
  • Founding Director of the Centene Center for Health Transformation: An innovative industry-academic research partnership serving as an R&D arm for Centene Corporation, the largest Medicaid managed care provider in the U.S. Centene has provided the center with $10 million in dedicated funding.
  • Founding Director of the Asset Building Center at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill: Established as a second-year assistant professor, she raised significant funding and built a team focused on asset-building research, education, and community engagement, ultimately highlighting the importance of asset-building across North Carolina and the U.S.