Dr. Barbara Gault

Barbara Gault, Ph.D., is the former Executive Director and Vice President of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Between 1997, when she joined the Institute, and 2019, when she left, she focused on a wide range of issues of importance to women and their families, including poverty, access to education, health, work-life balance, political engagement, and the need for expanded preschool and child care options for working parents. Her publications include College Affordability for Low-Income Adults: Improving Returns on Investment for Families and Society, Improving Child Care Access to Promote Postsecondary Success Among Low-Income Parents, Resilient and Reaching for More: Challenges and Benefits of Higher Education for Welfare Participants and Their Children, "The Costs and Benefits of Policies to Advance Work Life Integration," The Price of School Readiness: A Tool for Estimating the Cost of Universal Preschool in the States, and Working First But Working Poor: The Need for Education and Training Following Welfare Reform. Dr. Gault has testified in Congress on low-income women’s educational access and on their need for quality jobs and workplace supports, has spoken on women’s issues in venues throughout the country including at White House sponsored events, and appears in a range of print, radio and television media outlets. Prior to joining IWPR, Dr. Gault conducted research at the Office of Children’s Health Policy Research, and served as a staff and board member of organizations promoting human rights in Latin America. She received her Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. from the University of Michigan. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Coalition on Human Needs, and is a Research Professor of Women’s Studies at the George Washington University.