Jessica Milli

Jessica Milli, Ph.D. is the founder and principal at Research2Impact, a research consulting practice specializing in economic and social policy issues disproportionately impacting women and people of color. She is an economist with over 9 years of experience directing high-impact research projects and impact evaluations. She has a unique set of skills, including deep expertise in the areas of social and economic equality, economic security, work-family policy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Milli is a recognized leader in the field and has produced over 60 research reports and briefing papers on a wide range of policy-relevant issues. She has been invited to provide written and oral testimony on her research at the federal, state, and local level, has presented her research at events and conferences across the country, and her research has been widely cited in national press, including Bloomberg, The Atlantic, MarketWatch, and Forbes.

Previously, Milli, was the Study Director at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), a leading think tank in the United States committed to advancing women’s economic security and cultivating women’s leadership in the workforce and in their communities.

Milli conducted data analysis and research on a variety of issue areas including paid leave, breastfeeding, and the status of women in the United States.

Milli received her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in August 2013. During her studies, Milli applied her focus of Labor Economics to relationships within households and what economic factors put women at more risk of experiencing domestic violence. Her dissertation specifically analyzed the complex relationship between domestic violence and various measures of women’s socioeconomic status, such as welfare receipt and employment.

Prior to joining IWPR, Milli taught economics courses ranging from principles of microeconomics and economic statistics to game theory and labor economics at several institutions, including as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia. During her year there, she developed several new courses, including one course which was inspired by her passion for women’s issues, called “Women in the Global Economy.”