Kristin Morse is the Executive Director for the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), established by Mayor Bloomberg in 2006 to implement innovative ways to reduce poverty in New York City.  The CEO works with City agencies to design and implement evidence-based initiatives aimed at poverty reduction. The CEO manages an Innovation Fund through which it provides City agencies annual funding to implement its initiatives, and it oversees an evaluation of each initiative to determine which are successful in demonstrating results towards reducing poverty and increasing self-sufficiency among New Yorkers.  CEO launched over 40 new programs, including Opportunity NYC, the nation’s first conditional cash transfer program.  CEO also developed an alternative to the federal poverty measure, which paved the way for the Census Bureau’s recent decision to pursue a Supplemental Poverty Measure.  In 2010, the Center was selected as a federal Social Innovation Fund intermediary and is replicating five of its promising programs in cities across the country with federal and private support.

Ms. Morse has held essential positions at CEO since its early days, serving as Deputy Executive Director and Director of Program Development and Evaluation.  Ms. Morse has spent her career working on poverty issues for government and non-profits.  Ms. Morse previously worked for the Urban Institute leading a public policy and evaluation training program for Russian government officials.  She has served in various administrative and policy positions, including as a Senior Program Manager for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the Deputy Director for the New York City Partnership’s Breakthrough for Learning program, Research Director for Citizens Housing and Planning Council, Associate Director for Sanctuary for Families, and Assistant Director for the Coalition for the Homeless.  Ms. Morse is the co-author of Policy Analysis for Effective Development: Strengthening Transition Economies, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2006.  Ms. Morse received a Master of Sciences in Urban Policy Analysis from the New School.

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