GCPI Co-Executive Director Indivar Dutta-Gupta Stepping Down to Lead the Center for Law & Social Policy

March 21, 2022, Washington, DC – Today, Indivar “Indi” Dutta-Gupta announced that after nearly eight years with the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality (GCPI), including five as the founding leader of GCPI’s Economic Security and Opportunity Initiative (ESOI), he will step down in May 2022 to join the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) as its next executive director.

Indi joined the Center in 2014 as a Senior Fellow and later founded ESOI in 2016, serving as Co-Executive Director of the anti-poverty policy organization ever since. Under Indi’s leadership, the Center has grown in size and influence. In its first year, the Initiative had only 2 staff members. Five years later, the Initiative is flourishing with 18 staff members–and growing–and deep collective experience developing and advancing ideas that alleviate poverty and inequality, advance racial and gender equity, and expand economic inclusion for all in the U.S.

“Helping build the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality is among my greatest sources of pride,” said GCPI Co-Executive Director, Indivar Dutta-Gupta. “The center’s Economic Security and Opportunity Initiative has become a leader in developing and advancing bold ideas applicable to today’s most pressing problems facing people with low incomes, particularly people of color and women. The rigorous research, careful analysis, and crosscutting expertise of our exceptionally talented team breaks down policy silos, offers innovative thinking, and advances social justice.”

Indi has consistently and thoughtfully worked to develop bold ideas to advance racial, gender, and economic justice throughout his career. He has previously held senior roles at or advised the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the National Academy of Social Insurance, Liberation in a Generation, and the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. He has served as a volunteer advisor for the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and President Biden.

“Indi’s deep experience working on issues of poverty and unshakeable commitment have made him an invaluable leader in the fight to achieve economic and racial justice,” said Dorian Warren, Co-President of Community Change. “He is a thought leader, an institution builder, and his passion, hard work and expertise are reflected in the strength of GCPI and their growing influence to shape economic policy conversations that address systemic racism and center racial equity.”

 

“Indi’s dedication to fighting poverty and inequality have made a real difference in the lives of workers, particularly workers of color across America,” said Rebecca Dixon, Executive Director of the National Employment Law Project. “During his tenure, GCPI became a national leader in developing ideas to create modern, strengthened unemployment protections and reducing barriers to employment. I can’t wait to see Indi’s impact in his new role and GCPI’s continued impact in their new era.”

In June, Indi will become the executive director of CLASP–a close partner of GCPI–leading the national anti-poverty organization in its mission to advance policies that promote racial and economic justice.

“Thanks to his leadership, skills, expertise and commitment, Indi has fostered GCPI’s development as a leading organization in expanding economic inclusion by developing bold ideas through rigorous research,” said Sharon Parrott, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “I’m thrilled that I and others in the progressive policy community will continue to benefit from Indi’s partnership and collaboration in his new role.”

GCPI’s Peter Edelman will continue his leadership as Faculty Director. Our long-time Initiative Director, Aileen Carr, will serve as Interim Executive Director, with support from the Initiative’s leadership team.

“Under Indi’s leadership, the Center’s Initiative expanded in funding, size, and influence, playing a leading role in advancing policies that power prosperity and combat the effects of racism, sexism, and poverty,” said Peter Edelman, Faculty Director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality and Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law and Public Policy. “Though we are sad to see him go, we are thrilled to see his visionary work on economic and racial justice validated and excited to continue collaborating with him in his new role.”

In five years of leadership under Indi, GCPI:

• Played a crucial role in advancing cross-cutting policy ideas that alleviate poverty and advance racial and gender equity, including strengthening COVID-19 relief unemployment assistance and income support programs, establishing job creation programs, building the caregiving economy, improving equity in postsecondary education, and ensuring that our federal data systems allow us to build support for policies and programs that will reduce poverty, broaden opportunity, and promote racial equity.
• Expanded its budget by 800 percent from its first year, building a healthy financial reserve and close relationships with national philanthropic partners who are deeply committed to advancing racial, gender, and economic justice;
• Increased its full-time team from 2 members in its first year to 18 full-time staff in 2022, who are currently developing bold, innovative ideas to improve children’s social and emotional health, increase equity in our postsecondary education systems, and reimagine key public benefits programs as programs that counter the effects of structural racism.