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Biography

Jasmine Payne-Patterson (she/her) joined the Economic Policy Institute in 2023 as senior state policy strategist. She is a friend, advocate, scholar, and servant leader. An advocate for removing systemic barriers, she seeks to identify opportunities to combat intergenerational poverty, bolster socioeconomic mobility, and increase equity. Her key focus areas are economic empowerment, worker’s rights, housing, and social determinants of health.

Payne-Patterson has experience conducting research and advocating at the local, state, and federal levels, holding positions at many nonprofits, government agencies, and campaigns. Previously she worked in the United States House of Representatives, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, CARE, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank, as well as several other community-centered organizations. Committed to community involvement, Payne-Patterson has served on various boards including as the vice chair of the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation board of trustees and formerly as the president of her homeowner’s association.

Payne-Patterson has been interviewed, cited or quoted by CNN, BET, Essence, Advocate Today, Malveaux!, Bloomberg News, the Atlanta Journal Constitution and MLK50. Her work has been referenced by Reuters and NBC.

Believing that everyone can be a catalyst for change, she believes that “we are the ones that we have been waiting for.”

Education
Master of Public Administration with a Concentration in Urban Planning and Economic Development, Georgia State University
Bachelor of Arts in English, Spelman College