Katherine Richard is a Postdoctoral Associate at the McCourt School of Public Policy's Better Government Lab. She uses empirical methods and administrative data to learn about how safety net program design shapes resource access for low income families. Her recent projects highlight how complex program requirements and work-contingency can exacerbate economic instability. Katherine will join the faculty at the University of Wisconsin's La Follette School of Public Affairs as an Assistant Professor of Poverty and Public Policy in the fall of 2026. She completed her Ph.D. in Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan in May 2025.