Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach is a leading economic expert in anti-poverty programs, food insecurity, and education policy. Schanzenbach is regularly quoted in media outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio, and has testified before both the Senate and House of Representatives on her research. She is a leading academic voice on the impacts of recessions and income support programs on low-income populations.Schanzenbach is Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She was formerly the Director of the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution. She graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in economics and religion, and received a PhD in economics from Princeton University. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and the National Academy of Social Insurance, and serves on the board of directors of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), and Chicago HOPES for Kids. Schanzenbach’s work is motivated by a desire to offer evidence and solutions, based on rigorous research, to enhance opportunities for low-income children and their families.

Patrick Papsdorf is Head of Payments Oversight Section in the Directorate General Market Infrastructure and Payment at the European Central Bank. His team covers the oversight activities related to payment systems and the broader payment ecosystem, including payment innovations and cyber resilience. Prior to this, he has been Adviser in the ECBs Directorate General Market Infrastructure and Payments (DG/MIP) for Eurosystem operated market infrastructures. He contributed to the development of the Eurosystem’s FMIs with a strong focus on business continuity, crisis management and analytics. Earlier positions include a commercial bank, the Deutsche Bundesbank and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Patrick holds a BA from the University of the Bundesbank, an MA in Global Management and the official recognition as bank officer in Germany.