Steven Brown is the Director of Insights and Evidence for the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program. The Insights and Evidence team drives FSP’s efforts to promote data and research-informed strategies that advance household financial prosperity.

His professional work has focused on understanding the structural factors that impact wealth-building and inclusive economic opportunity. Prior to Aspen, he was a director at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth and served on assignment to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he supported their equitable research and policy implementation efforts. He also spent several years at the Urban Institute, where he helped stand up the Office of Race and Equity Research and authored numerous briefs and reports on racial wealth gaps, disparities in employment opportunities, economic mobility metrics, and advancing equity through data. His research and perspective have been cited in The Washington Post, CNN, Marketplace, NPR, and Vox.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a master’s degree in sociology from Harvard University, where he was also an inequality and social policy doctoral fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Authored by Steven:

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Publications

Surviving the Storms: How Severe Weather Hazards Challenge the Financial Security of Small Businesses

Severe weather hazards are an increasing threat for small businesses. This report offers a framework to understand the challenges faced by small businesses, as well as opportunities to support their recovery.

July 17, 2025

Publications

From Rent to Riches? A Profile on the Wealth and Financial Well-Being of Renter Households

Renters have less than 3 percent of the wealth of homeowners. How can we help them grow their savings and wealth?

November 14, 2024