Joanna Smith-Ramani is the Managing Director at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program. In this role, Joanna is responsible for overseeing all program activity, leading strategic planning for programs, and conceptualizing new work to further FSP’s mission and goals. Joanna joined FSP as the Director of EPIC to build the program from the ground up and launch it’s first issue of income volatility. She possesses over 15 years of community development, community development finance, and personal finance/asset development experience. Prior to joining FSP, Joanna served as Senior Innovation Director at Commonwealth, leading the unit that designs, tests, and evaluates promising financial service innovations. In her role there, she developed innovations to improve savings and financial capability including: Prize-linked Savings, Tax Time Savings, Gamification, Emergency Savings, and Youth Savings. Additionally, Joanna led several federal grants, developed and sustained national coalitions, and built a network of industry partners. Joanna has led national and state legislative campaigns, resulting in the passage of a federal law and over 10 state laws expanding a savings innovation. She has been quoted in a variety of national and local media outlets including the New York Times, National Public Radio, and Fox Cable News. Joanna holds a master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a B.A. in Urban Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University. She serves on the CASH Campaign of Maryland Board and has been selected to the 2017-2018 class of Leadership Montgomery.