Cara Brumfield is CLASP’s director of public benefits justice. In this role she leads a team of experts focused on the building blocks of wellbeing–cash assistance, tax credits, and benefits programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Cara has extensive experience applying a racial equity lens to a broad array of economic security issues and based on her lived experiences, has a deep understanding of the systems, policies, and programs that create and alleviate poverty. 

Cara has dedicated her career to fighting for economic, social, and racial justice. Prior to joining CLASP, Cara was an associate director at the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality (GCPI) where she focused on equitable health and human services, corporate power, data equity, and democracy. Before GCPI, Cara was the U.S. Policy and Research Manager at 1,000 Days where she managed research and advocacy efforts to promote health and nutrition for mothers and young children. Cara has also worked at Housing Assistance Council, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Prosperity Now, and the Poverty and Race Research Action Council across issues such as affordable housing, rural development, workplace policies, health, employment, and gentrification. 

In 2018, Cara was awarded the Congressional Hunger Center Alumni Leadership Award. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for The Platform of Hope and is also a co-chair of the Census Quality Reinforcement Task Force. She has been quoted or had her work highlighted in a range of outlets, including NPR, CQ Roll Call, the New York Times, the Black News Channel, and Mother Jones. Cara holds a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College and a master’s degree in public policy from American University. She is also a former PPIA Fellow, Posse Scholar, and a proud graduate of Head Start.