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Erin Dunlop Velez, Vice President of Research, leads IHEP’s research portfolio, conducting policy-relevant research to support IHEP’s core policy priorities: data and transparency, strong outcomes for all students, evidence-based completion, need-based aid, and equitable admissions.

Before joining IHEP, Erin was a Director of Education Research at RTI International, where she led several large federal projects including the Digest of Education Statistics, the Condition of Education, and the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study. At RTI, Erin also conducted numerous research projects for nonprofit and foundation clients and served in management and organizational leadership roles. Prior to RTI, Erin was a researcher at the American Institutes for Research.

Erin earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia and her B.A. in economics from the College of William & Mary.

Her research has focused on college access, financial aid policy, and the labor market returns to postsecondary credentials. Throughout her career, Erin has worked to break down information barriers, so that students, families, administrators, and policymakers have the information they need to make informed decisions.