Patrice Cromwell focuses on improving educational and economic opportunities and systems for low-income workers and parents, as well as their children. Prior to being appointed as Vice President for the Center for Economic Opportunity at the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s (AECF), she led its Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential – a multi-state effort to help youth who are homeless and have experienced the child welfare or justice system – succeed in school and at work.
Before joining AECF, Patrice was the Associate Director at the Open Society Institute in Baltimore where she was responsible for shaping and managing its workforce and economic development program. She also spent 10 years creating and running nonprofits focused on economic development in the Baltimore region.
Patrice currently is a Co-Chair of the Youth Transition Funders Group of national and regional philanthropic partners, and a board member of the Putney Open Door Fund. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.