Mary Murphy leads Pew’s work on fiscal and economic policy. Through research, technical assistance, and advocacy, she and her team help policymakers develop and adopt evidence-based strategies that strengthen the finances of state and local governments and improve their outlook for long-term economic growth. These projects examine key trends in state finances and evaluate states on their performance, underscoring effective approaches and creating an environment for potential reforms. Murphy has extensive experience and expertise in state and local fiscal policy and previously led research and technical assistance for Pew’s state fiscal health initiative.

Before joining Pew, Murphy was a researcher and analyst at Wider Opportunities for Women, where she led research and wrote reports on employment, economic, and income security issues. She also was a researcher at the Urban Institute, specializing in social safety net programs.

Murphy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Reed College.