Fenaba R. Addo

Fenaba R. Addo is an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Associate Chair at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Previously, she held the Lorna Jorgensen Wendt Associate Professorship of Money, Relationships, and Equality (MORE) in the Department of Consumer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on debt and wealth inequality, racial disparities in student debt, and the intersection of family policies with economic well-being. Addo earned her Ph.D. in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University and a B.S. in Economics from Duke University.

Her work bridges social demography, economic inequality, and public policy, examining how historical racial exclusion perpetuates wealth gaps. Key themes include the Millennial racial wealth gap, barriers to economic mobility, and the role of consumer policies in reinforcing systemic inequities. She has been recognized as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar.

Addo’s recent publications analyze racial wealth disparities, student debt trajectories, and the economic impacts of family structures. Her research underscores the need for equitable policies to address systemic racial and gender inequalities in wealth accumulation.