Rob Ivry, who joined MDRC in 1980 as a senior operations associate and who has served as Senior Vice President for Development and External Affairs for the past 20 years, will retire on September 28. He will remain involved with MDRC as a consultant, will continue to serve on the Grable Foundation Board of Directors, and will stay active as a volunteer on social policy and higher education causes.

MDRC President Gordon Berlin offered this tribute:

On behalf of the MDRC Board of Directors and staff, I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to Rob Ivry for his commitment, passion, and tireless 38 years of dedicated service to MDRC and to the fields of education and social policy. He has been a persistent champion for the evidence-based movement and our most effective ambassador to the foundations that fund us and to the policymakers that rely on our findings. No one has done more for the organization in its 40+-year history or arguably for the field. His ability to generate new ideas combined with his deep understanding of programs and systems, his impassioned commitment to social justice, and his ability to turn ideas into real projects has helped make a difference for low-income families. He has advocated for and mentored staff, provided wise counsel to MDRC’s presidents, and modeled what it means to care. Where others see obstacles, Rob sees opportunity. His optimism and can-do spirit make everyone he works with stronger, smarter, and infinitely more effective. MDRC’s legacy is his legacy.

Ivry came to MDRC after working for the Mayor’s Office in Baltimore where he ran the largest of the Youth Entitlement programs that MDRC was then managing for the Department of Labor. In his nearly four decades at MDRC, he was the organization’s principal representative to foundations and the public policy community — covering everything from welfare-to-work in the 1980s to MDRC’s current efforts to increase economic mobility and reduce the equity gaps in education and earnings. He played a critical role in helping to build MDRC’s education portfolios — from early childhood to higher education — and in shaping many of MDRC’s home-grown demonstrations, one of hallmarks of the organization. Throughout his tenure at MDRC, Rob has provided wise counsel to policymakers, program administrators, and philanthropic leaders.

“I feel so lucky to have worked for an organization I love, on work that is purposeful, with colleagues and friends I treasure, and with a family that has supported me,” said Ivry.