Greater Washington Research at Brookings Staff

Martha Ross, Deputy Director

Martha Ross focuses on a range of issues, primarily those affecting low-income residents and families in Washington, DC and the metropolitan region, including access to health care and workforce development. As part of the Medical Homes DC project, she works closely with the DC Primary Care Association and provides research support for the project’s efforts to improve the medical safety net in Washington, DC. She has completed extensive research on policy and program options to improve education and training opportunities for low-income, less-skilled District residents. Prior to joining Brookings, Ms. Ross was a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she focused on welfare policy. She has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration and a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College.



Benjamin Orr, Research Analyst

Benjamin Orr recently joined Greater Washington Research at Brookings after completing his Masters in Public Administration from the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY). While specializing in policy analysis and evaluation he also earned a certificate in terrorism studies from the Center on Terrorism at John Jay College, CUNY. His thesis examined the effect of federal financial regulation on U.S. based Islamic nonprofits after 9/11. Currently Mr. Orr is also a Research Associate at the Center on Terrorism. Previously he was a Research Associate at the CUNY Institute for Demographic Research and the New York Census Research Data Center. Mr. Orr holds a B.A. in History from the University of Missouri-Rolla.