The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

Tatjana Meschede

Senior Scientist and Senior Lecturer

Tatjana Meschede's photo

Contact

Email: meschede@brandeis.edu
Office: Heller-Brown Building 361
Phone: 781-736-8678
Brandeis Directory

Expertise

Structures/Systems and Economic Positions; Housing Instability and Homelessness, including Housing for Disability
Households; Racial, Ethnic, and Gender disparities; Evaluation and Mixed Research Methods; Working with large national data sets.

Courses

  • HS 322b - Sociological Inquiry
  • HS 367a - Working with National Data Sets to Inform Policy Analysis and Recommendations
  • HS 602c - Children, Youth, and Families Doctoral Seminar
  • HS 604c - Economic and Racial Equity Doctoral Seminar

Degrees

  • University of Massachusetts, Boston
    Ph.D.
  • University of Massachusetts, Boston
    M.A.
  • College Of Notre Dame
    M.A.T.

Tatjana Meschede

Senior Scientist and Senior Lecturer

Profile

Dr. Meschede, Associate Director of the Institute for Economic and Racial Equity (IERE, formerly IASP) is a local and nationally known researcher on housing, homelessness, and racial economic disparity. She was selected as Visiting Scholar at the Boston Federal Reserve Bank where she was analyzed new data on local race and ethnic wealth holdings. A skilled evaluation researcher, Dr. Meschede partners with local and national organization to bring together different stakeholder groups to improve projects and policies. She has extensive experience researching homelessness in collaboration with Massachusetts' state departments and local communities and is the author of numerous reports and publications those who find themselves without a home. Dr. Meschede worked in Israel and Europe and served on the faculty at the Masters in Public Affairs Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Department of Urban and Environmental Studies at Tufts University. She received her PhD in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts.

Awards and Honors

  • Heller School Mentoring Award (2018)
  • Heller School Mentoring Award (2013)
  • Joseph P. Healey Grant, University of Massachusetts Boston (2005)
  • Craig Bollinger Research Grant for Doctoral Students, University of Massachusetts Boston (2003)
  • Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant (2003 - 2004)
  • The Michael S. Dukakis Internship in Public Service Scholarship Award, University of Massachusetts Boston (2001)
  • Award for Academic Excellence in Applied Sociology, University of Massachusetts Boston (1992)
  • Fulbright Scholarship (1988 - 1990)

Scholarship

  • Meschede, Tatjana; Trvedi, K., Gardiner F.. Unaffordable, Inadequate, and Dangerous: Housing Disparities among People with Disabilities in the U.S... Waltham The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2020.
  • Shapiro, T., Meschede, T., Morgan J., Stewart, S.. Accelerating Racial Equity and Justice. Waltham Institute on Assets and Social Policy: 2020.
  • Sullivan, Laura; Meschede, Tatjana, Shapiro, Thomas. More than Unequal Paychecks: Occupational Segregation, Benefits, and the Racial Wealth Gap. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University.: 2019.
  • Sullivan, Laura; and Meschede, Tatjana. "How Measurement of Inequalities in Wealth by Race/Ethnicity Impacts Narrative and Policy: Investigating the Full Distribution." Race and Social Problems 10. 1 (2019): 19-29..
  • Gershenfeld, S, Meschede, T, Lovejoy, M., Escobar, F.. Preparing People of Color for Leadership: An Evaluation of Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s Ascend Initiative.. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University.: 2018.
  • Gershenfeld, S, Meschede, T, Lovejoy, M., Escobar, F.. Preparing People of Color for Leadership: An Evaluation of Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s Career Prep Program.. Waltham, The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2018.
  • Meschede, Tatjana and Sullivan, Laura. "How Measurement of Inequalities in Wealth by Race/Ethnicity Impacts Narrative and Policy: Investigating the Full Distribution." Race and Social Problems 10. 1 (2018): 19-29.
  • Taylor, Joanna, and Meschede, Tatjana. "Inherited Prospects: The Importance of Financial Transfers for White and Black College Educated Households’ Wealth Trajectories.." American Journal of Economics and Sociology 77. 3-4 (2018).
  • Thomas, Hannah; Meschede, Tatjana; MAnn, Alexis. "Race and Location: The Role Neighborhoods Play in Family Wealth and Well-Being." American Journal of Economics and Sociology 77. (3-4) (2018).
  • Chaganti, S., Erika Krajcovicova, E., and Meschede, T. Secure Jobs for Homeless Families: Phas One & Two Participation and Employment Outcomes.. Waltham, MA The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis: 2017.
  • Meschede, Tatjana and Joanna Taylor. "K-12 Education as a Linchpin in Wealth Building Potential: An Exploration of School Effects on Wealth." Federal Reserve System Community Development Research Conference. Washington, DC.. 3/23/2017.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Taylor, Joanna; Mann, Alexis; Shapiro, Thomas. "“Family Achievement?”: How a College Degree Accumulates Wealth for White and Not For Blacks." Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review 99. 1 (2017): pp. 121-37. https://dx.doi.org/10.20955/r.2017.121-137.
  • Traub, Amy; Sullivan, Laura; Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas. The Asset Value of White Privilege: Understanding the Racial Wealth Gap. NYC Demos: 2017.
  • Laura Sullivan and Tatjana Meschede. "Race, Gender, and Senior Economic Well-Being: How Financial Vulnerability Over the Life Course Shapes Retirement for Older Women of Color." Public Policy & Aging Report (2016).
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Darrick Hamilton, Ana Patricia Munoz, Regine Jackson, William Darity. "Inequality in the “Cradle of Liberty”: Race/Ethnicity and Wealth in Greater Boston." Race and Social Problems 8. 1 (2016): 18-28.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Hannah Thomas,; Alexis Mann; Allison Stagg. "Wealth Mobility of Families Raising Children in the 21st Century." Race and Social Problems 8. 1 (2016): 77-92.
  • Sullivan, L., Meschede, T., Shapiro, T., Asante-Muhammed, D., and Nieves. E. Designing Policies to Close the Racial Wealth Gap.. Washington DC CFED: 2016.
  • Tatjana Meschede, Darrick Hamilton, Ana Patricia Muñoz, Regine Jackson, and William Darity Jr.. Wealth Inequalities in Greater Boston: Do Race and Ethnicity Matter?. Boston Federal Reserve Bank: 2016.
  • Meschede, Tatjana and Chaganti, Sara. "Home for Now: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Short-Term Housing Support Program for Homeless Families." Evaluation and Program Planning 52. (2015): 85-95.
  • Meschede, Tatjana with Giselle Routhier and Sara Chaganti. Systems Change in Service Delivery for Homeless Families: Building and leveraging networks to improve service provision. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University.: 2015.
  • Meschede, Tatjana with Sara Chaganti and Giselle Routhier. Job Readiness Training for Homeless Families: Preparing for work to achieve housing stability. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University.: 2015.
  • Meschede, Tatjana, Bercaw, L., Sullivan, L., and Cronin, M.. Post-Recession Senior In-Security Remains High. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2015.
  • Meschede, Tatjana, Hannah Thomas, Alexis Mann, Allison Stagg, and Thomas Shapiro. "Wealth Mobility of Families Raising Children in the 21st Century." Economic Mobility: Federal Reserve System Community Development Research Conference, Washington DC. April 2-3, 2015.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Darity, W., and Hamilton, D.. Financial Resources in Kinship and Social Networks: Flow and relationship to household wealth by race/ethnicity among Boston residents. Discussion Paper, Boston Federal Reserve Bank.. Boston Federal Reserve Bank Boston: 2015.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Sara Chaganti; Giselle Routhier. Secure Jobs for Homeless Families: Expanding an integrated service model.. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University.: 2015.
  • Sullivan, L., Meschede, T., Dietrich, L., Shapiro, T., Traub, A., Ruetschlin, C., and Draut, T.. The Racial Wealth Gap: Why Policy Matters. New York and Waltham Demos and The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2015.
  • Meschede, Tatjana, Chaganti, S., and Revis, C. Secure Jobs, Secure Homes, Secure Families Process Phase One Outcomes of the Massachusetts Secure Jobs Pilot.. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2014.
  • Meschede, Tatjana, Laura Sullivan, Stefano Natella.. Wealth Patterns Among the Top 5% of African-Americans. New York City. Credit Suisse Research Institute: 2014.
  • Thomas, H., Meschede, T., Mann, A., Boguslaw, J., and Shapiro, T.. Location, Location, Location: The Role of Neighborhood in Family Wealth and Well-Being. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social policy, Heller School, Brandeis University.: 2014.
  • Thomas, H., Meschede, T., Mann, A., Boguslaw, J., and Shapiro, T.. The Web of Wealth: Resiliency and Opportunity or Driver of Inequality. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2014.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. Secure Jobs, Secure Homes, Secure Families Process Evaluation of the Massachusetts Secure Jobs Pilot. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy: 2013.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. Tracking the Decline: Middle-Class Security in the 2000s. Washington DC AARP Public Policy Institute,: 2013.
  • Shapiro, Thomas and Meschede, Tatjana. The Roots of the Widening Racial Wealth Gap: Explaining the Black-White Economic Divide. Waltham The Institute on Assets and Social Policy: 2013.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. Medicare, A Vital Component of Economic Security for U.S. Seniors, Must Be Protected. Waltham Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2012.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. Rapid Re-Housing and Short-Term Rental Vouchers for Homeless Families: Summary Report of a Pilot Program. Waltham Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis: 2012.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. "From Street Life to Housing: Consumer and Provider Perspectives on Service Delivery and Access to Housing." Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research 13. 1 (2011): 71-93.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. From Bad to Worse: Senior Economic Insecurity on the Rise. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2011.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. Rising Economic Insecurity Among Senior Single Women. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2011.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. The Crisis of Economic Insecurity for African-American and Latino Seniors. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2011.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. "Accessing Housing: Exploring the Impact of Medical and Substance AbuseServices on Housing Attainment for Chronically Homeless Street Dwellers." Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Sciences 20. 2 (2010): 153-161.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Laura Sullivan and Thomas Shapiro. "Living Longer on Less: The Finanical Insecurity Among Seniors of Color." Aging Today Online 2. 2 (2010).
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas; Sullivan, Laura; Wheary, Jennifer. Severe Financial Insecurity Among African American and Latino Seniors. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2010.
  • Shapiro, Thomas; Melvin, Oliver; Meschede, Tatjana. Research and Policy Brief: The Asset Security and Opportunity Index. Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University. Waltham: 2010.
  • Shapiro, Thomas; Meschede, Tatjana; Sullivan, Laura. The Racial Wealth Gap Increases Fourfold. Institute on Assets and Social Policy. Waltham: 2010.
  • Meschede, Tatjana. Bridges and Barriers to Housing for Homeless Street Dwellers: The Impact of Health and Substance Abuse Services on Housing Attainment. Saarbruecken, Germany: VDM Publishing House, 2009.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas, and Wheary, Jennifer. Living Longer on Less: The New Economic (In)Security of Seniors. Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University. Waltham: 2009.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas; Sullivan, Laura. "The Long-Term Economic (In) Security of Seniors." New England Community Developments. Winter 2009. 3 (2009): <http://iasp.brandeis.edu/pdfs/winterCommunityDevpts-pdf.pdf>.
  • Meschede, Tatjana; Sullivan, Laura, and Shapiro, Thomas. Living Longer on Less in Massachusetts: The New Economic (In)Security of Seniors. Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University. Waltham: 2009.
  • Sullivan, Laura; Meschede, Tatjana; and Shapiro, Thomas. Enhancing Social Security for Low-Income Workers: Coordinating an Enhanced Minimum Benefit with Social Safety Net Provisions for Seniors. National Academy of Social Insurance. Washington DC: 2009.
  • Wheary, Jennifer; Meschede, Tatjana, and Shapiro, Thomas. The Downslide before the Downturn: Declining Economic Security Among Middle Class African Americans and Latinos, 2000-2006. Demos. New York City: 2009.
  • Friedman DH, Raymond J, Puhala K, Meschede T, Tripp J, Kala M. Preventing Homelessness and Promoting Housing Stability: A Comparative Analysis. The Boston Foundation. Boston: 2007.
  • Meschede, T. Staying Housed: Exploring the Role of Social Networks in Housing Tenure of Formerly Chronically Homeless Women. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2007.
  • Meschede, T. The First Two Years of Housing First in Quincy, Massachusetts. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2007.
  • Meschede, T. Moving Here Saved My Life: The Experience of Formerly Chronically Homeless Women and Men in Quincy's Housing First Projects (Interim Report). McCormack Graduate School, Unversity of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2006.
  • Sokol B, Meschede T, McGah J. Enhancing HMIS Data Quality. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2005.
  • Meschede T, Sokol B, Raymond J. Hard Numbers, Hard Time: Homeless Individuals in Massachusetts Emergency Shelters, 1999-2003.. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2004.
  • Meschede, T. Bridges and Barriers to Housing for Chronically Homeless Street Dwellers: The Effects of Medical and Substance Abuse Services on Housing Attainment. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2004.
  • Brady S, Rierdan J, Penk W, Losardo M, Meschede T. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults with Serious Mental Illness and Substance Abuse.." Journal of Trauma and Dissociation 4. 4 (2003): 77-90.
  • Friedman DH, Meschede T, Hayes M. "Surviving Against the Odds: Families' Journey off Welfare and Out of Homelessness.." Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research. 6. 2 (2003): 187-206.
  • Meschede T, Kahan M, Hayes M, Friedman DH. Characteristics of Homeless Individuals Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2001. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2003.
  • Meschede T, Raymond J, Kahan M, Hayes M, Friedman DH. Characteristics of Homeless Families Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2001. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston.. Boston, MA: 2003.
  • Meschede T, Kahan M, Hayes M. A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Familis Utilizing Masachusetts Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999 and 2000.. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston.. Boston, MA: 2001.
  • Kahan M, Meschede T, Hayes M. A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Families Utilizing Boston Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2000.
  • Meschede T, Kahan M, Hayes M. A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Families Utilizing Massachusetts Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999.. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston.. Boston, MA: 2000.
  • Stone M, Friedman DH, Werby E, Meschede T, Hayes M, Kahan M, Santiago B, Raymond J, Ward L. Situation Critical: Meeting the Housing Needs of Lower-Income Massachusetts Residents.. McCormack Institue of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2000.
  • Schutt RK, Meschede T, Rierdan J. "Distress, Suicidal Thoughts, and Social Support Among Homeless Adults." Journal of Health and Social Behavior 35. (1994): 134-142.