Annie Harper, PhD
Biography
Research & Publications
News
Biography
Annie Harper has a PhD from Yale University in cultural anthropology. She conducts research on how vulnerable populations, particularly low income people with mental illness, cope with poverty and financial difficulties, and how to support them in this area. She is particularly interested in understanding how the financial services and retail industries could better serve low income people generally, and people with mental illness in particular. She is committed to combining rigorous research with practical work that makes a difference now, to which end she works closely with the City of New Haven and the broader community’s efforts to provide support to low income residents struggling with financial difficulties. She is originally from the UK, but has lived for many years in New Haven with her husband, who is originally from Pakistan, and their three children.
Education & Training
- PhDYale University, Cultural Anthropology (2010)
- MScSchool of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Political Economy of Development (2001)
- BScLondon School of Economics, Social Anthropology/Economics (1993)
Activities
- Finances, mental health and behavior changeWashington, DC, United States 2022America Saves Summit: Increasing Financial Confidence: How Emotions Affect Change
- Why Integrating Health & Financial Services Boosts Overall WellbeingAtlanta, GA, United States 2022Prosperity Summit 2022
- Financial Health and Mental Health; Making the ConnectionsPresented at BankOn Alleghany County Quarterly Coalition meeting 2022Financial Health and Mental Health; Making the Connections
- Disability benefits in the United States – before and during Covid-19Presentation at DACBEAG meeting 2022Models of social security assistance : drawing lessons from other countries
- Pay to Stay: CT's Lien on Incarcerated PeoplePanel presentation 2022UConn Law Week Against Mass Incarceration
- Finances and Mental Health; Making the ConnectionsGrand Rounds presentation 2022Grand Rounds
- Finances and Mental Health for Social WorkersPresentation at Southern Connecticut State University common Day 2022Finances and Mental Health for Social Workers
- Yale School of Medicine Division of Public Psychiatryvirtual presentation due to cancellation of in-person event 2021Boulder Summer Conference on Consumer Financial Decision Making
- Finances and Mental Health: Making the ConnectionsSaint Marys City, MD, United States 2020Finances and Mental Health: Making the Connections
- Debt and Health - How are they connected and what can we do about it?New Haven, CT, United States 2020Body and Soul
- Basic Income and PsychiatrySan Francisco, CA, United States 2019American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting
- Finances and Mental Health: Making the ConnectionsNew Haven, CT, United States 2018ISPS-US National Conference
- Poverty, Finances and Mental Health in New HavenNew Haven, CT, United States 2018Connecticut Economic Inclusion Summit
- Finances and Mental Health: Making the ConnectionsMiddletown, CT, United States 2018Finances and Mental Health: Making the Connections
- Financial Management Support for SSA Beneficiaries: Looking Beyond the PayeeNew Orleans, LA, United States 2018Root Cause Coalition National Summit
- Financial Service Use by People with Mental Illness in the USALondon, England, United Kingdom 2018Financial Service Use by People with Mental Illness in the USA
- Financial Health and Mental Health; Making the ConnectionsNew York, NY, United States 2018Financial Health and Mental Health; Making the Connections
- The Yale Community Carbon Fund; reducing emissions and increasing economic security in New Haven, CTLos Angeles, CA, United States 2012American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) annual conference
Honors & Recognition
Award | Awarding Organization | Date |
---|---|---|
Connecticut Credit Union Volunteer of the Year | Credit Union League of Connecticut | 2021 |
Fahs-Beck Faculty/Post-Doctoral Fellowship | 2018 | |
Public Voices Fellow with the Oped project, Yale University | 2017 | |
Pinnacle Award | Community Services Administration, City of New Haven | 2016 |
John F. Enders Fellowships & Research Grant | Yale Graduate School of Art and Sciences | 2009 |
MacMillan Center (formerly YCIAS) Dissertation Research Fellowship | 2005 | |
Yale Centre for International and Area Studies (YCIAS) Pre-dissertation Grant | 2004 | |
Agrarian Studies Award for Pre-Dissertation Research | 2004 | |
Sterling Prize Fellowship | 2003 | |
UK Department for International Development Associate Professional Officers Scholarship | 2000 | |
UK Overseas Development Administration ESCOR award | 1997 |
Professional Service
Organization | Role | Date |
---|---|---|
Yale School of Medicine Division of Public Psychiatry | Leadership Committee | 2022 - 2023 |
Kings College London | External Examiner of PhD Thesis | 2022 |
UK Economic and Social Research Council | Grant Reviewer | 2021 |
Brazilian Journal of Mental Health | Reviewer | 2021 |
Yale School of the Environment | Advisor | 2021 - Present |
The Housing Collective, The Housing Collective | Board Member | 2021 - Present |
Frontiers in Psychiatry | Editor | 2020 - 2021 |
Enterprise Development and Microfinance | Reviewer | 2019 - 2020 |
Connex Credit Union Board, Connex Credit Union | Board of Directors | 2019 - Present |
Journal of Organizational Ethnography | Reviewer | 2018 |
American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation | Reviewer | 2018 - Present |
Department of Psychiatry Social Justice and Health Equity Curriculum | developed and taught content for sessions | 2017 - 2018 |
Department of Psychiatry Social Justice and Health Equity Curriculum | Lecturer | 2017 - 2018 |
Department of Psychiatry Social Justice and Health Equity Curriculum | Lecturer | 2017 - 2018 |
Department of Psychiatry Social Justice and Health Equity | developed content and taught class | 2017 - 2018 |
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry | Reviewer | 2017 |
Feminist Economics | Reviewer | 2017 |
Wilbur Cross High School Parent-teacher Association | Member | 2017 - Present |
BankOn Connecticut | Leadership Committee | 2017 - Present |
New Haven Financial Empowerment Commission | Leadership Committee | 2016 - 2020 |
Social Work in Mental Health | Reviewer | 2016 |
Utility Clinic, Yale-New Haven Hospital | Volunteer | 2015 - 2020 |
City of New Haven Mayoral Task Force on Re-establishment of Environmental Advisory Council | Committee Member | 2014 - 2015 |
New Haven Healthy City Healthy Climate Challenge | Leadership Committee | 2013 - 2017 |
New Haven Energy and Healthy Homes Workgroup | Leadership Committee | 2013 - 2016 |
Women and Girls Fund, Greater New Haven Community Foundation | Board Member | 2012 - 2020 |
New Haven Youth Soccer, New Haven Youth Soccer | Board Member | 2012 - 2016 |
People’s Energy Action Committee | Committee Member | 2012 - 2015 |