ABOUT THE MOVEMENT ARCHITECT

Dr. William Elliott III

Professor and Founding Director of the Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion (AEDI)

Dr. William Elliott III is a leading scholar in the fields of poverty, social mobility, and asset-based interventions. As a Professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work and Director of the Joint PhD Program in Social Work and Social Science, he has dedicated his career to understanding how innovative asset-building strategies can disrupt intergenerational poverty.

The Path to Occupy 2.0

Dr. Elliott’s journey began with a focus on philosophy and social work, earning degrees from Geneva College and the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis . His early research into Child Development Accounts (CDAs) laid the groundwork for what would become a national conversation on the Capability State.

Before joining the University of Michigan in 2017, he held key academic positions at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Kansas, where he founded the Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion (AEDI).

A Record of Impact

Dr. Elliott is not just a researcher; he is a practitioner of policy. His work has influenced national legislation and the development of Baby Bonds across the country.

• U.S. Senate Expert Witness: He has testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding tax-advantaged accounts that benefit American children.

• Founding Director: Under his leadership, AEDI has investigated the impact of assets on children’s educational achievement and college-bound identity.

• Principal Investigator: He has led major research projects funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Kellogg Foundation.

The Current Charge

In 2025, Dr. Elliott edited a landmark special issue of Sociology Mind, titled "Wealth, Opportunity, and the New Social Contract: Integrating Financial Capability in American Social Welfare Policy". This work serves as the academic backbone for Occupy 2.0, providing the empirical proof for the $364,500 Red Line and the Integrated Capability System.

AI Disclosure Statement

This biographical summary and the movement’s narrative frameworks were co-developed using Google Gemini (February 2025 version). All academic credentials and primary research findings—including the Gravity Trap and the 55% Race Tax—are based on the professional record and original research of Dr. William Elliott III.