Laura Cassio is a senior expert at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union. With 25 years of experience as an EU official, she has primarily dedicated her efforts to the analysis and funding of social inclusion policies and programs.Her main focus areas include education, intercultural dialogue, the inclusion of migrants and marginalised minorities, and the design of social assistance. In addition to her broader portfolio, she has recently authored reports examining how poverty impacts aspirations and decision making, and on multidimensional coaching for socio-economic advancement of people in poverty. These reports underscore the relevance of the approach championed by EMPath.