Tess Penne
Experienced researcher with an interest in poverty reduction and effective social policy. Committed to translating research for practitioners and policymakers.
Tess studied sociology at Ghent University. She then worked for eight years as a researcher at the Centre for Social Policy at the University of Antwerp, contributing to various national and European projects on reference budgets, poverty, and social policy. In 2020, Tess earned her PhD with a dissertation using reference budgets to study poverty, the adequacy of incomes, and the affordability of essential goods and services in Europe. Since then, she has been working at CEBUD. Tess thrives in social settings, has a strong sense of injustice, and is committed to translating research into practical guidance for practitioners and policymakers.
Tess enjoys spending a lot of time with friends and family. She finds creative outlets in dance and writing, and relaxes through yoga, nature, or a good novel. Together with her husband and young daughter, she dreams of travelling the world in their campervan.