Chapin Hall

Chapin Hall Names Longtime CDC Leader Sara Patterson as Chief of Staff

After more than 20 years of executive leadership experience at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Sara Patterson has been named Chapin Hall’s new Chief of Staff.

At the CDC, Patterson led large-scale national initiatives, oversaw multi-billion-dollar budgets, and guided organizations through complex transitions. Most recently, she served as Acting Director of CDC’s Public Health Infrastructure Center, overseeing a budget of more than $6 billion and a workforce of more than 670 staff.

In her role at Chapin Hall, Patterson will serve as a trusted partner to Executive Director Bryan Samuels, strengthening organizational alignment, coordination, and communication across teams, while supporting strategic execution and internal operations.

“We are excited to welcome Sara Patterson as Chapin Hall’s new Chief of Staff. With decades of executive leadership at the CDC, Sara brings extensive experience leading large, complex organizations and multi-billion-dollar initiatives with a strong focus on equity, collaboration, and building positive organizational culture,” said Chapin Hall Executive Director Bryan Samuels. “Her passion for evidence-driven decision making and advancing community programs aligns well with Chapin Hall’s mission. Sara’s proven ability to connect people, ideas, and strategies to drive impact, along with her dedication to mentoring and supporting staff, makes her an exceptional addition to our leadership team. We look forward to her partnership in strengthening our work to improve the lives of children and families.”

Throughout her CDC career, Patterson was recognized for her ability to lead through uncertainty, foster collaboration, and advance equity-driven strategies. She twice served as Acting Chief of Staff at CDC during major leadership transitions, ensuring continuity and alignment at the highest levels of the agency.

Patterson’s professional experience includes a strong connection to Chapin Hall’s mission as she has spent much of her career working on issues associated with child maltreatment prevention, community well-being, and systems change. She graduated from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration (now the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice) with her master’s in social work with a social administration concentration and completed her undergraduate degree at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Patterson is a recipient of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Hubert H. Humphrey Award for Service to America; a Partner of the Year Award from the Safe States Alliance; and a CDC Honor Award for Excellence in Policy and Excellence in Workforce Recognition.

“Chapin Hall has an outstanding reputation for advancing research to drive action in support of children and families, and I’m so excited to join an organization that is dedicated to such important work,” Patterson said. “I am honored to have been selected to serve as Chapin Hall’s next Chief of Staff, and I look forward to the opportunity to support the mission and the talented employees that make it such a special place.”

Patterson will start as Chapin Hall’s Chief of Staff in March.