Chapin Hall

Elizabeth Dierksheide serves as Chapin Hall’s Chief of Staff. She joined the organization in 2013. At Chapin Hall, Dierksheide leads and facilitates implementation of strategic initiatives across administrative, policy, and research functions in support of Chapin Hall’s mission. She engages with key external stakeholders including advocates, community members and youth, Chapin Hall’s Board of Directors, the University of Chicago, and funders to broaden the reach and impact of Chapin Hall’s work. She also directly contributes to a number of projects that are central to Chapin Hall’s impact, and promotes strong internal and external communications. Through shared leadership, Dierksheide is contributing to Chapin Hall’s efforts to become an anti-racist organization, including work with Chapin Hall’s Impact Area Funds, which are aimed at developing approaches to reveal inequities and build more equitable system solutions, and the development of racial equity principles to guide Chapin Hall’s work, workplace culture, and its workforce. In addition, she has an interest in seeing systems pilot and develop evidence-based solutions that elevate community leadership and lived experience in addressing inequities and support family thriving.

Prior to joining Chapin Hall, Dierksheide’s career spanned roles in both the public and private sectors. She led key initiatives for Advance Illinois, Chicago Public Schools, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, and United Airlines, where she ran the airline’s philanthropic and civic programs. She began her career working for the State of Illinois in the Thompson administration and the Illinois General Assembly. Then and now, her focus has always been on improving the lives of children and families. She is especially interested in the application of evidence to improve practice and how to tailor interventions and supports for children and families for whom current services and programs are not working. She is also deeply committed to engaging practitioner and youth voices in policymaking. She served as a long-time gubernatorial appointee to the Illinois Community and Residential Services Authority, which works to identify and resolve barriers facing parents and families in accessing needed services and programs for young people with a behavior disorder or a severe emotional disturbance.

Dierksheide holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from DePauw University.