Chapin Hall

Shontay Olson is a Policy Analyst at Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. Olson provides research-driven, capacity-building support to child welfare agencies across the nation. Olson has experience with strategically planning and implementing components of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) and her current projects include supporting several jurisdictions in FFPSA implementation, residential treatment initiatives, and continuous quality improvement work.

Olson has spent her career dedicated to federal and state service with over 10 years’ experience in a professional and highly technical capacity with the states of Texas and Missouri and the federal government. Prior to joining Chapin Hall, Olson was in a leadership role with the Civil Rights Office, housed within the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. In her role with the Civil Rights Office, Olson managed multiple teams whose work involved service-related discrimination investigations and program compliance for several state agencies and contractors. Olson previously served as the FFPSA Specialist with the Prevention and Early Intervention Division, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, where she collaboratively worked with other divisions within the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, strategically planning FFPSA initiatives for the state of Texas. In her previous work and roles with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Olson conducted continuous quality improvement work in which she engaged community-based organizations in utilizing data and research to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. Additionally, Olson’s career highlights include program policy and data analysis; strategic planning; program implementation; and advocacy work and training with our nation’s military personnel and their dependents, where these efforts played a vital role in bolstering the well-being of the nation’s vulnerable populations.

Olson obtained a Master’s in Education from Western New England University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, specializing in Law Enforcement, from Texas State University San Marcos.