UPDATE Sept. 2, 2016: After an initial acceptance of the position of executive director of Covenant House Illinois, Warren K. Chapman soon announced that he would not take the position.
NEW YORKCovenant House has hired Warren K. Chapman as the first executive director of Covenant House Illinois.
"After a very thorough search, we found exactly the person we need right here in Chicago," said Covenant House International President Kevin Ryan. "We are truly blessed to have Warren lead Covenant House Illinois, our first Covenant House program in a new state in over 16 years. He brings many gifts, including a lifelong commitment to serving the youth of Chicago. Warren has the experience, expertise, and passion to lead our new program, and I know Covenant House Illinois will thrive under his leadership."
Chapman has spent his professional career creating new and innovative ways to help Chicago's disadvantaged youth. As the chief advancement officer at Chicago Lighthouse, he led all advancement activities, including building a marketing and development plan, incorporating social media strategy, and leading the major gift cultivation, stewardship, grant writing, special events, and donor prospecting efforts. Prior to that, as senior vice president at Columbia College Chicago, Chapman led a re-organization of all academic programs and operations.
As the vice chancellor for external affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chapman led the public affairs, marketing, and community affairs efforts. As vice president and national philanthropic advisor at JP Morgan Chase, he developed and implemented a strategic plan for philanthropy, including the development of a mixed-income community supporting lower-income residents, and the establishment of a new charter school.
As the lead program officer at The Joyce Foundation, Warren developed and executed public education reform by concentrating $10 million annually on urban areas with substantial numbers of low-income children, with a strong emphasis on education.
Chapman is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University, and earned his PhD in Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He serves on the board of the ChiArts High School, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, and the Chicago History Museum.
"I look forward to joining Covenant House and the honor of being the first executive director of a new program that will touch the lives of so many homeless youth in Chicago and throughout Illinois," said Chapman. "This is a great opportunity to serve Chicago's young people and work with other community partners as we collectively work to address the needs of homeless youth."