Linda Bowen Email and Phone Number

Executive Director of the Institute for Community Peace, a national program that focuses on resident engagement to prevent violence and build community, since 1995. Thirty years of experience in violence prevention, program management and development, policy analysis, research and community building. Served as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 1993-1995; as Assistant Dean for Enrollment and Placement at the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago; and Director for Program Development for The Center for Successful Child Development (the Beethoven Project) a national research and demonstration project to improve child and family outcomes in a public housing project in Chicago, IL. Have served as a member of the board of directors of several violence prevention organizations and has been advisor on violence prevention projects for federal government agencies. Serve as a Fellow and board member of the FrameWorks Institute in Washington, DC. Authored or co-authored several papers, articles and reports on adolescent pregnancy and parenting, women’s issues and issues related to poverty, violence prevention and community building.

Ensured efficient operation of the Commissioner’s office. Staffed policy, programmatic and management initiatives in the agency’s offices (Head Start, Child Care, Family and Youth Services and National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect). Represented agency on task forces and working groups. Served as liaison with Administration officials within and outside of the Department. Provided team leadership for selected substantive and organizational priority areas.

Provided program and organizational development, management and research services to non-profit organizations in Chicago and Washington, DC.

Developed and managed outreach strategies for student recruitment and career services. Developed alumni mentoring program and Latino Task Force for recruitment, retention and placement of students of color. Developed programs to respond to unique needs of students. Significantly increased enrollment of a more racially and culturally diverse, qualified student population.

Developed and managed child and family programs for a national research and demonstration program located in a major public housing project to create the conditions for kindergarten readiness. Assisted in the development of the research and evaluation component. Served as agency spokesperson to the general public and the media.

Monitored state and local data on children. Co-authored articles and reports on teen pregnancy and community support and children’s issues.

Planned and implemented projects for a sixteen-member bi-partisan committee of the Illinois Legislature. Authored report and developed conference on concerns of incarcerated mothers. Successfully negotiated funding for family advocate position at the states women’s prison. Developed statewide conference on public aid and Medicaid. Developed legislation for grant increases and documentation for policy changes under the Illinois AFDC program.

Developed national clearinghouse of information on family support programs. Coordinated and analyzed survey of family support programs in the United States and Canada.