Elizabeth Tumiel, Manager, Research and Academic Partnerships, Erie Family Health Centers

Where are you from?

I’m from Buffalo, New York but have been in Chicago for 25 years.

What led you to your current organization?

I was drawn to working at Erie Family Health Centers because of our focus on health equity, something that has been important to me throughout my career, particularly working with individuals experiencing homelessness. I believe that we should provide the highest quality care for those who need it most and Erie exemplifies that.

I had also known about Erie for a long time before joining the team and everyone that I knew had great experiences with them as an organization, ether as patients, employees or partners and I was excited to be involved in an organization that is so well-regarded by diverse groups of people.

What do you hope to accomplish as a member of CSAC?

I hope to be a part of creating infrastructure for organizations to make research more approachable. I believe that creating processes and tools that build sustainable pathways for engagement is crucial for ensuring that research includes everyone. We’ve started developing these at Erie and I’d like to share the knowledge that we have, while learning from the other incredible partners around the table.

I’m also interested in developing new partnerships that innovate what we are doing at Erie, whether they are research, programs or clinical care partnerships. I strongly believe in the power of partnerships and think they are crucial for innovation.

What are some issues in your community you hope to resolve?

I believe that one of the biggest issues to resolve is making sure that everyone is included in decisions that impact them. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to create opportunities for not only community involvement but community leadership.

Second, I believe that safe housing and equitable health care are crucial to healthy communities and have consistently worked to make those available to all.

What is something most people would be surprised to know about you?

I love Willie Nelson. I’ve seen him live over 20 times and hope to see him 20 more, even at his ripe age of 90.