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The Christopher Family Foundation (CFF) welcomes Monique Bobb Schlichtman as its new Executive Director, effective October 1, 2025. Monique was chosen through an extensive national search by CFF’s Distribution Committee, with the support of executive search firm Morten Group, LLC.

Most recently, Monique served as a Senior Program Officer with the Lumpkin Family Foundation (LFF) where she led the Mattoon, Illinois-based foundation’s Chicago grantmaking, partnering with CFF on the Austin Fresh initiative to improve access to healthy food in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. She also led LFF’s learning and evaluation efforts and launched their mental health portfolio.

Monique brings more than two decades of leadership experience in philanthropy, non-profit, and public sector roles. She was previously Executive Director of a nonprofit organization that provided mental health supportive services and has extensive experience in team leadership, program design, strategic planning, and financial management. Monique is in the process of completing a PhD in Public Policy, Management and Analytics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received a Master’s degree in Public Administration as a National Urban Fellow from Baruch College and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Brown University.

“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next Executive Director of the Christopher Family Foundation,” said Monique. “I am grateful to the Distribution Committee for their trust and confidence, and I look forward to building upon the Foundation’s strong legacy of supporting communities and advancing meaningful change on the West Side of Chicago and beyond. At such a pivotal time in our country’s history, I am eager to get to work, alongside CFF staff, partnering with grantees, colleagues in the field, and community leaders to disrupt and dismantle systems of injustice while striving to build a future where all communities can thrive.”

From the Christopher Family Distribution Committee: “The Christopher Family Foundation is excited to welcome Monique Bobb Schlichtman as our next Executive Director. Monique’s deep commitment to community-driven change, her collaborative spirit, and her proven leadership across the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors make her uniquely positioned to guide CFF into its next chapter. We are confident that Monique will honor our legacy while boldly advancing our mission to strengthen families and communities across the West Side of Chicago.”

Monique will follow Clare Butterfield who will transition out of the role on the same date. The Distribution Committee is grateful to Clare for her seven years of visionary leadership and positive impact on Chicagoland communities and wish her the best in her well-deserved retirement.

About The Christopher Family Foundation

Based in Westmont, Illinois, the mission of the Christopher Family Foundation is to support family well-being with the vision of strengthening communities and families. Most funding is focused on the Chicagoland area, with special consideration for the needs of the West Side of Chicago and the Austin neighborhood. Program areas include Food Security, Education, Employment & Entrepreneurship, and Legacy grants. The Foundation was created in 1997 by Jay W. and Doris K. Christopher, and is an outgrowth of Pampered Chef, a business they founded in their home in 1980. Today CFF is governed by multiple generations of the Christopher Family.