Staff

Dr. Nonie Brennan
Chief Executive Officer, Emergency Fund
 
Nonie Brennan took on the role of Executive Director of the Emergency Fund in 2003, and was selected to be Chief Executive Officer of the new organization formed by the consolidation of the Emergency Fund and the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness in October, 2011. She has overseen the organization during a period of significant growth. Under her leadership, the Emergency Fund has become the largest provider of homelessness prevention funding in the mid-west. Brennan took a leadership role in developing Chicago’s Homelessness Prevention Call Center. She is a founding board member of the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, and was part of a community development team from DePaul University who worked with government and nonprofit leaders in post Katrina New Orleans.
 
Prior to joining the Emergency Fund, Brennan was Executive Director of the Volunteer Center in Battle Creek, Michigan. During her tenure there, she was credited with bringing “211” (a three digit dialing code to access community resources) to the state. She served as President of Volunteer Centers of Michigan and was a founding member of the ConnectMichigan Alliance Board of Directors. Brennan also served on the Volunteer Center National Network Council and was appointed by Governor Engler to the Michigan Community Service Commission.

Dr. Brennan is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario; she completed her Master of Public Service degree at DePaul University and her Doctor of Management at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management.  Her current research focus is non-profit collaboration.  Brennan is the recipient of a DM/Mandel Center Fellowship and the Mitchell V. Morse Memorial Scholarship. In addition to her speaking engagements at national and international conferences, she is a part-time faculty member at DePaul University.