Elisabeth (Beth) D. Babcock, MCRP, PhD, is the President and CEO of Crittenton Women's Union (CWU). In this role, she oversees the growth and development of the $10 million organization with the mission to help low-income women and their families attain economic self-sufficiency. This work is accomplished through direct service programs (including mobility mentoring, housing, education, and workforce-development) as well as research and advocacy.

In 2008-2009, Beth served as the chair of the Cliff Effects Working Group of the Massachusetts Asset Development Commission, a group charged with making recommendations to ensure all Massachusetts residents have the opportunity to achieve economic security.

Her academic and professional work focuses on strategic leadership of mission-driven organizations. Two of her most recent articles have appeared in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), “Your Nonprofit Construction Manager: Complex Solutions Need Dedicated Project Managers,” summer 2009, and “Achieving Breakthrough Performance,” summer 2008, named top SSIR article of the year.

Prior to her position at the Crittenton Women's Union, Beth was the President and CEO of Hearth, a nonprofit organization that she developed into a nationally-recognized model of supported housing, advocacy and research for homeless elders. Before joining Hearth, she was the Vice President of Strategy for Northeast Health Systems, a $285 million-dollar vertically-integrated health care system, and Executive Director of the Lynn Community Health Center.

From 1998-2006, she was an adjunct professor at the Heller School of Brandeis University. In 2005, she was appointed a national policy delegate to the White House Conference on Aging.

She received a master's degree in city and regional planning, with a concentration in health and human services policy and planning, from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and holds a PhD in nonprofit strategy from Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.