Liz Schoenfeld, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of LifeWorks, an Austin nonprofit committed to solving youth homelessness. LifeWorks serves nearly 2,500 young people and families each year through an integrated continuum of housing, mental health, education, and workforce services.
Dr. Schoenfeld earned her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. Since joining LifeWorks in 2012, she has advanced the organization’s use of data, evidence, and innovation to improve outcomes for young people. She previously served as LifeWorks’ Chief Research & Evaluation Officer, and her work using data to inform service delivery and advance evidence-based practice was featured in the documentary “Failing Forward: On the Road to Social Impact.”
As CEO, Dr. Schoenfeld has led efforts to expand housing opportunities for young people while advancing broader systems change. LifeWorks is currently developing The Works at Tillery, a 120-unit supportive housing community for youth and young families exiting homelessness. In partnership with the City of Austin, Dr. Schoenfeld co-chaired the Dismantling the Foster Care to Homelessness Pipeline Task Force, bringing together public agencies, philanthropy, and community partners to advance strategies that improve housing stability for young people leaving foster care. She is now spearheading a statewide effort to pair federal Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) housing vouchers with state-funded supportive services, creating a pathway for more young people to transition from foster care directly into stable housing.
Dr. Schoenfeld was a member of the Leadership Austin Essential Class of 2026, a 2024 McBee Fellow with the Austin Area Research Organization, and received the Austin Under 40 Award in the Nonprofit Services category in 2023. She has served on local, statewide, and national boards and currently serves on the Policy Advisory Committee for the National Network for Youth. Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and featured in outlets including U.S. News & World Report and Psychology Today.