Elizabeth Ireland

Elizabeth Ireland is the Program Manager for RISE-MO at the Center for Family & Policy Research at the University of Missouri, where she helps lead a statewide effort to enhance and grow Missouri’s early childhood workforce.

A lifelong learner, Elizabeth is pursuing a Ph.D. in organizational behavior at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where her research focuses on early childhood organizations. She also holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from UMKC.

Previously, she designed and managed a statewide training program that helped early childhood administrators grow as leaders and build strong, sustainable programs. She also facilitated leadership development for women in both nonprofit and for-profit settings.

In addition to her program work, Elizabeth teaches courses at UMKC on nonprofit leadership, social impact, and organizational management. She centers her teaching around student engagement and individualized coaching, believing that students are co-creators in an ongoing learning process.