Nov 6, 2024
Topic: Meet our Alumni
One of CCSD21’s alumna, Chris Pippin Northwick, has a simple life philosophy: make connections with others. She believes that it has a direct correlation to personal success and creates emotionally, well-balanced individuals. And she should know. As the Co-Executive Director of the Family Service Center in Northfield, Northwick supports the business side of this busy non-profit mental health organization that assists families through hardships by providing counseling, education, crisis support and safety assessments. She started at the agency in 2017 as a board member and during the pandemic was asked to deepen her involvement by taking on the new role. She was only happy to do it.
It’s no surprise that Northwick ended up in this role. One of her most memorable teachers at Kilmer Elementary School – Miss Irene Meyer – encouraged students to become involved with activities and programs, and encouraged this shy 6th grader to build bonds with others. And Northwick took that advice to heart. After graduating Cooper Middle School (1979) and Buffalo Grove High School, she attended Indiana University and then Northwestern University earning her undergraduate degree. From there, she worked in a variety of jobs including leadership roles in media, advertising and publishing companies. But it seemed that her role as a school board member/president of Glenview School District 34 as well as her position as a board member/vice president of TrueNorth Education Cooperative 804 (formerly NSSED) supported her passion for helping others.
“I believe supporting mental health is so important. The impacts ripple through families, organizations and entire communities. My advice to current students is to establish habits that support emotional wellbeing. Key among them is to connect with others in meaningful ways. Find out what brings you joy and hope and pursue those things. Enjoy your journey as much as you possibly can – don’t just focus on the end points.” she states.
Outside of work, Northwick’s family, including children (ages 23 and 26) bring her great joy. She also loves to read, paint, travel and hike.
About the Family Service Center
The center’s mission is to strengthen and empower families and communities by providing accessible evidence-based counseling, crisis response, education and outreach. The agency serves clients ages five to 99 in three languages: English, Spanish and Mongolian. Their therapy sessions are offered in person and remotely at flexible hours. They accept most insurances and offer a sliding fee scale. To learn more about the center, visit: familyservicecenter.org.