Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC)
Established in 2008, the Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) supports authentic community-academic research partnerships between Chicagoland communities and Northwestern University that benefit the people being researched and improve health and equity. ARCC advocates for a collaborative approach to research that honors, is driven by, and shares power with communities, as local, cultural, and lived experience experts. Guided by a Steering Committee of Chicagoland community- and faith-based organizations, public agencies and Northwestern scientists, ARCC supports community-academic research partnerships by providing partnership facilitation, capacity-building resources and technical assistance, seed grants, monthly information and resource updates, and advocacy for supportive structural and institutional systems and policies in the research enterprise. ARCC is a program of the Center for Community Health (CCH) and serves Northwestern’s Institute for Public Health & Medicine (IPHAM) and the Northwestern University Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS). We strive to uphold the CCH Principles of Engagement in our approach and the research we support.
ARCC Efforts
Please also see the center's pages for community-engaged research opportunities and resources.
ARCC Steering Committee
The ARCC Steering Committee is comprised of:
- Thirteen community-and faith-based organizations: Access Living, Apostolic Faith Church, The Blue Hat Foundation, CALOR, Cambodian Association of Illinois, Chicago Youth Programs, CJE SeniorLife, Endeleo Institute, Hana Center, Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, Heartland Alliance, The Night Ministry, Puerto Rican Cultural Center
- Two public agencies: Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago Public Schools
- Ten Northwestern University faculty and staff: Lisa Azu-Popow, Tara Gill, PhD, Prakash Jayabalan, MD PhD, Ashley Knapp, Tarneka Manning MEd, Jen Martinez, PhD, Matthew O'Brien, MD, Theresa Sukal-Moulton, DPT PhD, Faith Summersett-Ringgold, PhD, Sarah Welch, MPH
Learn more about our Steering Committee members.
Contact Us
Jen Brown, MPH
Co-Director
312-503-2942
Shehara Waas
Community Co-Director
Ariel J. Thomas, MS
Community Engagement Liaison
312-380-9151