A native Chicagoan, Liz Stepniak, MPH, has been working on COMPASS since Day 1. As the COMPASS study manager, Liz has been the glue that has kept all of the pieces of the COMPASS project together. She has provided training, oversight, and most importantly, lots of enthusiasm to motivate the COMPASS staff and insight for interested investigators.

Liz has worked at UChicago in the Comprehensive Cancer Center and in the Institute for Population and Precision Health since 2012. She has provided leadership for a variety of studies in the Epidemiology and Research Recruitment Core and the IPPH, including COMPASS as well as the All of Us Research Program. 

Prior to coming to UChicago, Liz worked on a variety of public health projects, including on healthy neighborhoods, in a wetlab, and at Argonne National Laboratory as an intern. She received her Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa. She knew she wanted to go into public health because it combined her love for science and helping others and she was excited about the opportunity to leave a lasting impression by improving the health of those who need it most.

A fun fact about Liz: Her colleagues at the UChicago IPPH are thankful that Liz brings the same energy to cancer research that she brings to her Chicago sports superfan status. Liz is an avid Hawkeye and a lifelong Bears, Sox, and Blackhawks fan. We nod and smile when she talks about sports statistics and history….. as it’s VERY hard to keep up.