Serrater Chapman, Director of Applied Research

Serrater Chapman is an experienced policy and research professional specializing in housing, economic development, and equity. She currently serves as the Director of Applied Research at the Woodstock Institute, where she leads initiatives addressing systemic inequities in financial systems through lending disparities and consumer financial protections research. Her work empowers policymakers and advocates to advance equitable access to financial services and dismantle structural barriers in underserved communities.  

Serrater has a proven track record of leveraging data-driven tools to inform policy decisions and community development strategies. During her tenure at the AARP Public Policy Institute, she contributed to in-depth research shaping local and national policies supporting housing affordability, accessibility, and livability, including updates to the nationally recognized AARP Livability Index. Her career spans leading initiatives in economic development, neighborhood and commercial corridor stabilization, and fair housing. She has analyzed socio-economic and demographic data that has directly informed fair housing policy in the Midwest, de-concentrated low-income housing vouchers in Baltimore and Minnesota, and supported senior housing development in suburban Chicago. Her expertise also includes deploying tools like Tax Increment Financing to revitalize commercial and industrial corridors and managing federal, state, and local grant programs to support community priorities. 

Serrater holds a Master’s in Urban Planning & Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor’s in Finance from Roosevelt University. As a lifelong Chicago south-sider, Serrater remains deeply committed to advancing equity and opportunity through data-informed policy making, financial justice, and community-centered development.  

Phone: O (312) 368-0310 x 2030