Charles S. McLister

Charles “Chuck” S. McLister is the 9th president of Elwyn, the oldest and one of the largest non-profit human services companies in the nation (founded 1852). Appointed in 2017, he oversees the organization’s mission to make life better for people with developmental challenges, autism, and behavioral health issues. Chuck has over 34 years in the human services and behavioral health sector, in both for-profit and non-profit leadership roles. His first job in the field was as a direct-support psychiatric technician in his hometown hospital. 

At Elwyn, Chuck led its financial turnaround starting in 2019 by recapitalizing the balance sheet, refinancing debt with new banks, rehabilitating the business model, and improving the overall quality of services. As part of the company’s strategic plan, Chuck has invested in technology, new facilities, and the engagement of direct-support and professional staff. In 2021, he formed the Department of Employee Engagement and Staff Development, including an office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Since 2018, wages for employees have increased on average by more than 75%, resulting in a reduction in turnover below industry standards.

Chuck is a two-year recipient of the Philadelphia Titan 100 Award (2023 and 2024) and was selected for the City & State Pennsylvania Impact Award in 2023. In the fall of 2019, Chuck was the recipient of the Penn State Harrisburg Alumni Achievement Award from the School of Behavioral Health and Sciences. Later that year, Elwyn won the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce’s award for Non-Profit of the Year. Chuck was appointed to the Rutgers Health Leadership Council in 2023, a body which advises the chancellor of the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences school. 

Prior to Elwyn, Chuck was the chair of the board of trustees for Hopeworks in Camden, NJ, and served on the board (and later, as the Chief Operating Officer) of Bancroft, one of the largest New Jersey non-profits supporting people with developmental challenges. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (1990) and a Master of Arts in Applied Psychological Research (2008) from Penn State University. He received an MBA, with honors, from Villanova University in 2010. Chuck is a committed philanthropist and volunteer, and lives with his wife and three children in Haddonfield, NJ.