As Vice President of People at CHAI, Elizabeth Wallis leads the organization’s talent strategy and people initiatives. In this role, she works closely with CHAI’s leadership and teams to foster a culture of engagement, inclusion, and operational excellence, ensuring that people strategies align with the organization’s mission and impact goals.
Elizabeth brings 22 years of experience in organizational development, talent strategy, and diversity and inclusion. Before joining CHAI, she was the Global Head of People and Talent Accelerator at LeapFrog Investments, helping organizations scale sustainably while embedding impactful workforce practices. She previously held leadership roles at EY’s People Advisory Services and Investec Bank, where she led large-scale talent transformation, culture, and integration initiatives. Earlier in her career, she founded Brain Health (SA), a neuroscience-based assessment and research initiative focused on cognitive and psychological well-being.
Elizabeth holds a Master’s in Social Science (Psychology) and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology. She also completed an MBA at the University of the Witwatersrand Business School and a Management Advancement Program at the same institution. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Behavioral Neuroeconomics at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Passionate about creating sustainable, systemic change, she believes that when people grow, organizations thrive—and when organizations are built with purpose, they can transform lives.