Elizabeth Sheehan Garlatti

Elizabeth (Betsy) Garlatti is an Advisory Board member at the Rutgers University Child Health Institute of New Jersey (CHINJ) since 2024. During her tenure as Executive Director at CHINJ in the early 2000’s, Betsy played a critical role in the development of the $72 million CHINJ building and the recruitment of its faculty leadership. She joins the Board now filled with excitement to build the resources and relationships to fuel the current and future research portfolio of CHINJ. She hopes to bring her experience and insight to the CHINJ Board agenda.

Betsy’s family has a tradition of service to New Brunswick. Her father, Daniel Sheehan, served as a City Commissioner in 1961. Her mother, Patricia Sheehan, served as its Mayor from 1967 to 1974. Her husband, Lou Garlatti, served on the New Brunswick Parking Authority for 20 years.

Betsy’s career also included service on the New Brunswick City Council, from her appointment to fill an unexpired term in 2004 until her retirement at the end of 2016. During her tenure on City Council, she presided as its President for four years.

Betsy served in the New Jersey State government for more than 25 years. She retired as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. In addition to her managerial and administrative responsibilities, Betsy led a multi-departmental effort including the NJ Department of Education, NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the NJ Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and Rutgers University Heldrich Center, to develop the state longitudinal data system, tracking education and employment outcomes within New Jersey. Betsy worked in management positions at Rutgers University, the former University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ, and the University of Pennsylvania. In each of her positions, Betsy worked on both developing and/or responding to grant opportunities at the federal and state levels of government as well as private funders. She also coordinated groups of faculty to create responses to multi-investigator grant applications.

In addition to CHINJ, Betsy continues to serve as a volunteer for organizations supporting causes that inspire her passion. She has been a member of the New Brunswick Library Foundation Board since 2017. She has been an Advisory Board member at the Town Clock Community Development Corporation in New Brunswick since 2017. She is an Advisory Board member at the American Repertory Ballet | Princeton Ballet School since 2021.

Betsy and Lou have a grown son, Peter, married to Melissa, and a granddaughter, Shannon. Betsy and Lou have lived in New Brunswick since 1996.