Theresa is currently serving as Executive Director of Healthcare Strategy at UIC’s Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design (IHDD). IHDD takes a human-centered approach to helping government agencies and other health and social service entities improve service delivery through strategies and programs that are user-friendly and produce better outcomes for the people they are meant to serve.

For five years prior to her current role, Theresa served as Cabinet Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), beginning in January 2019. Immediately prior to her appointment by Governor Pritzker, she was the Executive Director of the Office of Medicaid Innovation at the University of Illinois.  Eagleson had previously been the longest serving Medicaid Director in the state’s history, from 2007-2014.   Theresa has served in policy and administrative positions in state government since 1992, with a concentration in human services and healthcare.  Her career includes Governor’s budget office and policy teams under two previous administrations and twenty total years at the state Medicaid agency. 

Theresa is a founding Board member of the National Association of Medicaid Directors and was elected by her peers to serve two terms. She is also a member of the Edgar Fellows Class of 2014 and one of six Medicaid directors chosen nationally for the Medicaid Leadership Institute in 2011.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, as well as a Master’s in Business Administration.