Maureen has worked in the philanthropy sector in various positions for over 40 years. She has served as an avid supporter of the community at-large, Chairman of the Board of several non-profit organizations, and adviser to many others, including the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Massachusetts General Hospital, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, the Texas Medical Center, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI (and its Women's Philanthropy Institute), the American Psychiatric Association and the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. Her expertise in governance issues, strategic planning, advancement, community outreach, and board development has benefited myriad communities to date and continues to influence Maureen’s philanthropic efforts both locally and across the nation. In May 2018, Indiana University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters in recognition of her outstanding achievements and limitless promotion of human welfare, which she consistently inspires in others.
Maureen and her husband Jim have four adult children and three grandchildren, who under Maureen’s leadership, together constitute a philanthropic team committed to their combined passions. Their priority, as donors and community activists, is to act as agents of change in the realm of behavioral and mental health with a focus on awareness and education; research and treatment; and the eradication of the stigma associated with mental illness. In pursuit of that priority, they recently established The Hackett Center for Mental Health, the primary policy development and operating presence of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute for Texas in the Houston region. The Hackett Center is focused on putting policy into practice in partnership with the region’s leading health systems, so all Texans can obtain effective and efficient behavioral health care when and where they need it.
In addition to mental health awareness and advocacy, the Hackett Family is dedicated to serving the interests that make up the heart of every strong community: family, faith, health, and education.