Our Board

 

Our Board

 

Advance Illinois board members are passionate leaders from both the public and private sectors who believe in creating an equitable education system for all Illinois students.

*Founding Member
^Life Trustee
†The Honorable Jim Edgar passed away in September 2025. His contributions to Advance Illinois as founding board co-chair remain foundational to our mission. 

 
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Members

  • Ellen Alberding*, Co-Chair

    Former President and CEO, The Joyce Foundation

  • Marin Gjaja, Co-Chair

    Chief Strategy Officer,
    Ford Model e

  • Jason Barickman

    Partner, Fairlawn Capital and Meyer Capel, PC

  • Harry Berman

    Former Executive Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education

  • Becky Betts

    Former Chief Marketing & External Affairs Officer,
    A Better Chicago

  • Lew Collens*^

    President Emeritus, Illinois Institute of Technology

  • REV. K. Edward Copeland

    Pastor, New Zion Baptist Church & Chair, Alignment Rockford

  • HON. John Cullerton

    Former Illinois Senate President

  • HON. William M. Daley*, Founding Co-Chair

    Former White House Chief of Staff

  • John A. Edwardson*

    Retired Chairman and CEO, CDW

  • Judy Erwin

    Managing Director, Kivvit

  • Shayne Evans

    Founder & Managing Partner, The Academy Group

  • Gary Fencik

    Senior Partner, Adams Street Partners

  • James C. Franczek, JR.*

    Founding Partner and President, Franczek P.C.

  • David Fuller

    Partner, McKinsey & Company

  • Janice K. Jackson, EdD

    Executive Director, The Aspen Institute Education & Society Program

  • Clare Muñana

    President of Ancora Associates, Inc.

  • Lynda Parker

    Assistant Superintendent/Principal, Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200

  • Sylvia Puente*

    Former President, Latino Policy Forum

  • Juan Salgado

    Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago

  • Sonia Soltero

    Professor and Chair of the Department of Leadership, Language and Curriculum at DePaul University

  • Jason J. Tyler

    President of Wealth Management, Northern Trust

  • Kristy N. Waterman

    Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, TreeHouse Foods

  • HON. Jim Edgar*†, Founding Co-Chair

    Former Governor of Illinois