

Her life’s work and commitment to public education and student outcomes began at a young age. With over 22 years of experience working inChicago Public Schools (CPS), she is a nationally-known and respected educator and leader in the field of public education. Janice Jackson is a lifelong resident of Chicago. She went on to earn her master’s degree in business administration from Dominican University and her doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University of Chicago.ĭr. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Mundelein College with a focus on bilingual-bicultural education and Spanish literature. Ayala has received multiple honors, including the 2018 Leadership Award and the Excellence in Education Award from the League of Latin American Citizens, as well as the Kane County Distinguished Educator award.
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Ayala has held positions on numerous boards and committees, including the Illinois State Board of Education Bilingual Advisory Council, Illinois Women in Educational Leadership, Illinois Resource Center, and the Illinois Professional Review Panel for Evidence-Based Funding. She previously served as an executive board member on the Latino Policy Forum, where she championed equitable funding and increased resources for English Learners. She began her career in education as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools. She also served as an assistant superintendent, director of Bilingual Services, and teacher in Aurora East School District 131. Additionally, Ayala served as the director of School Improvement and Programs at Community Consolidated School District 300. She was the assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at Plainfield District 202 prior to her service in Berwyn. Ayala has held a wide variety of roles in her 36-year education career. Ayala had served since 2012 as the superintendent of Berwyn North School District 98, where she steadily turned around lower-performing schools.ĭr. Prior to her arrival at the Illinois State Board of Education, Dr. Carmen Ayala as the 30th State Superintendent of Education, making her the first woman and first person of color to serve as the permanent superintendent. The Illinois State Board of Education named Dr. She is married and has three children, all of whom attended and graduated from Chicago Public Schools. Robin graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Brown University, received her master’s degree in Education from Stanford University, and attended law school at the University of Chicago, where she graduated cum laude and Order of the Coif. She helped found and currently serves as a Director of North Lawndale College Preparatory Charter High School, and has served on two Local School Councils. Steans serves as a Trustee of the University of Chicago Medical Center, and is co-founder and past Board Chair of the Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago. She served as Issues Director of the Small Schools Coalition, as Associate Director of Leadership for Quality Education, and taught at public high schools in Boston, San Francisco and Chicago before going on to earn her law degree. A longtime public school parent, Robin Steans has spent over twenty years working on public school reform. She is also Board Chair of the Steans Family Foundation, where she helps guide education and community development grant making in the North Lawndale community. Robin Steans is President of Advance Illinois, an independent policy and advocacy organization working toward a healthy public education system that enables all students to achieve success in college, career and civic life.
