In a career spanning more than 20 years, Jean Franczyk has a significant breadth of experience in non-profit organizations, government, and the private sector. Previous professional positions include: Vice President of Education and Guest Services at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago; Chief-of-Staff to the Chicago Board of Education; and project manager and policy advisory to the Mayor of Chicago. In addition, she has been both a grant-maker and a journalist. In all her work, she maintains a clear commitment to education, the arts, and public programming as essential ingredients for strong and vibrant communities.

Her capacity to blend creativity, strategic decision-making and pragmatic day-to-day operational skills make her an effective and visionary leader and advisor. Her communication skills allow her to translate complex information into understandable messages for key internal audiences, including peers, staff, board members and, externally, grant-makers, corporate supporters, program participants, and the media. She eagerly explores new programming possibilities, comfortably takes calculated risks, and willingly evaluates programs and operations for signs of both strength and weakness.

At the Museum of Science and Industry, she was a member of the executive staff and shared responsibility for the institution's strategic planning, exhibition and program planning, and financial oversight. She headed a division of 100 employees and 400 volunteers, and oversaw the development and implementation of the Museum's education and outreach programs and its guest services operation. She was also responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with civic institutions, schools, community groups, foundations and businesses.

In the public sector, Jean was Chief-of-Staff to the Chicago Board of Education and Assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley. At the Chicago Board of Education, she managed all matters that came before the board, which is the policy-making and oversight authority for the Chicago Public Schools, a $4 billion school system with more than 600 schools and 430,000 students. In the Mayor's Office she was involved in project management and policy development on a broad range of issues, including education, housing, and economic development.

In addition, Jean has worked in philanthropy, as a senior staff associate for the Chicago Community Trust, and in journalism, as a reporter for the Miami Herald and the Chicago Reporter, where she won awards for both investigative reporting and public service. As a volunteer, she served on the board of Chicago Public Radio.

Jean Franczyk has an M.A. from the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy Studies and a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

She is a very-amateur athlete, an avid traveler, and a big fan of museums and public art.