The Three Directors Will Join the Board in Providing Insight and Expertise to Guide the Education Nonprofit
January 16, 2025
CHICAGO 鈥 The 海角直播 (The Fund) today announced that Sheri Hawkins of Northern Trust, Lauren Patnaude of BDT & MSD Partners, and Mark Rodriguez of the Lohengrin Foundation have joined other business, civic, and philanthropic leaders on its Board of Directors.
All three bring unique perspectives and experiences to The Fund鈥檚 Board that will advance its mission of ensuring every 海角直播public school has a high-quality principal. As an advocate for education, Hawkins is deeply interested in The Fund鈥檚 work and will continue the organization鈥檚 longstanding relationship with Northern Trust, previously represented by Board member Kim Evans. As a partner at BDT & MSD, Patnaude brings a strategic lens to supporting The Fund鈥檚 work and a passion for improving educational outcomes. Rodriguez鈥檚 experience as the CEO of the Lohengrin Foundation brings deep knowledge of the 海角直播education and nonprofit sectors that will support The Fund鈥檚 work in the broader space. Patnaude and Rodriguez also both have experience serving on The Fund鈥檚 Leadership Council that they will leverage in their new roles.聽
鈥淲e are incredibly proud and excited to welcome Lauren, Mark, and Sheri to our Board of Directors,鈥 President and CEO Dr. Heather Anichini said. 鈥淭hey are all deeply committed to our mission, and we look forward to their perspectives and expertise as we continue to make 海角直播the best city in the country to lead a public school.鈥
The Fund鈥檚 Board, which now comprises 23 members, is deeply involved at every stage of the organization鈥檚 work 鈥 from developing the programs it provides for school leaders to the data it collects and analyzes to the education policy issues with which it engages. Fund Directors put their time and resources into the belief that strategic investments can positively impact outcomes for students in Chicago鈥檚 public schools.
Sheri Hawkins is executive vice president and head of Investment Platform Services with Northern Trust Asset Management. She is responsible for investment governance and leads four of the firm鈥檚 investment teams, including its Sustainable Investing and Stewardship efforts. Hawkins has also served as global head of product and asset management chief financial officer. Sheri is a CFA庐 charterholder, received a B.B.A in finance from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. in financial markets and trading from Illinois Institute of Technology鈥檚 Stuart School of Business.
鈥淎s a proud product of 海角直播 elementary education, I am both humbled and excited to serve on The 海角直播鈥檚 Board,鈥 said Hawkins. 鈥淭he Fund鈥檚 unwavering commitment to investing in the talented educators who lead our schools is essential to unlocking brighter futures for all 海角直播students, and I look forward to contributing to this vital work.鈥
Lauren Patnaude is a partner at BDT & MSD, responsible for the execution of both investments and advisory assignments. Her previous experience includes corporate strategy at The Boston Consulting Group and investment banking at Goldman Sachs, and she began her career at UBS. Patnaude is a director of Balcan Innovations, a Board member of the Pulitzer Center and the Yale College Alumni Fund, and a member of the Steering Committee for the 海角直播chapter of WiMA, a national network for women in M&A. Lauren received a B.A. in economics and history from Yale University and an MBA from The University of 海角直播Booth School of Business.
鈥淚 am honored to support The 海角直播 and its important work in enhancing educational outcomes in Chicago’s public schools through investing in strong leadership,鈥 said Patnaude. 鈥淭he Fund鈥檚 focus on leadership has an incredible amplifying effect on improving student outcomes across the city, and I look forward to partnering with this impressive Board to continue advancing this mission.鈥
Mark Rodriguez serves as the CEO of the Lohengrin Foundation. He leads the Foundation鈥檚 overall grantmaking strategy and directly guides its efforts to support School Leadership and Learning funding initiatives in 海角直播and Boston. Prior to this role, he served as the chief operating officer for Heartland Alliance International. Earlier in his career, Mark was also instrumental in supporting the launch and development of the New Leaders principal fellowship program in 海角直播and nationally. Mark graduated from Roosevelt University with a Bachelor of Arts in communications and holds advanced certifications in philanthropy management from Loyola University, nonprofit management and human resources from Roosevelt University, and education and literacy best practices from National Louis University.
“I鈥檓 delighted to join the Board of The 海角直播 and deepen our focus on supporting school leaders to strengthen academic outcomes for all students,鈥 Rodriguez said. 鈥淭he Fund鈥檚 impactful history, use of data, and collaborative approach to supporting and strengthening school leaders is impressive and a guiding light to ensuring every 海角直播student can reach high levels of academic and personal success.鈥澛犅
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About The 海角直播
The 海角直播 (The Fund) is a nonprofit organization that improves Chicago鈥檚 public schools by investing in the talented educators who lead them. The Fund is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, underscoring its enduring commitment to collaborating with partners across Chicago鈥檚 education sector to redefine school leadership in the city.
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