From Appointment to Election: Navigating Chicago’s Historic Transition to a Fully Elected School Board - City Club Chicago

From Appointment to Election: Navigating Chicago’s Historic Transition to a Fully Elected School Board

Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026

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Speakers

Ann Williams

Ann Williams is currently serving as State Representative for the 11th District on Chicago’s North Side. 
Ann is an Assistant Majority Leader and currently serves as Chair of the House Executive committee – which is charged with handling many of the high priority issues being advanced before the General Assembly, including the state budget, transit issues and pension reform. 
Ann chaired the House working group charged with implementing Chicago’s first ever elected school board legislation and remains engaged with members of the Chicago School Board on issues including pension parity, fiscal stability and governance.
During her legislative career, Ann has been a strong leader on issues related to the environment, sustainability and clean energy policy and chaired the House Energy & Environment committee for several years. Other legislative priorities include supporting Chicago’s neighborhood schools, protecting critical human services, preventing gun violence, and restoring fiscal stability to Illinois. 
Ann is a strong and unwavering advocate of reproductive rights and was a leader in bringing marriage equality to Illinois. She remains committed to ensuring equality for all Illinois families. Ann has sponsored and supported numerous legislative initiatives pertaining to privacy rights and data privacy.
Ann received her law degree from Drake University Law School and her undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa.  Prior to her election, Ann was an Assistant Attorney General and the Legislative Director for Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Prior to serving as an Assistant Attorney General, Ann was a staff attorney for the Illinois House of Representatives. Ann is a practicing attorney, focusing on municipal and local government law. 

Sean Harden

Sean B. Harden is a seasoned civic leader with more than two decades of executive level experience in public policy, economic development, and institutional leadership.

Raised on Chicago’s South Side, Harden has built a career strengthening public systems and expanding economic opportunity. His leadership roles have included Assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley for Community Affairs, where he served as liaison to faith-based leaders, community stakeholders, and foreign dignitaries; Director of Workforce Solutions for the City of Chicago, where he developed customized training programs designed to prepare thousands of residents for newly created job opportunities; Deputy CEO of Community Affairs for Chicago Public Schools; and CEO of Goodcity, a nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities.

As President of the Chicago Board of Education, Harden leads the nation’s largest school board following its historic expansion from seven to 21 members. As President and liaison to the Mayor and intergovernmental partners, he has prioritized fiscal stability, complex negotiations, student-centered engagement and structural reform during one of the most consequential transitions in the District’s history.

Under his leadership, the Board has:

  • Ratified collective bargaining agreements with the Chicago Teachers Union, SEIU Local 1, and the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association — including the first CTU agreement in more than 15 years reached without a strike;
  • Approved an amended tax levy generating approximately $25 million in additional FY2026 revenue; and
  • Adopted a balanced FY2026 budget amid significant fiscal pressures, following a historic TIF surplus investment exceeding $500 million for public education.

Recognizing that strong institutions require strong governance, Harden secured a partnership with the National School Boards Association to implement nationally recognized board governance standards at no cost to the District. He has led the establishment of formal board protocols, guiding principles, and structural reforms designed to ensure long-term stability beyond any single administration.

In addition to his public service, Harden is Chairman of Inner Voice, supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, and Chairman of the Revolution Institute, advancing workforce certification and apprenticeship pathways. He previously served 16 years as Chairman of Friend Health, one of Illinois’ largest federally qualified health centers.

An entrepreneur and developer, Harden founded Harden Wright Consultant Group in 2013 and later launched Hard Wright Development, where he structured and negotiated a multimillion-dollar investment to deliver the first block-wide residential development in more than three decades in Chicago’s West Woodlawn community.

Harden studied Business Administration and Marketing at Morehouse College and holds professional certifications including project management from DePaul University’s Egan Urban Center. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as community development with an emphasis on capacity building, institutional leadership, and cross-sector partnership strategy.

 

 

 

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