Andrea Sáenz is the president and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation's largest and oldest community foundations. Under her leadership, the Trust is committed to fostering a stronger and more prosperous Chicago region where access to opportunities transcends race, ethnicity, or zip code. This mission is both professionally fulfilling and deeply personal for Sáenz, who has dedicated her career to reimagining civic institutions to better serve all community members. Before being appointed president and CEO in 2022, she served as the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer.

Sáenz’s previous leadership roles include her work for the Chicago Public Library, where she led transformational efforts to redefine the role of libraries for a digital age. She also led local and national efforts to improve education systems at Chicago Public Schools, the U.S. Department of Education, and community-based organizations focused on increasing Latine career success.

Recognized as one of Chicago’s influential leaders, Sáenz was featured on Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Who’s Who in Chicago” list and its inaugural “Women of Note” list in 2023. She was named one of Chicago’s 25 Most Powerful Latinos by Crain’s Chicago Business in 2019. Her extensive board service includes the Economic Club of Chicago, National Louis University, American Civil Liberties Union, Chicago Public Education Fund, and Chicago Public Library Foundation. She is a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow since 2009 and serves as an advisor for the Center for Effective Government at the University of Chicago. Sáenz has received honorary doctorates from Dominican University and Lake Forest College. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from Scripps College.

She lives in the Hyde Park neighborhood with her husband, daughter, and cats. 

Renetta McCann has been recognized as a leading innovator and influential executive in the advertising, marketing, and media industries. She has a global reputation for building brands and developing the organizations and leadership to sustain them.

McCann is Chief Inclusion Experience Officer for Publicis Groupe, one of the world’s largest communications groups. In this role, she supports initiatives that drive inclusion, benefitting the company’s clients and their consumers or customers. Previously, she served as Chief Talent Officer for Leo Burnett USA as well as Publicis Communications North America. Prior to that, she was CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group Worldwide; under her leadership, client billings exceeded $26 billion and the global workforce rose to over 6,000 people.

Since 2016, McCann has served as an adjunct lecturer in Northwestern’s MS in Learning and Organizational Change program, co-teaching courses on organizational design as well as equity, inclusion, and justice in organizations. This work has deepened her perspective as a business strategist who operates at the intersection of organizations, focusing on leadership, complexity, change / learning, and the future of work.

Currently, she is a member of the board of directors for the American Advertising Foundation, 4A’s Foundation, She Runs It Foundation, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. She serves as the vice-chair for the Executive Committee of the Chicago Community Trust.

In 2023, McCann was inducted in the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Fame, the industry’s highest recognition, and received the David A. Bell Award for Industry Service. In 2020, she was honored with the ADCOLOR Lifetime Achievement Award, Sheldon J. Levy Leadership Award, and Chicago Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award. In 2024, Renetta was one of three recipients of Northwestern University Alumni medalist Award.

McCann graduated from Northwestern with a BS in Communication Studies from the School of Communication and a MS in Learning and Organizational Change from the School of Education and Social Policy.

Offering affordable, high-quality education that propels students into meaningful careers and advances their social and economic mobility.