Governance
A 7-member corporate Board of Directors and a 13-member Advisory Council oversee the University of Chicago Charter School alongside Charter and Campus directors. University of Chicago leaders sit on the Board of Directors. Parent leaders, community leaders and University leaders are members of the Advisory Council.
Board of Directors
The UChicago Charter School’s Board of Directors is responsible for the fiduciary and legal obligations of the UChicago Charter.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council includes parent, community, and University of Chicago leaders who provide guidance and direction on major policy and program initiatives at the UChicago Charter School.
P-TAC
The UChicago Charter School’s Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee (P-TAC) supports the development and implementation of student discipline policies.

Board of Directors
- Daniel Abebe, Chair Board of Directors
Vice Provost, the Harold J. and Marion F. Green Professor of Law and Walter Mander Teaching Scholar, University of Chicago - Tanika Island Childress
CEO, the University of Chicago Charter School
The University of Chicago - Derek R. B. Douglas
Vice President for Civic Engagement and External Affairs
The University of Chicago - Deborah Gorman-Smith
Emily Klein Gidwitz Professor and Dean of the School of Social Service Administration
The University of Chicago - Ivan Samstein
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer - Susana L. Vasquez
Associate Vice President for Office of Civic Engagement - Katie Callow Wright
Executive Vice President of the University and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President

Advisory Council
- Danielle Brown (Woodlawn)
- Donna Dortzbach (NKO)
- Julie Getzels
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
Art Institute of Chicago - Harold (Hank) Handelsman
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
The Pritzker Organization, LLC - John Mark Hansen (Mark)
Charles L. Hutchinson Distinguished Service Professor and Senior Advisor to the President University of Chicago - Chris Harris Sr.
Senior Pastor – Bright Star Church of God in Christ
CEO – Bright Star Community Outreach, Inc. (BSCO) - Priscilla Kersten
President
Square One Foundation - Patricia C. Lane (Patty)
Community Leader and Volunteer - Charles A. Lewis (Chuck)
Chairman
Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation
- Laura Van Peenan
Managing Director, Investment Banking
William Blair & Company - Lee Pratter
Senior Director of Development
Chicago Housing Authority - Patrice Ziegler (Donoghue)

Parent-Teacher Advisory Council
- Derrick Asante
Teacher, North Kenwood/Oakland Campus - Josh and Donna Dortzbach
Parents, North Kenwood/Oakland Campus - Patrice Bledsoe
Parent, Donoghue Campus - Jerome Anderson
Parent, Donoghue Campus
- Danielle Brown
Parent, Woodlawn Middle School Campus - Angel Burgess
Parent, Woodlawn High School Campus

UCW High School Senior Julien Sims Featured on ABC7 Chicago for College Admissions Accomplishments
On the evening of Sunday, April 18, our very own UCW High School senior Julien Sims was featured on ABC7 Chicago for his extremely impressive accomplishments this college application season. Julien was accepted to all 25 colleges to which he applied, including...

All UChicago Charter Families Are Invited to Take In-Person IAR Assessment
Dear UChicago Charter School Families, We acknowledge the trying nature of the 2020-21 school year and that many families have chosen to remain in remote learning. However, we are offering the ISBE-mandated Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test in-person. We...

UCW Senior Moses Corona Admitted to Johns Hopkins Class of 2025
We are beyond thrilled to announce that UCW High School senior Moses Corona was accepted to Johns Hopkins University’s Class of 2025! Moses is among the fewer than 5% of students who were accepted to Johns Hopkins through the regular decision application round. Moses...

UCW Senior Bryan Burns Accepts Admissions Offer to Denison University
We are thrilled to announce that UCW Senior Bryan Burns has accepted his admissions offer to Denison University! This fall, Bryan will set off to Granville, Ohio, where Denison University is located, to begin his undergraduate career at one of the nation’s leading...
School Newsletter Archives
School Newsletter Archives
UChicago Charter School
A Division of the Urban Education Institute
at the University of Chicago