Join us for the Annual ED-RED Kick-Off Luncheon, where education meets advocacy in a dynamic setting! This event brings together educators, community leaders, and policymakers from Cook and Lake Counties to celebrate achievements, discuss key issues, and set the stage for a successful year ahead. Enjoy insightful conversations, networking opportunities, and an engaging keynote as we unite in our commitment to advancing the future of suburban public schools. Don’t miss this chance to be part of education advocacy—mark your calendar and help us kick off the year with impact!

KEYNOTE:

Rebecca Vonderlack-Navarro, Vice President of Education Policy & Research at the Latino Policy Forum

The vision of the education department is that Latinos and English Learners from early childhood through college receive equitable educational opportunities leading to economic prosperity. To accomplish this, Rebecca leads a team that concentrates its efforts on promoting quality bilingual education programming, equitable access to early childhood programming that is responsive to language and cultural difference, diversifying the teacher pipeline, quality parent engagement, and promoting Latino college access and completion.

Her recent work involves a research-policy partnership with the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research which is examining English Learner achievement from early childhood education to postsecondary and with the Illinois Workforce and Research Education Collaborative examining issues influencing Latino college access and completion. Her advocacy efforts are greatly concentrated on ensuring English Learners have access to quality education and dealing with the vast shortage of qualified bilingual and bicultural educators across Illinois.

As part of the Senior Leadership Team, Rebecca helps set and oversee the implementation of the organization’s vision, strategy, goals, and overall policy agenda. She is also responsible for maintaining and strengthening the culture and work ethics of the organization.

Rebecca is a state-appointed member of the Illinois Advisory Council of Bilingual Education, Illinois Education Equity Committee, and KIDS Advisory Committee. She also serves on the board of the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative.

Rebecca earned her PhD from the School of Social Service Administrators at the University of Chicago.

THANK YOU to our ED-RED Annual Sponsors!