Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced the appointment of seven new members of the Chicago Board of Education, who will work to establish policies, standards and initiatives that will ensure all students of Chicago Public Schools have access to high-quality education regardless of their income, address, or background. Comprised of education experts, former teachers, LSC members, current or former CPS parents and three CPS graduates, the newly appointed member will serve on the Board of Education as Chicago continues to work towards a fully independent, elected school board.

"The strength of our schools lies in their diversity, which is why we've announced a new board with strong representation to reflect the diverse voices of the students, families, teachers and staff of who they serve," said Mayor Lightfoot. "I want to thank our new board members who through their expertise and experience as teachers, administrators, parents, and proud CPS graduates, will ensure all students in all parts of the city have access to high-quality education."

Miguel del Valle, Board President

As the first Latinx elected to the Illinois State Senate and City Clerk of Chicago, Miguel del Valle has been committed to public service and education since he graduated from Chicago Public Schools in 1969. Additionally, del Valle has served as Vice Chairman to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), working to make college accessible and affordable for students across the state. Miguel del Valle holds an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University.

Sendhil Revuluri, Board Vice President

Born in Chicago, Sendhil Revuluri has devoted his career in finance and improving opportunity for children in high-need schools. As a founding teacher at the Bronx Academy of Letters, a public secondary school in the South Bronx, Revuluri was recognized as a Math for America Master Teacher. He subsequently worked in the CPS Office of High School Teaching & Learning and as Associate Director of the Suburban Cook County Mathematics Initiative, a project for collaborative improvement in teaching and learning benefiting over 40,000 K–12 students in 40 public school districts. He has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations and as a parent member of the Local School Council of Suder Montessori Magnet Elementary School. Revuluri is currently the Managing Director of Strategic Development at PEAK6 Capital Management, which leverages technology to manage risk in the options market. Revuluri studied at the University of Chicago and Pace University.

Dwayne Truss

As a life-long resident of Chicago and a proud graduate of Chicago Public Schools, Truss has served his community over the past several decades as a current member of the Columbus Park Advisory Council, former board member of Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education and as an LSC member at a variety of schools, including at Byford (now Brunson), Hitch and Ella Flagg Young Elementary School. Truss earned his B.S. in Accounting from Northeastern Illinois University in 1985.

Elizabeth Todd-Breland

Elizabeth Todd-Breland is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Chicago, with her research and teaching focusing on U.S. urban history, African American history, and the history of education. Todd-Breland is a CPS parent, served as a community member on the Local School Council at William C. Reavis Elementary School, and worked with Chicago high school students as a social studies instructor and college counselor. She earned her PhD in History from the University of Chicago.

Lucino Sotelo

As a proud CPS alum of Wells Community Academy and proud parent of two current CPS students, Lucino Sotelo has committed himself to community service and investing in organizations that help others achieve higher levels of success, with a passionate focus on educational equality. Sotelo currently works as the Chief Marketing Officer for KemperSports Management. He previously served as an Executive Board Member for City Year Chicago. Sotelo has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelors of Science degree from DePaul University in Accounting.

Luisiana Meléndez

Dr. Luisiana Meléndez is an Associate Clinical Professor at Erikson Institute and director of the Institute’s Bilingual/ESL Certificate Program. She received her BA in Psychology in her native Dominican Republic and a master’s in early childhood education and a doctorate in child development from Loyola University Chicago/Erikson Institute. Before working in higher education, Dr. Meléndez worked for close to two decades as an early childhood and elementary teacher in the Dominican Republic and in the U.S.

Amy Rome

Amy Rome has dedicated her career to supporting all students and families to thrive, challenging systemic inequities that perpetuate gaps in opportunity within and across schools.  For more than 20 years, she worked in and with Chicago Public Schools as a teacher, teacher leader, school leader, and principal supervisor. Amy served as the principal of the National Teachers Academy, where she worked closely with families and staff to lead significant gains in student achievement.  Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language and Literature from The University of Iowa and a master’s in Language Minority Education from National Louis University.

The new Board members will be installed prior to the June Board of Education meeting. In a departure from its present practice, the school board will aim to conduct more of its business in public session, rather than in the executive session.

Also joining Mayor Lightfoot's leadership team is Dr. Sybil M. Madison, who will serve as Deputy Mayor for Education and Human Services, overseeing the administration's education and youth-related policies. Dr. Madison’s more than 20-year career in education has focused on achieving equitable outcomes for youth in Chicago. Currently a Research Associate and Lecturer at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy, she directs Chicago City of Learning, a city-wide effort to address the opportunity gap between more- and less-resourced youth. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master's and doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology, with a focus on Community Psychology, from the University of California at Berkeley.

The Chicago Board of Education, founded in 1840, is responsible for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third largest school district in the United States of America. It establishes policies, standards, goals and initiatives to ensure accountability and provide high quality, world-class education for the 21st century that prepares our students for success in college, work and life.