Phyllis Lockett is a civic leader who has leveraged her passion for community service and business background to make a difference. A native of Chicago’s south side, Ms. Lockett has been the “behind-the-scenes” strategist on major policy initiatives in education reform, public housing, transportation, and youth services.
Ms. Lockett is currently the President and CEO of The Renaissance Schools Fund (RSF). RSF is a public-private partnership that guides the selection, start-up capital investment and accountability for an urban education initiative that will create 100 new schools in underserved communities throughout Chicago. Renaissance 2010 was launched by Mayor Richard M. Daley, the Chicago Public Schools district and the Chicago business community in 2004. Ms. Lockett designed and launched the Renaissance Schools Fund, which now has assets of more than $42 million. She oversees the strategy, policy, fundraising and research for the initiative.
Ms. Lockett is the former Executive Director of the Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA). CCA is a pro bono consulting firm sponsored by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago that leads strategic planning initiatives, process improvement and program development projects for government agencies. In this role, Ms. Lockett developed and managed partnerships with top Chicagocorporations to deliver more than $5 million in pro bono consulting services annually. In a unique approach that was the first of its kind, she established The Chicago Consulting Council, comprised of the leading consulting firms in the country, to help bring private sector solutions to city government.
Ms. Lockett has played an instrumental role in some of the largest initiatives for the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Housing Authority. These projects include:
The organization and program management approach for the Chicago Transit Authority’s $2.8 billion capital improvement program
Re- organization of the management structure, resident relocation, capital construction, asset management and economic development strategies to support the Chicago Housing Authority’s 10-year, $1.5 billion Plan for Transformation
The City-wide youth program consolidation that resulted in the establishment of the City of Chicago’s Children and Youth Services Department
The CPS Human Capital strategic plan to improve recruitment, induction, professional development and evaluation of teachers and principals
Prior to CCA, Ms. Lockett led a community redevelopment effort on the near South Side that led to the building of a new elementary school and community center, the commercial redevelopment plan for 21st -26th & State Street and the Near South Job Training Center, which placed over 200 Chicago Housing Authority residents in jobs.
Ms. Lockett has over ten years of marketing, sales and business development experience with premier companies including IBM, Kraft Foods and General Mills. She serves as a member of the City Year Chicago Board of Directors, the Irving B. Harris Public Policy School Visiting Committee at the University of Chicago, the Economic Club of Chicago Membership Committee and The Chicago Network. She is currently a Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute. Ms. Lockett holds a Master of Management degree from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, with a concentration in Marketing. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.
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