Running D200 is a serious and complicated business, and we should look to serious and experienced leaders to do it.
Who is Audrey?
I grew up on the near Westside of Chicago, the oldest of five children. Our mother migrated from rural Arkansas to pursue better educational opportunities for her children, and after a divorce she raised us on her own. I attended Chicago Public Schools and am the first in my family to attend college. I received a BS in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University and a MS in Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University.
My husband and I moved to Oak Park in 2000 and are proud members of the community. Our two sons have matriculated through the Oak Park schools. Our older son is a 2019 graduate of OPRFHS, and our younger son is currently a Junior at the high school.
My Values
My values are derived from my faith and how I was raised. They are core to who I am and how I show up.
Family. Integrity. Respect.Transparency. Equity. Collaboration. Kindness. Having an Impact.
Community Involvement
Giving back is important to me, as is having a positive impact. I started volunteering at age 15 and never stopped.
Over the past 18 years, I have served on multiple nonprofit boards, as well as civic and community committees, and work groups. A common thread through all my service is a focus on Youth, Under-Resourced Communities, and Social Justice. The following is a summary of organizations I currently support, or have supported.
Oak Park Schools
- District 200 Board of Education
- Imagine Work Group
- Community Council
- A.P.P.L.E.
- District 97 PTOC Co-Chair
- Mann and Julian PTOs
- District 97 Superintendent Advisory Council
Youth Focused Community Service
- Hephzibah Children’s Association
- Youth Guidance
- Northwestern University IEMS Advisory Board
Under-Resourced Communities & Social Justice
- Skills for Chicagoland’s Future
- Corporate Coalition of Chicago
- Circle Urban Ministries
Social Justice & Interfaith Dialogue
- Chicago Theological Seminary
Professional Experience
I am a Human Resources Professional, a career I found after summer internships led me to realize I did not want to work as an Engineer.
HR has proven to be a great choice for me. From Industrial Engineering I pull systems thinking, efficiency/optimization, and management sciences (how people, groups, and organizations interact). From my interests and inclinations come the ability to build relationships and trust, strong leadership, a desire to have an impact, and a commitment to equity. My experience leading functional teams has allowed me to apply a broader lens to my passion for making a difference and tackling inequities.
Over the past 12 years, I have held executive leadership roles and most recently served as Chief People Office for Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. My responsibilities have encompassed Human Resources, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Patient-Family Experience, and Corporate Social Responsibility. Being an executive has taught me the importance of taking an enterprise view, and making the right decisions to sustain an organization over the long-term.
My employers have included Fortune 250 companies and large nonprofits. I am skilled in Leading Others, Financial Management, Strategic Planning, Governance, Decision Making, Thinking Critically and Problem Solving. I possess an ability to create inclusive and psychologically safe spaces, while also having the necessary difficult conversations.
Audrey’s Vision
A vibrant, equitable, and radically inclusive school environment that supports the academic and social-emotional needs of ALL students.
My vision is aligned with, and supports, the District’s Mission and Vision
OPRFHS Mission
Oak Park and River Forest High School provides a dynamic, supportive learning environment that cultivates knowledge, skills, and character and strives for equity and excellence for all students.
OPRFHS Vision
Oak Park and River Forest High School will become an ever-improving model of equity and excellence that will enable all students to achieve their full potential.
Vision: Radical Inclusion
A radically inclusive school environment supports a focus on student learning and equity across multiple dimensions, including understanding the importance of physical environment and its impact on learning. Facilities are a key factor in how students experience the school. The Imagine Work Group’s findings, which included 669 student survey responses and more than 665 student listening sessions, resulted in recommendations for a master facilities plan tied to:
Student Learning Spaces
There was, and remains, a big need to address inefficiencies from several decades of piecemeal construction.
Equity
Emerged as a need along several overlapping dimensions, including race, ability, gender, sex, class, and ethnicity, but also extending to other frequently marginalized groups who often feel unwelcome and excluded (e.g., students who are bullied or ostracized).
Imagine OPRF Final RecommendationConnection & Community
Facility changes that could help create a more welcoming and inclusive school were identifed.
Configuration & Capacity
All students should be in learning spaces that are safe, accessible and conducive to student health. Reconfiguration of learning and gathering spaces is required to optimize the learning environment.
Priority: Safe & Inclusive School Climate and Culture
Safety has both physical and emotional components. I support a holistic approach encompassing Physical/Campus and Psychological Safety
Physical/Campus Safety
Physical/Campus Safety is foundational to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all students and staff. It is broad, encompassing personal physical safety, building physical security measures, communications, policies, partnerships, and equity. It requires:
- A Secure Learning Environment
- Building and Grounds Security
- Emergency Management
- Collaboration w/External Partners
- Threat Assessment & Management
- Strong Communications
- Incident Command Structure
- Multi-tiered Sytems of Support
- Behavioral Education Plan
- Restorative Justice
Psychological Safety
A Safe and Inclusive Climate and Culture is critical for fostering Psychological Safety. OPRFHS is committed to fostering a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all students and staff, and will continue to improve and strengthen the school climate through these efforts:
- Cultural Assessment
- Improving Processes and Practices
- Strenghtening Board Policies
Welcoming School Environment
Creating a welcoming school environment was key to the Imagine Master Facilities Plan. The process included over 1,300 student survey responses and listening sessions where we learned the following:
- Students of color reported feeling unwelcome in a school where there were too few spaces for them to gather during and after school.
- Gender expansive and trans students told the Imagine Work Group that inadequate restroom and locker room facilities made them feel unwelcome.
- Students reported feeling unwelcome in the cafeterias.
- Students with disabilities reported feeling unwelcome when confronted by physical barriers to their free movement throughout the school.
Priority: Continued Funding of Mental Health & Wellbeing Resources
Current State of Teen Mental Health
CDC Findings
In the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013 – 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that for the past decade, a growing number of adolescents have reported poor mental health and feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness. These feelings cut across all demographic groups and were more prevalent for female and LGBTQ+ students.
WHO Findings
The World Health Organization (WHO) published a fact sheet on the mental health of adolescents. Key findings:
- Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group
- Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents; suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15-29 years old
- The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults
Mental Health Resource Constraints
There is a shortage of pediatric physicians and therapists to provide care. The equity issue of affordability and who has access to resources and treatment adds to the challenge. As a District, we must continue to invest in student mental health and wellbeing to sustain a supportive learning environment.
Student Wellness
Using a holistic approach to safety and school climate that relies on restorative and proactive safety strategies inside and outside of the building, CSS collaborates with partners such as school administration, the Oak Park Police Department, parents, and community stakeholders to identify risks in the community that could affect the safety of our school.
Learn More: Emergency Management Learn More: Intergovernmental Agreement
Budget Overview
- FY24 fund balance: $65 million (77% of expenditures)
- Budget for fiscal year 2025: $139 million
- Operating expenditures: $91 million
- Capital expenditures: $48 million
- Projected fund balance for June 30, 2025: $70 million (77% of operating expenditures)
Learn More: Budget and Financial Reports
About Project 2 Financing
Total Cost: $102 million
- $44.2 million from fund balance
- $45.3 million in debt certificates*
- $12.5 million in donations through the Imagine Foundation
*Debt certificates
- Payments are budgeted and paid from fund balance – $3 million annually over 20 years.
- No separate, additional debt levy on property tax bills.
- Maintains fund balance within range specified by Board policy (25% – 50% of operating expenses).
Learn More: Facilities
Stand with Audrey
Your support is needed and appreciated! Please use the form below to Ask Questions, Volunteer, Request a Yard Sign and/or Buttons, Host a Meet & Greet, Attend a Candidate Forum, Write an Endorsement, Write a Letter of Support to the Wednesday Journal, etc. I look forward to hearing from you!
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website ( www.elections.il.gov ) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.