Cristina Pacione-Zayas

Cristina Pacione-Zayas, PhD, possesses extensive experience in education policy and government. Currently serving as Chief of Staff for the City of Chicago, Cristina previously held the position of First Deputy Chief of Staff. As a State Senator in the Illinois State Senate, Cristina contributed to legislative development. Additionally, experience at the Erikson Institute included roles as Associate Vice President and Director of Policy. Prior to this, Cristina was the Education Director at the Latino Policy Forum and coordinated initiatives at Chicago Public Schools. Cristina earned a PhD and a Master of Education in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.