The Fund Welcomes Austan Goolsbee to its Board of Directors

September 20, 2017 – Today, The Chicago Public Education Fund’s Board of Directors announced the election of Austan Goolsbee, Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Previously, Austan served in Washington, D.C. as the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers and a member of President Obama’s cabinet. “I’m honored to join Chicago’s business and philanthropic leaders on The Fund’s Board of Directors,” said Goolsbee. “I am excited to work with the Board and team as they use data to identify challenges, design solutions and create pathways to innovative school leadership in Chicago.” Goolsbee’s research has earned him recognition as a Fulbright Scholar and an Alfred P. Sloan fellow. He was named one of the 100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, and one of the six "Gurus of the Future" by the Financial Times. In addition, Goolsbee’s ability to explain economics clearly has made him popular in the media. Jon Stewart once described him as "Eliot Ness meets Milton Friedman," and Goolsbee has twice been named a "star" professor by Business Week's "Guide to the Best Business Schools." “We are delighted to welcome Austan to The Fund’s Board of Directors,” said Heather Y. Anichini, President and CEO of The Fund. “His deep ties to Chicago and unique perspective will provide new depth to The Fund’s work with principals and help us reach our ambitious goals in the years ahead.” Goolsbee joins a Board of Directors comprised of corporate, civic, and education leaders working to ensure that every child in Chicago has access to a world-class public education. Directors pool their dollars, ideas, and time with the belief that strategic investments can have a positive impact on the performance of Chicago’s district and charter public schools. In addition to his work with The Fund, Goolsbee serves on the Economic Advisory Panel to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and has previously served on the Panel of Economic Advisors to the Congressional Budget Office, the U.S. Census Advisory Commission and as a special consultant for Internet Policy to the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. He joined Chicago Booth in 1995. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his M.A. and B.A. in Economics from Yale University.