Heather Y. Anichini

Heather leads The Fund’s work to make Chicago the best city in America to lead a public school. A firm believer that strong leadership drives student success, Heather has raised over $100 million to support and retain exceptional school leaders. She oversees a talented team, cultivates strategic partnerships, and upholds The Fund’s reputation for strong execution, deep respect for educators, and commitment to collaborative problem-solving.

Before joining The Fund, Heather spent six years at Teach For America, launching programs to support teacher leadership, policy innovation, and classroom excellence nationwide. She began her education career on Chicago’s West Side, where she wrote her graduate thesis on Umoja Student Development Corporation and later taught middle school social studies at Goldblatt Elementary.

Heather currently serves on the boards of Teach For America Chicago-Northwest Indiana, the Illinois Literacy Foundation, and the Chicago Education Alliance, as well as The Chicago Network’s membership committee. She is a member of the Economic and Commercial Clubs of Chicago and a Pahara Fellow. A certified teacher, principal, and superintendent in Illinois, she holds a doctorate in education leadership and has completed executive training at Harvard and Northwestern. She teaches at the college level whenever possible.

Outside of work, Heather and her husband, a former CPS biology teacher and coach, are raising four energetic children with the support of a large, committed, and hilarious extended family. Their life is mostly joyful, always busy, and never quiet.