Wendy has extensive experience in grants administration and operations management having worked in philanthropy since 2005. She has always been dedicated to purposeful work and supporting communities. As Director of Operations, Wendy oversees the Foundation’s operations and administration of grants. While Wendy wears many hats for the Foundation, her expertise lies in process optimization inside the organization so time can be spent where it’s better served – building relationships with nonprofit partners. She specializes in workflow design and management, database systems, and project management.
Before joining the foundation’s team, she held many key administrative roles within the Steans Family Foundation. In addition, she has completed extensive consulting projects inside the non-profit space for the Terra Foundation for American Arts, the Mazza Foundation, and the Michael Reese Health Trust. Wendy is an active member of PEAK grant making and Foundant’s Grants Life Cycle network.
When she isn’t juggling projects, Wendy enjoys cooking with her son, dancing with her daughter, and spending time with her husband, friends, and family outdoors. She’s grateful to call Chicago home and takes full advantage of living in a city with so much culture. She can be found biking the lake front trail, listening to live music, and dining at the many restaurants Chicago has to offer.
Wendy obtained her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Aurora University.