Sonia Mathew

Sonia Mathew is the Director of Partnerships and leads engagement with grantmaking partners including the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox and the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago to leverage the power of collective giving and broaden the scope of organizations that McCormick supports. Sonia serves as a connector between partners, their grantees, and the Foundation’s grantmaking, to support joint efforts to deepen our impact in Chicago communities. Previously, Sonia served as a Program Officer in the Democracy Program at the Foundation, where she directed the youth civic engagement strategy and managed the Democracy Schools Initiative to strengthen the state’s civic education system.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Sonia’s career was grounded in both the classroom and the nonprofit sector. She spent almost ten years as a social studies teacher in Chicago and her experience with nonprofits included work with Urban Teacher Residency United, Mikva Challenge, and Public Allies Chicago. She completed her BA in Political Science at the University of Michigan and her MA through the Social and Cultural Foundations in Education Program at DePaul University.