Nancy Hanks

Having gone from a life of poverty on the west side of Chicago to becoming a Harvard graduate, Nancy knows firsthand that students’ futures are not predetermined by their personal circumstance. As chief of schools for elementary in the Madison Metropolitan School District, Nancy led her schools to ten-point increases in literacy and mathematics overall. In addition, 17 schools have made at least ten-point gains in literacy five years, and five schools have made over 20 point gains in literacy in the past five years. As a principal in Chicago, Nancy led the transformation of her school and successfully managed adding 90 minutes to the school day, a complex move that improved academic outcomes and created a more well-rounded school day for her students and staff. She’s been recognized on The Root 100 for her work to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline, as one of Brava Magazine’s Women to Watch, and Madison 365’s Power 100 as one of the most influential Black leaders in Wisconsin. Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in school leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a devoted daughter, sister, aunt & friend.