Gretchen Sims

Gretchen Crosby Sims joined the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicgo as executive director in January 2018. She has served in a variety of executive and strategy roles in the policy, politics, philanthropy, nonprofit, academic, and impact investing sectors. Most recently, she was a director at London-based Social Finance UK, where she led policy efforts and the firm’s education practice. Until 2014, Gretchen was chief program executive at The Joyce Foundation, a private foundation in Chicago with assets of $900 million and $40 million in annual grants. In that role, she oversaw seven programs: education, environment, employment, gun violence prevention, democracy, culture, and special opportunities. Gretchen has also worked at the Council on Foreign Relations, CNN, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and as a policy adviser to presidential candidate Bill Bradley. She holds Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in political science from Stanford University and a B.A. in government from Harvard University.