Karin Norington-Reaves

About Karin

• My parents divorced by the time I was two years old, so I was raised by my mom as a single parent—she worked hard, long hours and wasn’t home often, but I also had support from my extended family.
• I started working in retail when I was about 15 years old, which was my first exposure to professional responsibility.
• I got into my dream school, Northwestern University, for my bachelor’s degree and was the second African American student government president!
• After graduating, I joined Teach for America and was selected to teach in Compton, California, during the Los Angeles riots—I realized that some of the most brilliant students were underserved.
• I eventually left to go to law school and fulfill my dream of becoming a lawyer so that I could make a bigger and more systemic impact.
• I got a job at the Department of Justice and was hoping to get promoted to the civil rights department, but my dreams were crushed when I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder.
• I moved back home to Chicago, regained my health, and went back to work—I held a variety of jobs that ultimately led me to aid the merge of the city and county’s workforce development efforts.
• I now work as the CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Development Partnership, helping to create career opportunities for overlooked individuals with untapped potential.