Alan Anderson
ALAN ANDERSON
The Broad Residency Class of 2006-2008
Current Organization: Year Up
M.B.A, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
M.S., Electrical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University
B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan
“All my life, I have been searching for a way to impact and improve the quality of education our country provides its socially and economically disadvantaged youth, so that they may be successful and prosperous. These young people, who are predominantly African American like me, live in the poverty-stricken areas of America, where a proper education and a fair chance at prosperity are mythical, distant dreams. The Broad Residency is a major opportunity for me to fulfill my responsibility to help more young people recognize and reach their potential, all while utilizing the education I have been so fortunate to receive.”
Alan Anderson is currently the founding executive director of Year Up Chicago, a year long educational program designed for young adults ages 18 to 24 to give them college credited technical and professional skills training, as well as the opportunity to intern at a Fortune 100 Company. The national program operated in seven regions across the country aims to give young adults the opportunity to be successful both in post secondary education and long term careers. Previously, Anderson was the acting chief school design officer in the Chief Administrative Office for Chicago Public Schools. In this role, Anderson was responsible for re-designing and aligning the school closing and opening process to impact SY12 school openings. He was also responsible for leading a city-wide education and advocacy process to inform parents and families on the performance of their school and mobilizing parent and community leaders to develop and choose the educational solutions to fix their failing school. Anderson also served as the acting deputy CEO for human capital and before that as the director of the Office of School Turnaround for Chicago Public Schools. Anderson has also served the district as deputy director of research, evaluation and accountability and as a project manager. Before joining Chicago Public Schools, Anderson worked at Motorola, Inc for nine years. Most recently at Motorola, he served as business manager for Motorola’s Transmission Group where he was responsible for the company’s $6.5 million transmission business for the Ford Motor Company. He has previously served as design engineer, design team leader and project manager at Motorola. Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University, and a master’s degree in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Anderson participated in The Broad Residency in Urban Education Cohort 2006, serving his two-year Residency in Chicago Public Schools.