Location Chicago, Illinois, United States Regions Greater Chicago Area, Great Lakes, Midwestern US Gender Male Also Known As Executive Director of the Charter Schools Action Fund
Website willburnschicago.com Facebook View on Facebook X (Twitter) View on X
Will Burns has focused his career on shaping policies and building systems that serve communities in practical and lasting ways. He has consistently worked at the point where government, advocacy, and public service meet, demonstrating an ability to create impact quietly and effectively. His approach has been marked by steady leadership and a
willingness to work behind the scenes to ensure progress in education, infrastructure, and equity-driven initiatives that benefit people directly.
He most recently held dual leadership positions as Executive Vice President of National Advocacy for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and Executive Director of the Charter Schools Action Fund. In these roles, he oversaw federal advocacy strategies for charter schools while leading efforts to strengthen public understanding and support for school choice. His work focused on sustaining resources and building a coordinated national political approach to educational issues.
Burns successfully protected $440 million in federal charter school funding across four appropriations cycles, an achievement reflecting his strategic skills and collaborative work with lawmakers. At the Charter Schools Action Fund, he directed over $2 million in political resources to support pro-charter candidates and initiatives. He also built a training program that improved advocacy capacity in states with limited resources, ensuring local leaders had the tools to engage effectively in education policy discussions.
Will Burns, Chicago, previously directed government partnerships for a micro mobility company under Ford Smart Mobility, focusing on transportation innovation. He secured operating agreements in over 30 municipalities, including New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C. His efforts produced model ordinances that cities could use to integrate equitable, environmentally friendly mobility systems, helping local governments align public safety and infrastructure planning with emerging transportation technologies.
He began public service as an elected representative in the Illinois legislature, where he advanced policies such as tenant protections, the Civil Union Act, and welfare reforms focused on domestic violence survivors. As alderman for Chicago’s 4th Ward, he promoted redevelopment efforts, co-authored a minimum wage ordinance, strengthened affordable housing agreements, and converted a closed high school into an arts academy, combining community revitalization with expanded educational opportunities.
Burns developed his political skills early through senior staff roles in the Illinois State Senate and working on a congressional campaign. His focus on ethics reform, death penalty repeal, reentry policy, and school funding provided a strong foundation for his later leadership roles in nonprofit and civic organizations. These experiences deepened his understanding of how policies are shaped and how strategic collaboration can strengthen communities. Will Burns continues to dedicate time to nonprofit boards, community service, and volunteer work, focusing on equity and opportunity. His career has earned him leadership fellowships and recognition for bridging divides and achieving results through cooperation. While now based in Washington, D.C., with his family, he remains closely connected to the values and lessons shaped by his work and life in Chicago.
