Educational Policy Expert and IL State Senator, District 20

Cristina Pacione-Zayas, PhD, was appointed to the Illinois Senate in December 2020. Before joining the Senate, she was the Associate Vice President of Policy for Erikson Institute, an academic institution focused on child development where she led Erikson’s policy agenda to generate systemic solutions and equitable opportunities for young children, families, and communities. Dr. Pacione-Zayas is credited with establishing Erikson’s Early Childhood Leadership Academy and Community Data Lab—two statewide initiatives designed for Illinois leaders to foster a deeper understanding of the importance of a child’s early years and how to apply child development science to policies that yield positive outcomes for children and families.

Her prior experience at the Latino Policy Forum as director of education advanced policy informed by research and lived experiences of Latinx and immigrant communities across Illinois. Her service in Chicago Public Schools and Enlace Chicago built a track record for leveraging community partnerships, implementing restorative justice practices, and supporting the leadership of young people, parents, and educators.

Dr. Pacione-Zayas serves on the Illinois Early Learning Council executive committee, Illinois State Team of the BUILD Initiative, and Title V Needs Assessment Advisory Committee for the State’s federally-mandated Maternal and Child Health Services. She previously served as board secretary on the Illinois State Board of Education, co-chaired the Kindergarten Transition Advisory Committee of the P-20 and Early Learning Councils, and served on the Governing Board of the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, Educational Success Committee of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Transition Team, and the Education Committee of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Transition Team. She co-chaired The Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago for six years, a non-profit organization of local Puerto Rican leaders who influence policy for the self-determination of Puerto Ricans and provided political commentary on WGN TV Chicago during election cycles.