Christian Mitchell Appointed Vice President for Civic Engagement

From: Paul Alivisatos, President
Subject: Christian Mitchell Appointed Vice President for Civic Engagement 
Date: February 2, 2023

I am delighted to share that Christian Mitchell has agreed to lead the University’s Office of Civic Engagement (OCE) as its next vice president. An alumnus of the College, Christian attained a bachelor of arts with honors in public policy in 2008 before beginning a career that has spanned community organizing, political advocacy work, and public service. 

Most recently, Christian has acted as the deputy governor for public safety, energy, and infrastructure to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, where he managed multiple state agencies, with the departments of transportation, military affairs, and innovation and technology among them. He was also responsible for a number of complex statewide initiatives, including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act focused on equity-based renewable energy. Prior to joining the governor’s leadership team, Christian was the interim executive director for the Democratic Party of Illinois and served as state representative for the 26th district to the Illinois House of Representatives for six years. During his tenure in the governor’s office, he earned a JD from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

As vice president for civic engagement, Christian will be responsible for fostering deep partnerships across the University with the South Side, as well as with our many Chicago-based stakeholders. He is charged with developing and implementing a new strategic plan for OCE that supports my overarching vision of collaboration to increase economic mobility and opportunity in the neighboring communities around the University. Drawing on his early-career experience working with Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation and local elected leaders, he will also guide our collective efforts to elevate the quality of outcomes for individuals impacted by the education, healthcare, and economic landscape of the region. Under his leadership, OCE will deepen the engagement of faculty, students, and staff to bring the intellectual, personnel, and material resources of the University to bear on some of the most pressing issues facing our communities. 

After conducting a nationwide search, Christian emerged as an uncommon leader who will bring to the role a potent combination of knowledge, experience, and energy that will be an invaluable asset to these important efforts. 

Christian will start on April 1. In the interim, I remain grateful to Joel Hamernick for the stable and generous leadership he has provided to OCE during this period of transition. Please join me in warmly welcoming Christian back to the University of Chicago.