Meet Leah Pouw

Leah with her grandparents and uncle

Her mother became a first-time parent when she'd just turned 17. She moved with Leah and her sister to Edison Park after leaving a tough situation.

Before long, Leah's mom built a stable life and found good schools for her girls. Leah's father helped, but he faced many layoffs as an electrician, making child support unreliable and money hard to come by. They taught Leah resilience and determination.

Neighbors and family stepped up time and again — they showed Leah what it means to strive and be there for others. That spirit never left her. She's spent 25 years making things better for children, families, and communities.

Leah in 2013 getting her Masters from the University of Chicago

Her family is made up of teachers, nurses, police officers, truck drivers, mechanics, electricians, painters, roofers, and administrative professionals. They're people who show up every day and get the job done.

Leah did the same. With help from her mom and student loans, Leah worked her way through school with savings from McDonald's, bartending, waiting tables, and cleaning houses — and she never stopped pushing.

She earned her bachelor's degree in political communications and US history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago — on a full scholarship, and while raising two small children at home.

Leah's Grandpa Cunningham helped solve a crime in 1946.

Her grandfathers were Chicago police officers who taught her the importance of public service. She got active in high school exposing an overreaching school board that tried to ban books, and she began her career as an crisis advocate for survivors of domestic violence.

Leah carried that energy to a 25-year career standing up for veterans, assisting families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, and helping more kids and families access early care and education.

Today, Leah teaches Illinois professionals who work in early childhood, social work, and public health how to solve complex problems through partnerships and family engagement.

Leah and Bryson Pouw walking their dog, Ruby, by Wildwood Park

Leah and her husband Bryson are the proud parents of two teenage children who grew up in Chicago Public Schools. Leah is also active in the Wildwood community. She served on Wildwood's Local School Council, Park Advisory Council, and led our Girl Scouts troop for years.

She's led interactive community activities to pick new playground equipment at Wildwood Park and identify areas of strength and growth for the Wildwood school's five-year plan.

When she's not working, Leah spends her time volunteering, baking bread, exploring the outdoors, and enjoying her hometown's neighborhoods, food, and arts.