Diane Burnham holds a Master of Management and Nonprofit Administration from North Park University in Chicago and a Master of Science in Urban Studies + Planning from the University of Wisconsin. Over the past ten years, Diane has risen as a Community Leader and Influencer in the midsouth region of Chicago. In 2013, she began her journey working at South East Chicago Commission (SECC), focusing her efforts on community-based initiatives centered on arts and culture, business district improvement and streetscape projects, transportation and infrastructure, community beautification, placemaking and sustainability. In December 2017, Diane was named the sixth Executive Director in the organization’s 70-year+ history. She successfully transitioned the SECC in financially divesting from the University of Chicago, rebranding the organization, and leading the organization into a new path and future. To date, Diane has doubled the organizations budget, diversified funding streams, grown the staff team and focused on the organization’s infrastructure. Through public art engagement and placemaking, Diane has commissioned over 12 murals, supported over 80 community garden and vacant lot restorations and influenced the emergence of wealth building strategies for creative entrepreneurs and artists city-wide. She leads micro-investment strategies for community wealth building to attract larger economic development investments for Chicago’s southside. Prior to the SECC, Diane served as a Program Manager in Chicago at the Howard Area Community Center’s high-volume Federal workforce center, impacting thousands of individuals and hardest hit populist sectors such as re-entry and formerly incarcerated, refugee resettlement and industry’s experience attrition post-recession (manufacturing, technology and healthcare). Diane began her career in Milwaukee working with the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee as a Program Director with at-risk youth, coordinating events and membership at the Urban Ecology Center, and serving on several city-wide initiatives. Focus areas included: youth diversion and gang intervention, urban environmental development and place making. Diane has been described as both genuine and authentic in her approach to leadership and community engagement. Her vision is to impact communities from the inside out, building relationships and deepening collaboration for lasting and positive change.