Vicki Lee
Chicago,USA
Summary
Experienced leader with strong background in guiding teams, managing complex projects, and achieving strategic objectives. Excels in developing efficient processes, ensuring high standards, and aligning efforts with organizational goals. Known for collaborative approach and commitment to excellence.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Owner/Franchise Operator
Nothing Bundt Cakes
02.2022 - Current
- - Temporarily stepped into my family-owned business to stabilize operations and strengthen organizational culture, applying organizational leadership skills to develop people, build systems, and drive service excellence.
- - Maintained active engagement in education leadership during this period through consulting, professional learning, and emerging AI research.
- - Rebuilt team culture and increased frontline performance through coaching structures, clear norms, and accountability systems, mirroring organizational turnaround practices.
- - Strengthened staff capacity, retention, and morale by establishing professional pathways, mentoring employees, and modeling equitable leadership practices.
- - Designed and executed operational systems for scheduling, staffing, compliance, and customer engagement, improving consistency and service outcomes.
- - Formed partnerships with local schools and civic organizations to support youth employment pipelines and student engagement opportunities.
Chief Program Officer
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
03.2019 - 02.2022
- - Provided executive leadership and strategic oversight for youth development programs across 21 Club sites, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and mission-driven impact.
- - Partnered with the CEO and Board of Directors to drive strategic planning, growth initiatives, and performance accountability, resulting in enhanced organizational alignment and community reach.
- - Managed the organization’s workforce development initiatives, including WIOA-funded programs, One Summer Chicago, and employer partnerships that provided career readiness, credential attainment, and paid work experiences for youth across Chicago’s neighborhoods.
- - Collaborated with city agencies, unions, and community organizations to align workforce pathways with local labor market needs.
- - Championed a culture of leadership development, accountability, and continuous improvement by coaching and evaluating Club leadership through data-informed performance systems.
- - Designed and implemented organization-wide frameworks for program quality, staff development, and outcomes measurement to strengthen service delivery and stakeholder confidence.
- - Collaborated cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and Operations to ensure youth safety, compliance, and consistent reporting of administrative and financial data.
Principal/Assistant Principal
Chicago Public Schools
07.2014 - 03.2019
- - Led the full turnaround of an underperforming urban school by building a high-trust, high-expectation culture rooted in belonging, accountability, and instructional excellence.
- - Strengthened teacher effectiveness through data-driven coaching cycles aligned to the Chicago teacher evaluation system (Recognizing Educators Advancing Chicago’s Students — REACH), empowering educators to deliver rigorous, engaging instruction.
- - Established schoolwide systems for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) to address academic and behavioral needs, improving student engagement, attendance trends, and school climate across grade levels.
- - Implemented restorative practices and trauma-informed behavior systems, reducing discipline incidents and supporting equitable student outcomes.
- - Developed and coached teacher-leaders to sustain improvement, increasing staff capacity, collaboration, morale, and shared responsibility for student success.
- - Partnered with families and community organizations to strengthen wraparound supports, increase student belonging, and reinforce a positive school identity.
Guidance Counselor / Teacher
Chicago Public Schools
01.1999 - 01.2014
- - Designed and launched a comprehensive postsecondary advising and college-readiness program, increasing FAFSA completion, college application rates, and postsecondary enrollment through structured advising, partnerships, and data-tracking systems.
- - Served as a School Counselor across multiple CPS schools, supporting student academic, social-emotional, and post-secondary success.
- - Designed and implemented school-wide systems for academic support, data analysis, and student interventions.
- - Served as Department Chair and developed comprehensive guidance programs, coordinated standardized testing, and led college readiness efforts.
- - Taught middle school mathematics and language arts, creating rigorous curriculum and assessment systems.
Education
Doctor of Education - Urban Education Leadership
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL05.2017
Master of Arts - School Leadership
Concordia University
River Forest, IL05.2009
Master of Arts - Counseling: School Counseling
Governor’s State University
University Park, IL05.2004
Bachelor of Science - Education: Elementary Education
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL12.1998
Skills
- Organizational leadership
- Strategic planning
- Program management
- Workforce development
Certification
- Grant Writing, Depaul University - 2022
Timeline
Owner/Franchise Operator
Nothing Bundt Cakes
02.2022 - Current
Chief Program Officer
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
03.2019 - 02.2022
Principal/Assistant Principal
Chicago Public Schools
07.2014 - 03.2019
Guidance Counselor / Teacher
Chicago Public Schools
01.1999 - 01.2014
Master of Arts - School Leadership
Concordia University
Master of Arts - Counseling: School Counseling
Governor’s State University
Bachelor of Science - Education: Elementary Education
Chicago State University
Doctor of Education - Urban Education Leadership
University of Illinois at Chicago