The Economic Ripple of Learning Loss and its Impact on Chicago's Future

Jens Ludwig is the Edwin A. & Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, the Pritzker Director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, and co-director of the University of Chicago Education Lab. The work of these research centers has helped inform policy decisions by the city of Chicago about how to deploy social programs to help control gun violence in the city, and how the public schools might respond to pandemic-related learning loss. Crime Lab projects have also helped inform New York City’s efforts to close the Rikers Island jail without compromising public safety, New Jersey’s landmark criminal justice reforms, and the Illinois Attorney General’s consent decree with the Chicago Police Department, and have been featured in national news outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and PBS News Hour. He served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Neurobiological and Socio-behavioral Science of Adolescent Development and Its Applications, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.

Pedro Martinez is CEO of Chicago Public Schools. With more than 30 years of experience in the private, nonprofit, and public education sectors, Pedro Martinez is a data-driven, results-oriented leader with a strong record of improving student outcomes in school districts around the country.

Laura is the Chicago Office Managing Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) and has 27 years of experience serving clients primarily as a Trust Solutions partner in the consumer markets and industrial products industries. She has spent her entire career based in Chicago, while working with large global teams and clients. Laura is passionate about serving others and has a hands-on, collaborative style that values balanced and transparent communications.

Laura has extensive experience leading global audit relationships and advising her clients on acquisitions, divestitures and complex transactions. She has held various leadership roles across our consumer markets sector, DE&I strategy implementation, and serving as a senior relationship partner across a variety of our Chicago based clients. Laura is a recognized leader with our people and is passionate about being of service to others.

Lorraine Forte was named Editorial Page Editor at the Chicago Sun-Times in 2021, after rejoining the paper in 2018 as an editorial writer. She has also worked as an editor for two nonprofit media outlets, the Chicago Reporter and Catalyst Chicago, which focused on education policy and reform; taught journalism at Columbia College; worked as a newswriter/producer in TV news; and was a reporter for the Sun-Times and the former Daily Southtown, a suburban newspaper. Lorraine received a master's degree from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism and a bachelor's degree in English from Ohio State University.