Roxanne Ward is President of the Black Corporate Directors Conference (BCDC), a forum for seasoned black directors of publicly traded companies and Vice President, Corporate Liaison, of Ariel, a Chicago-based investment management firm founded in 1983. Ms. Ward spent four years working for the Chicago Park District and more than 15 years working as a private sector attorney. Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed her to the Chicago Board of Education in April 2005. She is also on the boards of directors of WTTW, the Safer Foundation and the Federation for Community Schools. Ward was the 2005 recipient of the Chicago United Business Leaders of Color Award and is serving as Chair of the 2007 Chicago United Business Leaders of Color Committee. Ward graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago, followed by a Master of Arts degree in SSA from U of C and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Ms. Ward was born and raised in Chicago. She has two daughters, Courtney and Corinne Charity, both of whom are exemplary products of the CPS system.