Will Burns has dedicated his career to improving communities through public service, advocacy, and strategic policy work. From government positions to nonprofit leadership and private sector roles, he has focused on creating practical solutions that improve access to opportunity and support equity-driven outcomes. His work highlights collaboration and problem-solving, bringing people together to develop systems that produce measurable and lasting results rather than short-term recognition.

In national education policy, his leadership stood out during his time as Executive Vice President of National Advocacy for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and Executive Director of the Charter Schools Action Fund. These roles gave him a platform to influence federal advocacy and design political strategies that built public understanding of school choice. He helped secure necessary education resources with careful planning and coalition-building while expanding public awareness of charter school initiatives.

One example of his impact is securing $440 million in federal charter school funding over four appropriations cycles. He also influenced new federal legislation supporting the sector and directed over $2 million to pro-charter candidates and initiatives. At the same time, Burns developed a national training program that provided under-resourced states with tools to increase advocacy capacity and deliver strong, effective messaging. These efforts amplified the voices of local leaders and ensured greater participation in education policy debates.

His work has not been limited to education. He served as head of government partnerships for a micromobility company under Ford Smart Mobility, where he secured long-term operating agreements in more than 30 municipalities, including New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C. By collaborating with local leaders, Will Burns, in Chicago, helped create model transportation ordinances that advanced equitable, environmentally friendly mobility options. This demonstrated how innovative technology and public policy can improve transportation systems and community access.

Public service has always been a constant in his life. He began as a state legislator representing Illinois’s 26th District, passing tenant protection legislation, co-sponsoring the Civil Union Act, and supporting welfare reforms focused on survivors of domestic violence. As alderman of Chicago’s 4th Ward, He co-authored the city’s first minimum wage ordinance, secured affordable housing guarantees, and led the transformation of a closed high school into an open-enrollment arts academy. These actions balanced neighborhood preservation with growth and opportunity.

Early in his career, he served as Deputy Campaign Manager for a congressional campaign and later held senior staff roles in the Illinois State Senate. Burns focused on ethics reform, death penalty repeal, reentry policy, and school funding during that time. His later work with civic and nonprofit organizations addressing education, tax policy, and equity issues further strengthened his experience and commitment to advancing inclusive policies and equitable growth.

Beyond professional roles, he devotes significant time to nonprofit boards, faith-based organizations, and community service. His dedication has earned recognition as an American Marshall Memorial Fellow and an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow, honors that underscore his ability to bring people together to solve complex challenges. Today, Will Burns lives in Washington, D.C., with his family while continuing to apply lessons learned from Chicago, where his career began and his dedication to service was shaped.