Monique B. Jones, LCSW is a visionary leader with an extensive background in mental health, violence prevention, philanthropy, and gender & racial equity. Her career and civic interests span the intersections where the lives of those most vulnerable fall victim to structural oppression and inequity.
She brings over 20 years of leadership in the nonprofit sector to her role as the fourth President & CEO for Forefront; Illinois’ premier organization focused on connecting philanthropy, operating nonprofits, and their allies to improve the lives of all people in Illinois. In her leadership at the Evanston Community Foundation, she led the implementation of racial equity with grant making, fundraising and leadership development. She was successful at increasing the asset size of the organization from $18M to $31M in just five years. Under Monique’s leadership the Foundation established the Evanston Reparations Community Fund, the first of any Community Foundation nationally in support of the City of Evanston’s resolution to support reparations. Of note is her restructuring of the Foundation during the impact of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, releasing grant restrictions, raising $6M to distribute for immediate needs created by the pandemic. Monique is well versed at leading during difficult times.
Monique previously served as Director of Programs for the Chicago Foundation for Women, Director of Violence Prevention for the Cook County Department of Public Health and Clinical Director for the historic Jane Addams Hull House Association. She began her career as a clinical therapist supporting families involved in the Pulaski County (Little Rock, Arkansas) juvenile justice system.
She received the 2020 Nonprofit Person of The Year award from the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. Because of her dedication to community, she is the recipient of the 2018 NAACP (Evanston North Shore chapter) Community Service Award as well as the Chicago African Americans in Chicago (CAAIP) Nonprofit Champion of Diversity Award. She is an Adjunct Lecturer at Northwestern University in the Kapnick School of Business Institutions introducing students to nonprofit leadership & management. Monique is active in the Chicago Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc.; an international public service organization joined during her matriculation at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1997. She is a Charter Member of the Magnificent Mile Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. serving as the Foundation Chair for the chapter.
Monique is a graduate of The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a B.A in Social Work and The University of Texas at Austin with a M.S. in Social Work. She completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management executive program at the Harvard School of Business. In her self-care moments she enjoys running, golfing, sewing, and showing appreciation for life with her husband, daughter and yorkie in Chicago.