BOARD SPOTLIGHT: STEVEN MCCULLOUGH

I am looking forward to learning more about ICA and how we can spread the word about the work into areas where collaboration and  community voice are essential.

Steve McCullough serves on the ICA Board of Directors and is Chief Operating Officer at Communities in Schools.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My wife, Ruanda Garth McCullough, Ph.D., and I have been married for 18 years. We have two amazing kids, Jocelyn (14) and Trent (8), and we live in Northern Virginia. My role is COO at Communities In Schools based in Arlington, VA.  We work with kids across the country to stay in school and achieve in life. I started at CIS in Sept. 2015 from the Greater Chicago Food Depository where I served as VP of Community Partnerships. I also served as VP and COO of the Safer Foundation, President and CEO at Bethel New Life, Inc., and held various leadership positions at the Chicago Association of Neighborhood Development Organizations (CANDO). I am a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago Quinlan Business School and earned my master’s degree at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. I am a British American Project Fellow (2008), Annie E. Casey Children & Family Network Fellow (2007), and Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow (2002). In my current role as COO, I manage the key operating departments within the organization including Network Impact & Operations; Research, Learning & Accreditation; Finance; Human Resources and Information Technology.

2. How did you end up getting into your current line of work?
I started by leaving the corporate consulting world and joining an organization called CANDO over 20 years ago led by ICA CEO Ted Wysocki. There, I ran a loan fund for low-income entrepreneurs, and the job got me to all parts of the city and country. I was hooked to try to improve community health through many roles ever since.

3. What are you most looking forward to during your time as a board member of ICA?
I am looking forward to learning more about ICA and how we can spread the word about the work into areas where collaboration and  community voice are essential.

4. What is an interesting fact about you?
I am a Star Wars & Star Trek (TNG) fanatic, addicted to online chess, and general information junkie.