Ann Hanson is Vice President of the Start Early Consulting Team. In this role, Ann leads efforts to support state and community government leaders and advocates to ensure that early childhood systems are high-quality, equitable, and sustainable. Most recently, she led a multi-state initiative focused on the implementation and improvement of state pre-k systems. Ann joined Start Early in 2007, and since then has worked across policy, program, and research to solve complex systems problems in Illinois and in states across the country. Previously, Ann consulted with Chicago Public Schools and in New York on evaluations and start-up of education interventions. Ann brings expertise in strategy, partnership development, and systems change.

An alumna of the Education Pioneers fellowship, she holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ann calls Chicago her home base, where she lives with her husband and too many books.