John M. Sirek has served as the Foundation’s citizenship program director since that position’s creation in January of 2000. As director, John is responsible for the overall direction and implementation of the Citizenship Program’s grantmaking activities along with oversight of the McCormick Tribune Conference Series.

Prior to joining the Foundation, John worked extensively in the field of international education. He was the executive director of the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships, a visitor-training program for journalists from developing countries, an overseas studies advisor in Georgetown University’s Office of International Programs, and a teacher of English as a second language.

He is Board president of PACE: Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, a Board member of TimeLine Theatre Company and City Year Chicago, and serves on the Advisory Committee of the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships. John is also an active member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

John has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. John also spent a year as a Rotary International exchange student in Sweden and a year in Warsaw studying Poland’s transition to a democratic system of government.