Sherly Chavarria

Dr. Sherly Chavarria is the Senior Program Officer for Education at the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, where she oversees grantmaking efforts aimed at improving educational outcomes for Chicago’s students. A seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience, Sherly has worked at every level of education, from classroom teacher to district administrator.

Before joining the Foundation, she served as Chief of Teaching and Learning for Chicago Public Schools (CPS), where she led the Skyline Curriculum Equity Initiative, a groundbreaking effort to ensure access to high-quality curriculum and instructional resources for all CPS students. Earlier in her career, Sherly was the principal of William P. Nixon Elementary School, where she successfully transitioned the school to a Dual Language model in partnership with families and educators. She began her career as an elementary teacher in CPS, fostering her lifelong commitment to educational equity.

Sherly holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and cultural/social anthropology from Stanford University, a master’s in teaching from National Louis University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is also a member of the Illinois State Board of Education, where she contributes to advancing statewide education policy.

A proud mother and wife, Sherly enjoys spending her free time with her family, reading, and exploring amateur woodworking.