President and CEO
Family Focus
Member since:
2024
Membership Type:
Full
Dara Munson has built a career focused on the needs of women and children. Today, she serves Chicagoland as the first African American president and CEO of Family Focus, delivering early childhood education and development, youth development and family support services to 20,000 families and their children. Formerly CEO of Chicago Child Care Society since 2016, Munson is a native of Detroit and past president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit, past chief operating officer of Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, and past senior director of United Way of Southeastern Michigan. Her early career and education were in the criminal and juvenile justice fields. In May, Munson was awarded the prestigious Donald Stewart Fellowship from the African American Legacy Board at Chicago Community Trust. She is immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Michigan University Foundation Board (her alma mater) where she was the first African American woman to hold that role. She also serves Illinois and Chicagoland in several leadership positions including: • Governor’s Early Childhood Education and Care Transition Advisory Committee – Appointed Member • International Women’s Forum, Chicago Chapter – President • Chicago Foundation for Women South Side Giving Circle – Inaugural Member • Illinois Partners for Human Services – Board Member • Early Childhood Education CEO Roundtable, Chicago – Founding Member • Chicago Alliance for Collaborative Effort, Immediate Past Chair • Voices for Illinois Children, Thought Leaders of Color Committee – Member (past) • Illinois Child Day Care Licensing Advisory Board – Member • Chicago’s COVID-19 Industry Guidelines Work Group – Member Munson is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Chi Omega Omega Chapter and Windy City (IL) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. She is a graduate of Cass Technical High School in Detroit. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Eastern Michigan University, a Master of Science degree in public administration from Central Michigan University and a Strategic Perspectives in Non-profit Management certificate from Harvard Business School.