Member Since: 2021
Current Term: 2021-2025
Email: achangyen@dist50.net
Anna Chang-Yen believes that public education keeps the community strong and feels volunteering on the Board of Education allows her to work to improve Woodland School District 50 schools and our community. Ms. Chang-Yen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Louisiana Tech University where she used her degree as a newspaper journalist for close to 20 years covering public and private educational institutions from Pre-K to college. In 2014, Ms. Chang-Yen started a business offering graphic design, writing and editing services. Anna lives in Gurnee with twin teenagers and a house full of pets. In their free time, they enjoy camping, hiking, movies, video games and road trips.
The qualities Anna possesses to be an effective Board member are researching issues that affect the schools and working toward change. As a parent, she also feels she has the ability to empathize and understand the problems District 50 families face to improve the services offered. Ms. Chang-Yen feels the specialty she brings to the Board is in the area of Special Education. She is a strong proponent of providing the best special education services possible in order to uphold the civil rights of students and families. Ms. Chang-Yen’s brother was one of the first to be served by the IDEA act, teaching her that all children deserve a great education that sometimes needs to be advocated for. Anna would like to see the state provide more funding for education as all children deserve a free and appropriate public education.