Francesca Sigmond Named First CYC Foundation Program Manager
May 25, 2023
The Chicago Yacht Club Foundation is pleased to announce that Francesca Sigmond will fill the newly-created position of Foundation Program Manager. Francesca, a 2020 graduate of Vanderbilt University and currently a CPS special education teacher, will join the Foundation in this full-time position in June overseeing and expanding the Foundation’s growing array of high-impact programs.
“Francesca is the perfect person to help the Foundation achieve our mission of introducing underrepresented Chicagoland children to the joys of Lake Michigan and boating,” said Greg Miarecki, CYC Foundation President. “Francesca brings a degree in education, three years of experience teaching in Chicago Public Schools, and a love of boating and all things nautical that make her the ideal professional to take on this role and elevate our programs to a new level.”
Francesca said she was drawn to this new opportunity after volunteering for several Foundation-sponsored programs and “watching how kids light up when they participate in our programs.”
“As a teacher, I’ve seen how much students learn through hands-on experiences – and I think that’s exactly what the Foundation offers,” she said. “When the opportunity came along to be the Foundation Program Manager, I knew that it was work I wanted to be doing in the community and the Chicagoland area.”
Francesca is a familiar face to many Chicago Yacht Club members. “I grew up around sailing, and I really enjoyed the CYC Junior sailing program as a kid. Now I’ll be revisiting my love for and connection to the water,” she said.
While Francesca will put her teaching skills to use leading Foundation-sponsored classes and after-school programs, she’ll also be tasked with building new Foundation partnerships with Chicago-area schools and other community-based organizations. “I’m really looking forward to connecting with schools and new organizations and bringing all the joy that can be derived from things related to Lake Michigan and boating to more Chicagoland kids.”
With the scope of Foundation programs expanding, the time was right to bring on a professional program manager, Greg said. “To generate consistency and expand our programs – and ultimately do the big things we want to do -- we needed to hire the right person who could focus on the Foundation on a full-time basis. With Francesca on board, it opens up a whole new world in terms of our ability to really make an impact.”