Our Bureau
Chicago, IL
The Joyce Foundation, recently announced that Preeti Shankar has joined the Joyce Foundation as its Environment Program Officer, overseeing grants in the Great Lakes and Drinking Water portfolio.
Preeti brings more than a decade of experience in urban sustainability, water issues, environmental justice, and applied research within Chicago’s non-profit sector.
Previously, Preeti was Managing Director of the Urban Analytics team at the Center for Neighborhood Technology, where she worked to expose and address environmental inequities and disparities affecting Chicago communities. Through a data-informed approach that blends qualitative and quantitative storytelling, Preeti developed powerful advocacy tools that shed light on policy failures and supported community-driven solutions.
Her work facilitated strong partnerships with community-based organizations, city departments, and academic and civic institutions to collaboratively tackle environmental challenges. Preeti also has a background in architecture and urban planning.
She grew up in India, came to the United States for graduate school, and has called Chicago home since 2012. Preeti – who is fluent in three languages (English, Hindi and Kannada) – enjoys playing tennis and sewing. She lives in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood with her husband and two children.
Preeti holds a master’s degree in urban planning from Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Visvesvaraya Technological University in India.
In 2023, the Joyce Foundation had $1.2 billion in assets and made qualifying charitable distributions of $66.3 million.
Joyce is a nonpartisan, private foundation that invests in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region.
