President & CEO

Karin M. Norington-Reaves

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Karin M. Norington-Reaves is a lifelong public servant with more than 30 years of experience in education, law, advocacy, and community development. She was the founding CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, where she led efforts to create meaningful careers for over 100,000 Chicagoans. Karin’s mission is to see people win. Prior to being named President & CEO of Cara Collective in 2026, Karin was CEO of i.c. stars, a workforce development organization preparing underrepresented people for careers in technology.

Karin has been recognized nationally for her work, receiving numerous awards including the Civic Federation of Chicago’s Excellence in Public Service award and the Chicago Defender’s Woman of Excellence award. An avid writer and storyteller, she has published articles on topics ranging from workforce and economic development, to motherhood, adoption, and education access for disabled children. In addition to serving on the boards of several community-based organizations, she is a storyteller with the SOL Collective, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing powerful stories of, by, and for women of color. 

A Chicago native, Karin holds a J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, Texas, and a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Beyond her professional roles, she is also the proud mother of a blended family of four. Of all her titles, she likes “Mama” best.

Karin’s first job: “All through high school, I was a cashier at the Imperial Tower Market – a niche grocery store in a condo building on Lake Shore Drive.”