Andrea Cortes

Andrea Cortes is a Transformation Coach with the UChicago Network for College Success (NCS). She collaborates with schools to incorporate an adolescent development approach into postsecondary practice. Andrea believes creating a school culture which supports Integrated Identity and Agency will influence how Young People see themselves and build their capacity to make sustainable choices for life after high school. She also seeks to examine practice through an equity and researched informed lens.

Andrea’s experience as a Chicago Public School student and lifelong resident of the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago has shaped the way she advocates for Young People. Throughout her career in postsecondary access she has sought to reimagine power dynamics in conventional school hierarchies so Young People are active participants in their school experience. 

Andrea earned her B.A. in Urban and Public Affairs from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). In her downtime you can find Andrea enjoying the forests of the People of the Three Fires.