(WTTW News)

Days after her election defeat, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has appointed a former charter network chairman to Chicago’s Board of Education.

Lightfoot on Friday announced Miquel A. Lewis, the acting director of probation services at the Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department, will be joining the board where he’ll replace former Vice President Sendhil Revuluri, who left his position late last year.

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Lewis step into this role," Lightfoot said in a statement. “His years of experience serving young people who are impacted by other institutions will be a great asset to our board and will benefit our students and teachers.”

According to the mayor, Lewis serves on the Supreme Court Advisory Board and Illinois Probation and Court Services Board. He formerly worked as chairman of the Noble Network of Charter Schools.

“What a privilege. I am honored by the opportunity to serve the students and the City of Chicago in this way,” Lewis said in a statement. “Education is critical in the lives of our youth, and this is a pivotal time in education for Chicago Public Schools and its students. As a trained Behavioral Health Practitioner, I look forward to sharing my expertise and experiences as a resource to center our work on the emotional wellbeing and academic success of our students.” 

The announcement comes on the heels of Lightfoot’s defeat in Tuesday’s mayoral election, where challengers Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson bested the incumbent and will head to a runoff election in April.

The board itself will begin its transition to an elected body next year.

Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431