Garrett Sean

Sean Garrett

President and CEO, United Way of Metro Chicago

As president and chief executive officer of United Way of Metro Chicago, Sean is leading a long-term regional recovery effort by collaborating with donors, community leaders and residents to ensure our neighbors can meet their basic needs such as food, shelter and safety and that neighborhoods are built back stronger and more equitably through our place-based initiatives such as the Neighborhood Network. Sean believes that neighborhood change happens when community voices are amplified and organized to unlock the positive changes that live in every single one of our communities.

Since joining the United Way of Metro Chicago in 2018, Sean has secured the largest corporate gift in organization history, $10 million from BMO Harris for our Austin Neighborhood Network, as well as $25 million from MacKenzie Scott. Sean spearheaded the launch of the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund in partnership with the City of Chicago and the Chicago Community Trust. The fund raised $35 million which went directly to 400 nonprofits serving on the frontlines in Chicago neighborhoods.

Prior to joining the Metro Chicago team as the president and CEO, Sean served as the executive director of United Way of Central Carolinas in Charlotte, North Carolina and has held several positions with United Way Worldwide, United Way of Dane County Wisconsin, and United Way of Metro Chicago.