Monica Chavez-Silva has served as Director of Community Enhancement & Engagement for Grinnell College since 1999, when the office was established. As Director, Monica is responsible for the college's local grants and investments, as well as other programs, policies, and partnerships to enhance the quality of life in Grinnell. To integrate the college with broader community planning, she serves on several community boards including: The Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Grinnell Development Corporation, the Community Education Council, and Mayor's Taskforces on Emergency Transport, Wayfinding, and Event Center Development. Similarly, she has served on several campus committees that intersect with the broader community, such as the inaugural review committee for the Grinnell Young Innovator for Social Justice Prize and the Strategic Planning Committee for Post-Graduate Success. Prior to her work at Grinnell College, Monica worked as a consumer research specialist at Leo Burnett Chicago, providing market research and brand strategy for clients such as McDonald's, Samsonite, Pillsbury, Heinz, and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. In 1994 Monica launched a research office for Leo Burnett's office in Santiago, Chile. A 1989 graduate of Harvard University, she volunteers as a Harvard local alumni interviewer. Monica lives in Grinnell with her husband, a Grinnell College professor, and their two daughters.
