Take Five with Miroslava Mejia Krug: Chief Financial Officer

As part of our ongoing celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are spotlighting some CPS employees whose Latinx culture has positively impacted their service to the District. Meet Miroslava Mejia Krug, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Chicago Public Schools. As CFO, Miroslava leads the teams that are responsible for fulfilling our District’s commitment to financial stability through effective budget planning, maximizing available funds, and ensuring an equitable distribution of resources across the District.

Born and raised in Panama, Miroslava moved to the United States more than 20 years ago and began her career in finance in the private sector. Her passion for mission-driven work began during her tenure as CFO at the Chicago Housing Authority, where she was able to see up-close how it was possible to use her skills to make positive changes in society. Miroslava then took her passion for promoting social change into the education field, where she held senior leadership positions with Roosevelt University and Benedictine University before joining CPS in January of 2020.

How does your work advance the CPS mission of providing a high-quality education to every child in every Chicago neighborhood?

My team and I are focused on spearheading CPS’ financial strategy to support effective budget planning that supports distributing resources in a way that equitably serves all students. For example, this year the budget will allow CPS to build on successes by strengthening our Instructional Core and establishing a new standard of excellence for all schools in the wake of the pandemic. We work to deploy resources in a way that allows us to prioritize small class sizes, expand robust programming in the arts, dual-language, and early childhood education, provide high-quality professional development for our teachers; and ensure safe, healthy learning environments amid the continued threat of COVID-19. Our ultimate goal is to make sure each student receives the education and support they deserve. It’s exciting work. 

What has been the most meaningful part of your time with the District?

When I moved to the United States, I didn’t know anyone here, which can be a very difficult situation if you don’t have any support. Luckily, I’ve been very blessed to have amazing mentors who have given me opportunities, support, and advice throughout my whole career. I have been helped through my relationships with other people, and that’s why I love this opportunity to give back. I do work that’s not about putting money back into the pockets of a corporation, and I really value being able to see how public education makes a real difference in people’s lives. 

How does your Latinx background impact your approach to your work at CPS?

The process of moving from Panama to the United States required me to be very adaptable, because the cultures are very different. Latin-American cultures are very relationship-based, and my mentors helped me navigate that adjustment. Being adaptable has been a great asset for me and my work, and my background has also helped me to be able to work effectively with people from all different backgrounds. I place a huge value on diversity and I love learning about different cultures and meeting new people, which is huge in a district as diverse as CPS.

Why is it important for a district like CPS to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

There are so many different cultures in our District, which is an incredible strength of ours that we should embrace. We should celebrate all the diversity within CPS, because it enriches everything we do. Humans are fascinating creatures, and I love learning about the traditions and values that make each of us special.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love to meet people from different backgrounds and walks of life— that’s what’s great about living in the city. I like to move between a lot of different communities, and I love to be active and outdoors. I have twin sixteen-year-old sons, and I spend a lot of time at their soccer games with my husband. I have also met many new friends through different hobbies, such as golf, tennis, and my book club.