Team

Clare Muñana PRESIDENT

Clare Muñana founded Ancora Associates in 1987. She has extensive management consulting experience with a focus on strategic and organizational alignment and transformations, having performed numerous engagements for clients in the U.S., Europe, Africa and Latin America.

Ms. Muñana has led teams tasked with fostering economic development in underserved regions within the State of Illinois; devising international strategy for a US/European foundation and museum; strategic planning for a major natural history museum, creating a technology plan for a major US school district; and establishing an economic development agency for a large U.S. city. Prior to leading Ancora, Ms. Munana worked on projects for the World Bank and United States Agency for International Development with Grant Thornton International, and was a researcher at the Brookings Institute.

Ms. Muñana has held BPA contracts with the US Agency for International Development as a Senior Education Specialist and a Senior Local Capacity Development Specialist. She received a Bachelors degree from Boston College, a MA with Honors in International Economics and Politics from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and a Masters in Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Ms. Muñana is a Board member of the Aspen Institute, the Middle East Investment Initiative, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, The Field Museum, and After School Matters. Additionally, she is a member of the Steering Committee of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition. She has also been named a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French government.

Current Boards:

  • Aspen Institute: Global convening organization committed to open dialogue, leadership and action on world’s most pressing issues. Chair, International Committee, Executive Committee.
  • After School Matters: After school programs for over 22,000 public high school students in Chicago. Chair Program Committee.
  • Chicago Council on Global Affairs: Think tank on world affairs. Co-Chair Emerging Leaders Committee.
  • Civic Federation: Watchdog organization over City and State financial health, budgets and management.
  • National Museum of Mexican Art: Lifetime trustee.
  • Terra Foundation for American Art.
  • United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): Advisory Council to Chief Executive.

Awards:

  • Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University Schaffner Award for leadership
  • Chicago United Business Leaders of Color Award
  • Urban Gateways Arts 50th Anniversary honor
  • Changing Worlds Connecting Cultures Award
  • Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite by the French President
  • Sor Juana Woman of Achievement Award by the National Museum of Mexican Art
  • Ovation Award by the Chicago Center for Music Education

Memberships:

  • Commercial Club of Chicago
  • Economic Club of Chicago
  • Illinois Business Immigration Coalition
  • International Council of Museums

Partners

We regularly team up with other experts to provide the strongest possible advisory team. Recent firms and collaborations include, but are not limited to:

Saathi Impact Consulting
Bina Patel, Principal & Founder

Prager Company
Adam Prager, President