Sharon Thomas Parrott came to DeVry Inc. in 1982 to establish student financial aid compliance programs. She was appointed vice president of government relations and student finance in 1989 and chief compliance officer in 2004. She is responsible for the design, implementation, enforcement and monitoring of the organization's comprehensive regulatory compliance programs. In addition, she directs government and community relations as well global communications. In October 2010, Ms. Thomas Parrott was appointed president of the DeVry Foundation. The private, not-for-profit organization supports K-12 education initiatives as well as promoting workforce development. Prior to DeVry, Ms. Thomas Parrott worked at the U.S Department of Education where she began her work in the area of student financial aid and later directed national training programs in Washington D.C. She has also held positions at the Loyola University of Chicago as director of the academic support program and faculty and held administrative positions at Harlan High School in Chicago (her alma mater), Dominican University, Northeastern University and George Williams College in Illinois. She currently serves as a member of the board of trustees of the Urban Students Empowered Foundation, a college access and success network; is a member of the board of directors of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce; is an informed source on college pricing for The College Board; and is an inaugural member of the 100 Wise Women, a program designed to provide networking and mentoring opportunities for women leaders in Chicago. Additionally Ms. Thomas Parrott serves the state of Illinois as a member of the P-20 Council, on the steering committee of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative, and as a member of the National Research Council's Panel on Quality Improvement in Student Financial Aid Programs. In 2000, Crain's Chicago Business named her to the 100 Women Making a Difference in Chicago listing. Sharon Thomas Parrott received bachelor's and master's degrees in history from the University of Illinois and pursued doctoral coursework in higher education policy and leadership.