Meet Kyna

 Kyna Lenhof’s connection to education and advocacy began long before she entered the classroom.

Raised in a family committed to service and social justice, Kyna learned early on the importance of being involved in her community and advocating for others. Growing up with a brother who had cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus made those values deeply personal and shaped her understanding of disability, inclusion, and the importance of ensuring every child has the support they need to succeed.

Those experiences inspired Kyna to study Special Education at Illinois State University and pursue a career working with students with disabilities.

Kyna began her career as a paraprofessional, substitute teacher, and inclusion teacher before moving to Chicago in 2001. After working at Easter Seals Therapeutic Day School, she joined Chicago Public Schools, where she spent more than eight years as an educator, LRE Facilitator, and lead mentor.

In the classroom, Kyna saw firsthand how access, resources, and inclusion can shape a student’s experience. As a Special Education teacher, she worked to ensure students received the resources and opportunities they needed, secured funding for her school, and mentored new educators entering the profession.

Her experience also reinforced a belief that continues to guide her approach to education: when teachers are supported, students thrive.

And when students thrive, families are stronger, neighborhoods are more connected, and entire communities can succeed.

Kyna has called Bowmanville/Lincoln Square home for 20 years.

Her involvement in the community has included serving as Treasurer of 40th Ward Dems since 2020. In 2025, she also ran the Chicago Marathon as a charity runner supporting Nourishing Hope, an organization providing food, mental health, and social services to Chicagoans in need.

Across her work as an educator, advocate, and community member, Kyna’s focus has remained connected to ensuring people have access to the support and resources they need.

Kyna is running to bring her experience as an educator, disability advocate, and community leader to the Chicago Board of Education. She wants to ensure CPS resources are reaching and benefiting the students and schools that need them most and that every CPS student has access to a high-quality education, regardless of their ZIP code, ability, school, or background.

Kyna’s path from advocate to educator to community leader has been shaped by a consistent focus on students and the people and communities that support them.

Kyna For The Kids.