Amy J. Peña is general counsel to The Chicago Community Trust where she provides a wide range of legal guidance to the Trust ranging from board governance, nonprofit grant making and tax implications to employment matters and contract negotiation.
Peña joined the Trust after serving as general counsel and secretary to the International Association of Lions Clubs. She brings over 18 years of experience in legal counsel and management for non-profit and for profit organizations. During her time at Lions, Peña was responsible for all legal and board governance issues and was instrumental in securing funds in complex cross-border transactions and resolving international disputes. She conducted training worldwide in non-profit governance issues, managed a large trademark portfolio and oversaw liability claims for the over 45,000 clubs internationally. Her prior experience includes legal counsel on employment and labor issues with an employer law firm and working in human resources as a generalist before pursuing a career in law.
Originally from Arizona, Peña moved to Illinois earning her Juris Doctor degree from Northern Illinois College of Law. While in law school, she served as chief justice of the Moot Court Society and was recognized with several honors, including the Outstanding NIU Woman award. Peña graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from Northern Arizona University where she remains active and serves on the board of the Northern Arizona University Foundation.
