Maudlyne Ihejirika

Maudlyne Ihejirika is an education reporter and assistant city editor with the Chicago Sun-Times. A veteran news journalist with more than 18 years experience in media, public relations and government, she holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Creative Writing from the University of Iowa.

Ms. Ihejirika began her career at the Chicago Sun-Times in 1986, where she spent 11 years covering issues from politics to urban affairs, and was Weekend City Editor when she left the Sun-Times in 1997. An award-winning news reporter, she is the recipient of numerous citations for her hard-hitting urban affairs coverage. Ms. Ihejirika was responsible for launching the Season of Sharing Program for the Chicago Sun-Times Charity Trust in 1996, serving as its director in the program’s first year.

In 1997, she was hired away from the Chicago Sun-Times by then Illinois Governor Jim Edgar to serve as press secretary for his Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Ms. Ihejirika is a native of Imo-State, Nigeria, her family emigrated to the US as refugees of the Nigerian-Biafran War in 1969.