Placing a Controller at Chicago Public Schools is not a routine search. The role demands someone who can operate at the intersection of technical excellence, public accountability, and institutional complexity, all at extraordinary scale. Patrick brought exactly that. His depth of experience across public accounting and higher education finance, combined with his track record of rigorous stewardship, made him the right leader for one of the most consequential financial roles in American public education.
When Chicago Public Schools needed a new Controller during a period of restructuring, credentials alone weren't enough; they needed a career.
Chicago Public Schools serves more than 320,000 students and manages one of the largest public education budgets in the country, with $9 billion in annual spending, and is accountable to students, families, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois.
In 2022, a Controller vacancy opened during a period of broader organizational restructuring and leadership transition. At this scale and level of public scrutiny, a financial misstep doesn't stay contained; it becomes public, political, and damaging to the communities the district serves.
Proactively sourced Patrick Alforque through targeted outreach, targeting financial leaders whose careers were built in large, complex public institutions where fiscal integrity is a public obligation. Patrick's profile: 4 years at Ernst & Young, 10+ years as Controller at Roosevelt University, senior finance roles at Northeastern Illinois University and Loyola University Chicago.
Assessed fit through a rigorous, evidence-based process: performance task, structured interviews, and scenario-based roleplays that revealed how Patrick leads through real institutional finance challenges, not just how he presents.
Validated an exceptional credential profile: Magna Cum Laude in Accounting, ranked 20th nationally in the 1992 Philippine CPA Board Exam, dual CPA licensure in Illinois and the Philippines, signals of technical excellence and professional discipline built over decades.
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