Ana Marija Sokovic is a community leader and computational scientist based in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. She serves as President of the Rainbow Beach Park Advisory Council, where she works to protect lakefront nature, expand youth programming, and make public spaces feel safer and more welcoming for everyone. Professionally, Ana Marija is a computational scientist and MBA candidate whose work sits at the intersection of data, technology, and the public good. She also chairs the Chicago Women in High Performance Computing, where she works to open doors to cutting-edge computing fields, like quantum and AI, for women and communities of color traditionally excluded from these spaces.
Through the Change Collective, Ana Marija will focus on strengthening civic participation in South Shore—especially around city budgets, public safety, and neighborhood planning. She aims to develop practical tools and strategies to help residents better understand how local government works, engage with surveys and participatory budgeting, and see their lived experience as essential expertise. Her goal is to turn community frustration into informed, organized, and hopeful action.