Dee Runaas | Project Director
Dee Runaas
Project Director, Constitutional Democracy Project
Email: drunaas@kentlaw.iit.edu | Phone: 312-906-5255
For over 30 years, Dee Runaas has been "bringing civics to life for students and educators." As Project Director of the Constitutional Democracy Project — and previously Program Director at the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago — Dee has trained more than 3,000 teachers and led programs that help young people understand the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and democratic governance through action, discussion, and simulations of democratic processes.
Dee’s leadership spans major initiatives such as:
- ABC Project: Action-based Communities
- Annual Conference for Teachers in Civics, Law & Government
- Equal Justice Under Law
- Illinois Youth Summit
- More Perfect Union Summer Institute
- Supreme Court Summer Institute
- Teaching American History & Civics for Teachers
- We the People
- You(th) Decide
She has played a key role in expanding civics education in Illinois — partnering with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation on the statewide rollout of the civics course mandate, developing curriculum for Chicago Public Schools, and serving on the Illinois Civics Coalition.
Earlier in her career, Dee spent over 20 years as the Law-related Education Coordinator for the State Bar of Wisconsin, overseeing mock trial competitions, court education programs, and professional development initiatives involving legal and educational leaders across the state.
She is a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, and is a founding member of the National High School Mock Trial Championship, Inc. Her contributions to civic education have been recognized with the Golden Gavel Award and honors from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
