Leadership Greater Chicago Announces Michelle Stohlmeyer Russell as New Board Chair

Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC), the region's premier civic leadership development incubator, announced Michelle Stohlmeyer Russell, Ph.D. as incoming Chair of the Board of Directors at its annual Celebrate Leaders benefit on Monday, April 4. Michelle's two-year term as board chair officially began last month.

Michelle, a managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group, Chicago (BCG) and LGC Fellow since 2009, comes to the new role after serving on the LGC Board since 2017 and playing an instrumental role in the organization's strategic planning process the year prior. Michelle succeeds Connie L. Lindsey, former Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity & Inclusion at Northern Trust, who served as chair since 2017 and was recently honored with the organization's inaugural Distinguished Service Award.

"Michelle has been a steadfast supporter of LGC for many years, and the organization has benefited in countless ways from her extraordinary wisdom and wealth of experience working across numerous areas of responsibility at BCG," said LGC Chief Executive Officer Maria Wynne. "We are grateful to have her as an advisor and partner and thrilled to see her assume leadership of the Board. As we approach the 40th anniversary of our founding next year, LGC's future couldn't be in better hands."

Michelle leads BCG's People and Organization practice for North America and holds a number of people-related roles within the firm as part of the global Women@BCG leadership team, the Senior Officer Selection Committee and the Partner Performance Committee. Additionally, Michelle is a board member of BCG's Center for Illinois' Future, through which BCG is investing its teams and resources in collaboration with civic leaders to equitably and inclusively advance well-being in Chicago and throughout Illinois.

As LGC board chair, Michelle will lead the board in strategy, governance and fund development, working in tandem with Chief Executive Officer Maria Wynne to further LGC's commitment to build and strengthen the region's civic leadership pipeline.

"It has always been an honor to serve Leadership Greater Chicago, whether as a strategic partner, a donor, or now as board chair," Michelle said. "It is a responsibility I take very seriously. LGC's mission to deliver the knowledge and network to lead bold, transformative change is as critical as ever. I feel incredibly fortunate to be in a position to drive this important work forward, both inside and outside the organization. I also want to thank Connie for her extraordinary leadership and service to LGC. She has our unending gratitude, and we will forge ahead in a way that honors her significant contributions."

Michelle also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Museum of Science and Industry and was previously on the Civic Consulting Alliance leadership council as well as the board of Boundless Readers (The Rochelle Lee Fund) and helped coordinate the merger with WITS (Working in the Schools).

Michelle received a Women Leaders in Consulting award from Consulting magazine, the industry's leading trade publication in the category "Excellence in Leadership." Additionally, she was named Boston Consulting Group's Working Mother of the Year by Working Mother magazine in 2016.

Michelle earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Stanford University and graduated summa cum laude with her undergraduate degree from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. She joined BCG in 2001 where she has remained heavily involved in the Women@BCG program for North America, serving as its lead from 2013-2017. She has written several articles about women in the workplace and the disparities and challenges they face. Michelle lives in Chicago and has two daughters, El (13) and Hannah (10).

About Leadership Greater Chicago

Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) is the region's premier civic leadership incubator, delivering the knowledge and network to lead bold, transformative change. LGC convenes, connects, and mobilizes the area's most promising leaders around key socioeconomic issues through dynamic education and experiential activities. These diverse individuals represent the most prominent corporate, nonprofit, government and education organizations.

The LGC Signature Fellows Program equips participants with the resources they need to understand how decisions are made, how complex policies are shaped, and how to influence meaningful change. Using the city as a classroom, LGC Fellows learn through interactions with private, public and nonprofit decision makers, and work as a group to develop critical thinking, analytical, governance and leadership skills.

The Daniel Burnham Fellowship© is an accelerated civic onboarding experience for senior executives who, in their role as change leaders and decision makers, are able to play an active part in shaping the future of Chicago. The Fellowship integrates participants into the civic fabric of the city - understanding its history and future trajectory and building relationships and networks across the Greater Chicago Region.

LGC creates connectivity among its Fellows to positively impact not only themselves but their employees, their constituents, their clients, their neighbors and their families. This connectivity is the backbone and strength of the LGC network, enabling leaders to leverage collective resources to make the Greater Chicago Region a more dynamic, inclusive and collaborative community.

LGC and Daniel Burnham Fellows are a distinguished group that includes former First Lady Michelle Obama, Managing Partner of Emerson Collective and former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, former Executive Chairman of Urban Partnership Bank David Vitale, General Partner of Henry Crown & Company Steve Crown, Managing Partner, Cleveland Avenue, Andy Zopp, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, Chairman, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities Rachel Arfa, Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Investments John Rogers Jr., President of United Airlines Holdings, Inc. Brett Hart, Chancellor of Chicago City Colleges and MacArthur Genius Juan Salgado, President and CEO of Metropolitan Family Services Ric Estrada and President and CEO of Access Living Karen Tamley.

LGC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

To learn more about Leadership Greater Chicago, please visit: lgcchicago.org