Leadership Greater Chicago announces Class of 2023

Leadership Greater Chicago recently announced the 2023 Class of its Signature Fellows Program, the area's premier civic leadership development program.

These 53 accomplished and diverse individuals represent a cross-section of professionals from the corporate, nonprofit, government and education sectors. During the 10-month program, with the city as a classroom, they will be immersed in major socioeconomic issues facing the region through full-day seminars, neighborhood site visits, conversations with subject matter experts and cultural events.

"The landscape of civic leadership is shifting, and it demands a shared responsibility across sectors to advance meaningful, sustainable change," said LGC Chief Executive Officer Maria Wynne. "We applaud the sponsors of the LGC Class of 2023 for embracing this approach to civic engagement and for investing in the ability of these leaders to change the world. On behalf of the LGC Board of Directors, I congratulate our newest Class and look forward to their contributions to ensure an inclusive future for all who call Chicago home."

Selection into the LGC Signature Fellows Program is based on a record of professional accomplishment, evidence of leadership skills, the potential to influence positive change and a commitment to the region. This year's Class advanced through a highly competitive process that included a written application, an online assessment and, in some cases, an interview with graduates of the LGC Signature Fellows Program. Those selected for the 2023 Signature Fellows Program share the organization's commitment to lead bold, transformative change in the community.

Presenting the LGC Class of 2023:

• Maria K. Alexakis - Managing Director, CIBC Bank USA

• Jessica Andujar-Redman - Senior Vice President, Commercial Team Lead, Fifth Third Bank, National Association

• Jeannice W. Appenteng - Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois

• Jeffery Beckham Jr. - Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Scholars

• Nicole Bell - First Deputy, Economic and Neighborhood Development, City of Chicago

• Alison Bodor - Executive Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, The Options Clearing Corporation

• Timnetra Burruss - First Assistant Commissioner, Cook County Board of Review

• Liz Butler - Partner, Elrod Friedman LLP

• Rosa I. Carrillo - Controller, The Chicago Community Trust

• Tameeka Christian, Ph.D. - Program Officer, J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation

• Kyle Clauss - Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Skills for Chicagoland's Future

• Timothy Daly - Program Director, The Joyce Foundation

• Cassandra N. Di Prizio - Social Impact & Marketing Manager, Boston Consulting Group

• Ahmadou "Mo" Dramé - Program Director, Illinois Justice Project

• Christopher Egger - Senior Vice President - Strategy, Engagement & Growth, Quatrro Business Support Services

• Brandon Fair - Managing Director - Corporate Real Estate, United Airlines

• Juatise Gathings - Director of Operations & Community Outreach, Discover Financial Services

• Bria L. Gillum - Senior Program Officer, Criminal Justice, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

• Nicolas Guzman - Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

• Kelly Hallberg - Scientific Director, University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab

• Mark Harris - Director of Community Education, Pritzker Tech Talent Labs, Discovery Partners Institute - University of Illinois System

• Ivan Hidalgo - Vice President of North America Marketing, Beam Suntory

• Adrienne Irmer - AVP for External Affairs, Illinois Institute of Technology

• Jaclyn Jackson - SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, National Equity Fund

• Eric B. Johnson - Executive Director, Open Books

• Uzma A. Kazmi - Senior Vice President, Market Manager, PNC Bank

• Amy Laboy - Vice President of Programs and Community Partnerships, Greater Chicago Food Depository

• Haven Leeming - Program Officer, Builders Initiative

• Shannon Lightner-Gometz - Chief Operating Officer, Illinois Department of Public Health

• Angie Lobo - Executive Director, Indo-American Center

• Mike Menzer - Director of Technology Strategy, Allstate Insurance Company

• Jason T. Mercer - Principal, CAST US Due Diligence, Cleveland Avenue

• Michael Miranda - National Head of Research and Investments, BMO Wealth Management

• Jose M. Muñoz - Executive Director, La Casa Norte

• Carla Vara Murphy - Chief Operating Officer, Non-Financial Risk, Northern Trust Corporation

• Elin Park - Partner, Jenner & Block LLP

• Raju Prasad - Partner, William Blair

• Ana Prokic-Kostic - Regional Director, Business and Financial Operations, CBRE, Inc.

• Eréndira Rendón - Vice President, Immigrant Justice, The Resurrection Project

• Sarah Garza Resnick - Chief Deputy Assessor, Cook County Assessor's Office

• Quincy E. Roseborough - Workforce Development Director, Metropolitan Family Services

• Clarita Santos - Executive Director, Corporate and Civic Partnerships, Health Care Service Corporation

• Adrian Segura - Chief Officer, Family and Community Engagement, Chicago Public Schools

• Alvia Siddiqi, MD, FAAFP - Interim Chief Medical Officer, Enterprise Population Health, Advocate Aurora Health

• Kimberley Smith - Director of Programs, University of Chicago Crime & Education Labs

• Swathi Staley - Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

• Erin Steva - Vice President of External Affairs, Chicago State University

• Sahr Sweiss - Director of Business Development, Greeley and Hansen LLC

• Noemie D. Tilghman - Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

• Nilofer Umar - Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

• Renee E. Walker - Senior Director, Community Health Initiatives & Program Development, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

• Sara Wasserteil - Managing Director of Expansion and Integration, Cara Collective

• Lizzy Whitehorn - First Assistant Deputy Governor, Office of the Governor - Illinois

More than 1,300 leaders have successfully completed this world-class civic leadership development program, and 83% of those individuals still reside in Illinois. A new class of leaders is selected each year, with the approval of the LGC Board of Directors. The application for the 2024 LGC Signature Fellows Program will open on Oct. 1, 2022.

About Leadership Greater Chicago

Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) is the region's premier civic leadership development organization, providing 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.

Since its founding in 1983 by The Chicago Community Trust, LGC has developed more than 1,300 leaders through its Signature Fellows Program - an intensive 10-month program that provides the foundation for a lifelong commitment to civic engagement. The 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, leaders learn through interactions with private, public and nonprofit decision makers, and work as a group to develop critical thinking, analytical, governance and leadership skills.

LGC 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 W. 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.

Most recently, LGC launched The Daniel Burnham Fellowship, an accelerated civic onboarding experience for senior executives. While beneficial to any executive, it is especially beneficial for those who are new to Chicago and provides a rich introduction to an executive new to their role and with market facing responsibilities. The Fellowship is designed to inspire these leaders to mobilize and exert their combined influence and intellect to positively impact Chicago, its future and the continued economic progress of the region. To date, nearly 100 C-suite executives have participated in this innovative leadership experience.

Leadership Greater Chicago is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about LGC, visit lgcchicago.org. To learn more about the LGC Signature Fellows Program, visit lgcchicago.org/signaturefellowsprogram.