Category: past speakers

Former Director of Diversity and Strategic Collaborations, Alzheimer’s Association

Janis Robinson served as the Director Diversity and Strategic Collaborations at the Alzheimer’s Association National Office in Chicago from 2009 to 2012.  In that position she provided leadership and strategic direction to the diversity and inclusiveness program to advance the Association’s mission. Working with thought leaders in all areas of the Association, they implemented diversity events, activities and new/modified programs to integrate diversity outreach in the Association’s public image and market strategies.  She also identified, developed, and stewarded strategic collaborations and initiatives to create opportunities to heighten the Association’s visibility and goals in new organizations and diverse populations.  Janis also provided leadership and coordination for the Association-wide Diversity Team, the Diversity and Inclusiveness Council, and the Diversity Interest Group.

Janis was the Director Corporate Initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association from 2008 – 2009.  In that position, she developed the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance, (AEDA) and conducted several National kick-off meetings which led to success in recruiting over 300 companies and organizations to the AEDA.  She also developed and executed Eldercare Workplace Strategy which included establishing the Alzheimer’s Association’s Eldercare Workplace Advisory Council, (EWAC), comprised of representatives from Fortune 1000 companies.

Janis held the position of Director of Diversity at Aon Corporation from 2001 – 2004 where she established Aon’s Diversity initiative which included establishing Aon’s first Diversity Council, training program and supplier diversity fair.  Prior to that, she was Director of Diversity Affairs at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business where she also served as first Director of LEAD/SBI Program.

She has over 10 years of combined experience in marketing, business consulting, sales, corporate human resources, recruiting/staffing and project management.

Janis received her MBA in marketing from the Krannert Graduate School of Business/Purdue University, Exxon Fellowship and her BA in Urban Studies/Economics from Barnard College/Columbia University, Sachs Foundation Scholarship

She currently is a member of Chicago Chapter of Links and has served on the boards of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, the Breast Cancer Network of Strength and Marwen.

CEO, Epic Consulting Group

Yuri Brown-Cruzat is the CEO and Founder of EPIC Consulting Group, LLC.  EPIC is a full service workforce and business consulting firm that serves Fortune 50, 100 and 500 corporations.  EPIC is uniquely positioned with alliance partners to deliver products and services that are fueled by solid methodology, research and measures of success.  EPIC has a client list which includes (but not limited to) General Dynamics, United Health Group, Gulfstream Aerospace, A&E Television Networks and Monster.  The breath of work ranges from global diversity/inclusion strategy development, human capital planning, emerging market consumer development and supplier strategic sourcing.

Yuri was the former National Director of Strategic Diversity & Inclusion for U.S. Cellular Corporation.  She designed and developed the strategic inclusion plan for U.S. Cellular with the intent of defining the business imperative, measures and customer experience.   She is an expert speaker on trends, processes and strategies for the diversity & inclusion industry domestically and abroad.  One of her featured speaking engagements was at the World Diversity Leadership Summit in Prague, Czech Republic.

She has over 20 years of combined experience in business consulting, sales, corporate recruiting/staffing and project management. She was Director of Consulting Services for Hudson Inclusion Solutions a division of Hudson Highland Group, a 4,000 person global executive search and human capital consulting firm where she was responsible for the leadership, design and development of Hudson’s Global Diversity Consulting Services Practice.  Yuri led and managed consulting engagements with sales targets ranging from 200K to $4M each.

While at Abbot Laboratories and Merck Pharmaceuticals, Yuri managed client relationships and business development goals upwards of $3M in annual sales.  As a HR professional she was Regional Recruiting Manager across multiple locations for both Blue Cross of California (now WellPoint) and Ernst & Young Consulting.  Yuri and her team were responsible for the design, implementation, metrics development and competitive analysis. Additionally, as a Director of Finance, she implemented Six Sigma driven, multi-million dollar finance process redesign projects, supplier diversity and organizational restructuring initiatives for CNA Insurance. She is a certified Black Belt in Six Sigma.

Yuri received her B.S. Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley with contributing certifications from Oxford University, Education Abroad Program.  Yuri has served on several professional and nonprofit boards. She is a previous board member for Lawrence Hall Services, a child/family protective agency; a previous advisor for Women on Boards which works to prep and position executive women to obtain Board of Director positions for Corporate Boards; a previous advisor for the League of Black Women, a national research and professional networking organization focused on the advancement and empowerment of Women of Color.

 Director of Development and Communications, Family Focus, Inc.

Carolyn Nopar is the Director of Development for Family Focus, a local area nonprofit dedicated to nurturing children and strengthening families.  Carolyn oversees all marketing, branding and private fundraising efforts for the organization’s eight centers.  Carolyn’s early sales and marketing career included positions as a Key Account Manager for Del Laboratories, Senior Account Manager for AT&T and Chicago Commercial Sales Manager for Cort Furniture Rental.  After taking a break to raise her two daughters, Carolyn returned to the workforce to pursue a second career in the nonprofit sector.  Her philanthropic experience includes launching a social enterprise for Habitat for Humanity, Associate Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations for the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Chief Development Officer at the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, and as the Executive Director of the Enterprising Kitchen.

Carolyn Nopar received a Master of Management from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan.

Recruiter, Chase RFS Staffing Team, JPMorgan Chase

Cat Sue Turner-Anderson has been with Bank One/Chase for 38 years. Cat Sue has had various responsibilities at Bank One/Chase as Corporate HR:
HR Staffing
Leadership/Diversity / Change Manager
Bookkeeper, NEO Deposit OPS
Manager, Sr Fraud Analyst, Risk Manager,
Manager for Chase UNCF Scholar Program,
Manager INROADS Intern Program
Manage Harper Englewood Project

Cat Sue is currently in a Consumer Banking Staffing Role JPMC. She has been in this role since April 2008. Cat Sue is Co-Chair of JPMC Chicago UJIMA & Women of Color Network and very involved as a Consultant to All Employee Networking Groups at JPMC.
Manages UNCF Intern National Placement
Manages Harper Englewood Intern Project
CAPS (Career Advancement Programs For ENG`s)
Partner with LOB`s for Diverse Hire Job Openings
Partner with Chase Medical and The American Heart Assoc. on Chase involvement in Current Events and Health Issues for Diverse Employees

External involvement includes
UNCF Planning Committee
UNCF Leadership Council
Salvation Army Angel Tree Projects and Toys for Tots Program.
Clerk of The Circuit Court Women`s Advisory Committee
2oo8 Planning Committee for Child Link Women Initiative Luncheon

Program Management Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office

Karen Rodriguez is a Program Management Specialist for the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO). She administers grants, cooperative agreements and interagency
agreements and manages special projects for GLNPO such as working with partners on the Sustain Our Great Lakes grant program and remediation to restoration in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. She is currently the GLNPO Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s lead for the Habitat and Wildlife Protection and Restoration Focus Area and the US Lead Negotiator for the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Habitat and Species issue area.

Executive Director, USA Foundation and CR Governance Board and Manager, Corporate Responsibility, Americas, ArcelorMittal

Heather Loebner leads Corporate Responsibility (CR) for the Americas region of ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel company. Also a global team member, she drives strategy and implementation, sharing best practices across the group. Heather has oversight of ArcelorMittal’s CR pillars: sustainability, people (health + safety and education), enriching communities and governance. She guides regional and local CR reporting; directs stakeholder engagement; and supports corporate governance to include responsible sourcing and human rights.

Loebner is Executive Director of the ArcelorMittal USA Foundation, leading corporate giving and employee engagement programs. She manages the Sustain Our Great Lakes program relationship, a bi-national, public-private partnership; serves on the Corporate Committees for Chicago Wilderness. She also serves on the Corporate Committee of Council on Foundations where she participates as a research funder for Philanthropy 2012. Heather has spoken at many conferences, to include the Ethical Corporation, the Conference Board, and Interbrands Corporate Citizenship program hosted at Harvard, on such topics as environmental stewardship, governance models, and philanthropic partnerships. She graduated with a Bachelors in Business, emphasis in Marketing from St. Louis University and a Masters in Political Science from University of Illinois.

G-Team Director, Groupon

Patty Huber, Director of G-Team, leads the philanthropic arm at Groupon. Harnessing the collective action platform, Patty developed the G-Team initiative to turn deal seekers into do-gooders by tapping into the collective power of the group to respond to local community need. Passionate about volunteer involvement and crafty with online engagement, she has led the G-Team in raising funds and awareness for local charities across the nation.

Patty discovered her passion for community development and civic engagement through her experience developing service-learning and experiential education programs for high school and college students. She went on to produce corporate volunteer programs while pursing work in mental health and social service agencies. Patty approaches corporate citizenship and civic engagement from a social work perspective and seeks to create innovative ways to solve social problems through sustainable for-profit models.

Patty has a Bachelor’s degree on Psychology from James Madison University, as well as a Master’s degree in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago.

Associate Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Medicine-Geriatrics

As a senior member of the University of Chicago’s Urban Health Initiative, Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau also directs the South Side Health and Vitality Studies.

Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau is an Associate Professor, Pritzker School of Medicine, Departments of Ob/Gyn and Medicine-Geriatrics and the Comprehensive Cancer Center.  She is also on the faculty in the MacLean Center on Clinical Medical Ethics.  A respected physician scientist, Dr. Lindau studies life course sexuality at the population level and how sexuality affects and is affected by illness and aging.  In addition to her M.D., Dr. Lindau has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago. Her laboratory work addresses population health, health policy and educational issues with relevance to women’s health, sexuality and aging, and health disparities.

Dr. Lindau focuses on patient care, research, education and advocacy related to the health of aging women and underserved populations. Her clinical interest is in the area of women’s sexuality, particularly women and girls who have or have had cancer. Dr. Lindau is the director of the Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine (PRISM), a clinic that addresses and studies sexual concerns, problems, and dysfunction for women. Many of these women have sexual health concerns caused by cancer or its treatment.

A respected physician scientist, Dr. Lindau studies life course sexuality at the population level and how sexuality affects and is affected by illness and aging. Dr. Lindau has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago. Her laboratory work addresses population health, health policy and educational issues with relevance to women’s health, sexuality and aging, and health disparities.

Founder, President, Media Personality

Melissa is one of the world’s leading experts on the development of networks as a means of growing and accelerating brand loyalty and performance improvement inside and outside organizations. For more than a decade Melissa’s organization, Networlding, has provided exceptional relationship marketing and management innovation programs for organizations like AT&T, CNA, UBS, Hewitt, Motorola and Disney. The company specializes in social media and social networking in the business-to-business space.
Melissa is also the author and/or co-author of ten top-selling books. Her seventh book, co-authored with former CMO of Office Depot, Jocelyn Carter Miller, held the #10 spot on Amazon (in Chicago) for a year. Other books include:

• Networlding: Building Relationships and Opportunities for Success (#10 on Amazon, in Chicago, for 12 months)
• The Chicago Entrepreneurs Sourcebook (rated one of the top 10 small business books in Chicago)
• 75 Cage Rattling Questions that Change the Way You Work (McGraw Hill)
• The Power of Two: Rethinking and Reforming Strategic Alliances (Jossey Bass)
• Four of Melissa’s books have been on top business book lists including: The Power-of-Two and Networlding, recognized by Booz Allen as two of the top ten alliance management books.

Melissa has also been a guest on both radio and television including The Today Show, CNN, WGN, CNBC and FOX. One of her books was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is a frequent presenter at conferences looking for interactive sessions. Her unique program, The Extravaganza, has been highly evaluated by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and she has won a Consummate Speaker of the Year Award.

With a BA in Sociology and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, Melissa went on to found Service Showcase, Inc., a consulting, training and coaching firm started in 1986. For the past twelve years she has grown the company to include clients like Price Waterhouse, AT&T, Dean Foods and Motorola as well as dozens of smaller companies and organizations. In 1998 she was chosen as one of six extraordinary women of the year by The University of Chicago Women’s Graduate Business Alumni Board. Networlding was recently licensed by Yale University through their graduate school of business.

Jason Saul is one of the nation’s leading experts on measuring social impact. He is the founder and CEO of Mission Measurement LLC, a strategy consulting firm that helps corporations, nonprofits and public sector clients to measure and improve their social impact. He has advised some of the world’s largest corporations, government agencies and nonprofits, including: Walmart, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Kraft Foods, Levi Strauss & Co., Easter Seals, American Red Cross, the Smithsonian and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Jason serves on the faculty of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches corporate social responsibility and nonprofit management. He also serves on the faculty of Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship. He is the author of numerous books and articles on social strategy and measurement, including: Benchmarking for Nonprofits: How to Manage, Measure and Improve Performance (Fieldstone Press 2006); Social Innovation, Inc.: Five Strategies to Drive Business Value through Social Change (forthcoming from Jossey-Bass in October 2010); and The End of Fundraising: How to Sell Your Impact in an Era of Outcomes (forthcoming from Jossey-Bass in February 2011).

Jason holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, an M.P.P. from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. in Government and French Literature from Cornell University. He was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for leadership and public service and was selected as a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow. In 2008, Jason was recognized as one of Crain’s Chicago Business “40 under 40” business leaders, and in 2010 Jason was named by Businessweek Magazine as one of the Nation’s 25 Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs.

David Scheffer holds an endowed professorship and serves as the Director of the Center for International Human Rights. He teaches International Human Rights Law, International Criminal Law, and Corporate Human Rights Responsibility. Scheffer supervises the International Externship Program. He received the Dean’s Teaching Award 2007-2008.

Scheffer was previously the U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues (1997-2001) and led the U.S. delegation in U.N. talks establishing the International Criminal Court. During his ambassadorship, he negotiated and coordinated U.S. support for the establishment and operation of international and hybrid criminal tribunals and U.S. responses to atrocities anywhere in the world.

Scheffer also headed the Atrocities Prevention Inter-Agency Working Group.
During the first term of the Clinton Administration, he served as senior adviser and counsel to the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Madeleine Albright, and served from 1993 through 1996 on the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council.

Scheffer recently held visiting professorships at Northwestern Law, Georgetown University Law Center, and George Washington University Law School and taught earlier at Duke University School of Law and Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.

He has published extensively on international legal and political issues and appears regularly in the national and international media.
Scheffer is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars, the American Society of International Law (formerly serving on the Executive Council), and the Council on Foreign Relations, and was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Law Students Association (2004-2008).

Jason Saul
CEO and Founder
Mission Measurement, LLC
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Richard M.Daley
Mayor, City of Chicago

Jenné Myers
Chief Services Officer
ONE GOOD DEED CHICAGO

Julie Chavez
Market Development Manager
Bank of America

Amy Newkirk
Marketing & Sales
PwC

Melissa Giovagnoli
Founder and CEO, Networlding
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David Kathman
Senior Mutual Fund Analyst
Morningstar, Inc.
Speaker
SRI in the Rockies 2010 Conference

John Hoeppner
Second Vice President of Quantitative Management, Socially Responsible Investing Product Development
Northern Trust Global Investments
Liason
Northern Trust Global Investments and United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative

Francia Harrington
Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility
JPMorgan Chase & Company

Ruth Ann M. Gillis
Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative and Diversity Officer
Exelon Corporation
President
Exelon Business Services Company

Richard P. Kiphart
CEO
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Head of Private Client Advisors
William Blair & Company

Shannon Schuyler
US Corporate Responsibility Leader
PwC

Eric S. Smith
Managing Director, Investment Banking Group
JP Morgan Chase & Company

David Scheffer
Mayer Brown/Robert A. Helman Professor of Law
Director of the Center for International Human Rights
Northwestern University School of Law
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Kelly O’Brien
Vice President of Communications and Marketing
The United Way of Metropolitan Chicago

Shirley R. Madigan
Chairman
The Illinois Arts Council

Terry Mazany
President and CEO
The Chicago Community Trust

Kevin Willer
Head of Industry, Technology & Telecom
Jake Parillo
Public Affairs
Google, Inc.

Timothy J. Feddersen
Wendell Hobbs Professor of Managerial Politics
Director of the Social Enterprise at Kellogg Program (SEEK)
Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University

Nicole Teti
Director of Strategic Management
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

Carli Franks
Senior Associate of Community Fundraising
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

Bill Geiger
President and CEO
McGaw YMCA, Evanston, IL

Diane Kemp
Executive Director
The American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate

Robert Christie
Vice President, Government and Legislative Relations
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Gaye van den Hombergh
President
Winning Workplaces

Gregory M. Mueller, PhD.
Vice President, Science and Academic Programs

Steve Ball
Director of Corporate Relations
The Chicago Botanic Garden

Adele Simmons
Vice Chair and Senior Executive – Chicago Metropolis 2020
Vice Chair – The Burnham Centennial Committee

Randy Blankenhorn
Executive Director – The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

R. Rene Friedman
Partner – Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP

Amy Newkirk
Geography Marketing – PricewaterhouseCoopers

Colleen Lennon
Resource Development Director – Boys and Girls Club of Lake County, Illinois

Christopher Clinton Coway
Executive Director – The Joffrey Ballet

James Cuno
President and Eloise W. Martin Director – The Art Institute of Chicago

Thomas Kerwin, FAIA
Managing Partner – Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Chef Christopher Koetke
Dean, School of Culinary Arts, Kendall College

Margaret Holt
Standards Editor, The Chicago Tribune

Mark Jacob
Deputy Metro Editor, The Chicago Tribune

David Greising
Business Columnist, The Chicago Tribune

Robert Christie
Vice President-Government and Legislative Relations, Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Kassie Davis
Executive Director, CME Trust

Eileen Sweeney
Director-Corporate & Foundation Philanthropic Relations, Motorola Foundation

Nancy Radner
Chief Executive Director, The Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness

David Davis
Programs Manager, Elam Davies Social Services Center, Chicago Lights at Fourth Presbyterian Church

Kathleen Molnar
Program Director, Emergency Fund

Kevin Jackson
Executive Director, Chicago Rehab Network

Bruce Martin
Midwest Regional Manager, Community Development Real Estate, JPMorgan Chase

Lin Kaatz Chary, PhD., MPH

Deborah DeHaas
Vice Chairman and Regional Managing Partner, Deloitte Services, LLP, Midwest Region

Diane Dillon
Associate Director of Research and Education, Newberry Library

Torey Malatia
President and General Manager, Chicago Public Radio

Anne Ladkey
Executive Director, Women Employed

Dr. Clement Hamilton
Vice President and Director of Research, Morton Arboretum

Rick Hirschhaut
Project and Executive Director, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center

Richard Jones
University of Chicago,

Sadhu Johnston
Commissioner of the Environment, City of Chicago

Tom Bartoski
Director of International Business Development, World Business Chicago

Gary Johnson
President, Chicago History Museum

Gabrielle Lyon
Executive Director, Project Exploration

Paul Nebenzahl
Community Health Charities,

William Mason
General Director, Lyric Opera

Tim Schwertfeger
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nuveen Investments

David Spadafora
President and Librarian, Newberry Library

David Anderson
Executive Director, Freedom Museum

Mary Houpt

Dr. Jose Oberholzer
Director of Cell and Pancreas Transplantation, University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Surgery

Dr. Michael Walsh
Chicago Climate Exchange

Margaret Stender
General Manager, Chicago Sky

John W. Rogers, Jr.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ariel Capital Management

John Roberts
Managing Director, Chicago Mercantile Exchange

George Rainey
President and CEO, Metropolis

Arne Duncan
Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools

Geoff Emberling
Museum Director, Oriental Institute

Paul Biebel, Jr.
Presiding Judge, Criminal Division

Dr. Weine
Director, International Center on Human Responses to Social Catastrophes

Aleksander Hemon
MacArthur Genius Award Recipient

Ralph Hughes
Regional Director, Marshall Fields

Brenda Sexton
Managing Director, Illinois Film Office

John A. Kessler M.D.
Chairman, Department of Neurology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Gordon Quinn
Founding Member & President, Kartemquin Educational Films

Joanna Rudnick
Director of Development, Kartemquin Educational Films

William J. Brodsky
Chairman and CEO, Chicago Board Options Exchange

Lance Schart
Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation

Candace Browdy
Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation

Larry Suffredin
Commissioner (13th District), Cook County

Raymond Soucek
President/CEO, Haymarket Center

Chivy Sok
University of Iowa

Libby Chiu
Urban Gateways/Community Trust Sarh Solotaroff

Dan Schmidt
President/CEO, WTTW

Mike Peregrine
Gardner, Carton and Douglas Robert Friedman of Bear Stearns

Merri Dee

Paul Lehman
Winning Workplaces

Eddie Lawlor
Dean, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago

Sid Mohn
President, Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights

Jill Wine-Banks
Chief Officer, Education to Careers Chicago Public Schools

Maureen Blaha
Executive Director, National Runaway Switchboard

Dr. Michael Pagano
Director and Professor, Public Administration Program UIC

Dr. Rebecca Hendrick
Associate Professor, Public Administration Program UIC

Joan Gunzberg
Executive Director, Arts & Business Council, Chicago