News & Press Releases

Recent LGC News and Press Releases

• July 29, 2024 | Leadership Greater Chicago Welcomes New Leadership to Board of Directors
• July 23, 2024 | Leadership Greater Chicago Selects 40th Class of Distinguished Civic Leaders
• May 3, 2024 | Leadership Greater Chicago Elects New Board Member Damion Heron

More Past LGC News and Press Releases

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Sara Awaleh, CS-Effect
sawaleh@cs-effect.com

Activating Civic Changemakers: Prominent Chicago Leaders Chosen for Distinguished Civic Leadership Fellowship

28 Top Executives Join Nearly 180 Fellows in LGC’s Daniel Burnham Fellowship Network

CHICAGO, IL (February 11, 2025) Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) proudly announced today the seventh cohort of The Daniel Burnham Fellowship.  This year, 28 accomplished CEOs and senior executives from region’s leading corporate, nonprofit, government, cultural, and educational institutions will participate in this transformative program, designed for executives to urgently impact the region’s workforce and economic progress in their roles as leaders and decision makers.

The fellowship integrates participants into the civic fabric of the city — deepening their understanding of its history and future trajectory — while creating a space that inspires authentic relationships and activating cross-sector collaboration. By fostering innovative perspectives and meaningful connections, the fellowship empowers leaders to tackle the region’s most pressing issues and create enduring impact.  

“The Daniel Burnham Fellowship’s seventh Cohort embodies a bold and diverse assembly of leaders committed to advancing equitable solutions for our region’s most critical challenges,” said Myetie Hamilton, CEO of Leadership Greater Chicago and an LGC Fellow since 2016. “Through this program, we aim to empower our Fellows to harness their collective strengths and activate our extensive network, to build a stronger and more inclusive city and region for all.”

Since its inception in 2019, Daniel Burnham Fellows have leveraged their expertise and influence to support communities and enhance the region’s economic resilience through initiatives addressing workforce development, public policy reform, food security, community investment, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and more. Recent examples of Fellow-led impact include Thresholds CEO Mark Ishaug’s launch of a full-service community health center to combat health disparities in Chicago’s Austin community, Chicago Deputy Mayor of Business, Economic and Neighborhood Development Kenya Merritt’s leadership of the “Cut the Tape” initiative to streamline development processes citywide, Dominican University President Glena Temple’s partnership with The Resurrection Project to expand educational opportunities into Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, Bowa Construction President and CEO Nosa Ehimwenman co-leading construction of the city’s first high-rise built by an African American Minority Business Enterprise, promoting diversity and equitable opportunities in the construction industry, SDI Presence CEO Hardik Bhatt’s commitment to anchor a $20 million, first-of-its-kind technology workforce and training center in Greater Grand Crossing, and Constellation President & CEO Joe Dominguez’s $1 billion deal to provide clean energy to the U.S. government over the next decade.  

With this new Cohort, Leadership Greater Chicago reaffirms its commitment to activating a vibrant, collaborative network of leaders poised to shape the future of the Greater Chicago Region and its residents.

The 28 senior executives who will participate in the 2025 cohort are as follows:

• Michael Adkesson, DVM, MBA, DACZM - President & CEO, Brookfield Zoo Chicago
• Jon Assell - Chief Financial Officer, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
• Jennifer Bransfield - COO & General Counsel, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives
• Chris Cardona - Managing Director, Discovery, Exploration, and Programs, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
• Lisa Coleman, Ph.D. - President, Adler University
• Dr. Charlie E. Dates - Senior Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church of Chicago
• Matthew R. Devine - Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
• Kimberly Evans - Executive Vice President & Head of Corporate Sustainability, Inclusion and Social Impact, Northern Trust
• Sonja Feist-Price, Ph.D., Dr.Rh. - Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Chicago State University 
• Juatise Gathings - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Just Act Partners
• Christy George - President & CEO, Intersect Illinois
• Keenya Lambert, MAM - President & CEO, Chicago Foundation for Women
• Arlene Lim - Vice President Corporate Legal & Transactions, Health Care Service Corporation
• Maggie McGuire O'Brien - Co-Head of Chicago, J.P. Morgan Private Bank 
• Marie Lynn Miranda - Chancellor & Professor of Pediatrics, University of Illinois Chicago
• Michael Miranda, CFA - Head of Investments, North America, BMO
• Julie Morita, MD - President & CEO, The Joyce Foundation
• Ameya Pawar - President & CEO, Michael Reese Health Trust
• Josh Richman - Executive Vice President, Market Development, PsiQuantum
• Baronica Y. Roberson - Chief Financial Officer, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
• John Roberson - Chief Operating Officer, City of Chicago
• Mark Rodriguez - Chief Executive Officer, Lohengrin Foundation
• Louis Sandoval - President & CEO, Illinois Chamber of Commerce 
• Robert T. Shannon - Managing Partner, Hinshaw and Culbertson LLP
• Dana Thomas, CPA - Chief Financial Officer, Chicago Commons Association
• Jaclyn Trovato Wickersham - Vice President and CHRO, ComEd, An Exelon Company
• Diana Vasquez - Chief Administrative Officer, CIBC Private Wealth (US)
• Tracy Volel, MBA, RHIA, CHC - System Chief Compliance Officer, University of Chicago Medicine

Nearly 180 leaders have participated in the fellowship. Prominent executives selected for previous Daniel Burnham Fellowship cohorts include Global Head of Inclusion and Giving for Morningstar Melissa Donaldson; President and CEO of Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago Michael Ericson; President and CEO of the United Way of Metro Chicago Sean Garrett; President and CEO of WTTW | WFMT Sandra Cordova Micek; Vice Chairman of BMO Harris Bank Eric Smith; President of AT&T Illinois and AT&T Great Lakes Eileen Mitchell; President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) Stephen Harris; President of Chicago Advisory Services at CBRE, Inc. John A. Latessa, Jr.; President of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation John Palfrey; Rheaply CEO & Co-Founder Garry Cooper; President of University of Chicago Health System Thomas Jackiewicz; and Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations for United Airlines Kate Gebo.

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About Leadership Greater Chicago

Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) is the region’s premier civic leadership development incubator, delivering the knowledge and network to lead bold, transformative change. LGC convenes, connects and activates 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.

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 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 Executive Chairman of Urban Partnership Bank David Vitale; Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Investments John Rogers Jr.; General Partner of Henry Crown & Company Steve Crown; Managing Partner at Cleveland Avenue Andy Zopp; Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services for the State of Illinois Grace Hou; Chairman, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities Rachel Arfa; 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. 

Leadership Greater Chicago is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more, visit: lgcchicago.org. To learn more about The Daniel Burnham Fellowship, click here.