Dorri Carie McWhorter

Dorri McWhorter is renowned for her social enterprise business leadership. Crain’s Chicago Business lauded McWhorter as a “nonprofit disrupter” who turned around a major agency “by leading as if it’s a startup.” McWhorter is a 2019 Inductee into the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame, and her work to create a new paradigm for the social impact sector is featured in the documentary Uncharitable. In 2021, McWhorter became President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Under her leadership, the YMCA modernized membership offerings, created partnerships with Nike and Peloton, and is developing a Community Hub within a mixed-income, net-zero carbon emissions apartment complex in Downtown Chicago and a wellness center with healthcare, grocery store and business incubator on Chicago’s west side. Previously, McWhorter served as CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, transforming it from a traditional social service organization to a “21st century social enterprise.” She added 10 service locations, increased the operating budget by 300%, and established a retirement plan with options for childcare providers and small business owners. McWhorter led the effort to develop an exchange-traded fund (ETF) for women’s empowerment (NYSE: WOMN) in partnership with Impact Shares.

Dorri prides herself on being a humanity-centered business leader and is committed to creating an inclusive marketplace by leveraging a cross-sector approach of engaging business, civic and community partners. Dorri has a breadth of professional experience across a variety of businesses and industries. Prior to taking on leadership roles in the social enterprise sector, she was a partner at Crowe LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the U.S. Dorri serves on the Board of Directors for several companies including, LanzaTech Global, Lifeway Foods, William Blair Funds, NexPoint Capital and Skyway Concession Company (Chicago Skyway). Dorri is also active in the accounting profession and serves on the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and a past Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Illinois CPA Society. Dorri also serves as Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of the First Women’s Bank.

Dorri’s civic and philanthropic leadership includes the board of directors for Common Impact, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Civic Consulting Alliance, Civic Federation, Chicago Center for Arts and Technology, and Forefront. Dorri received a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master of business administration degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lake Forest College.