GROW
INSPIRE
ADVANCEThis has been a watershed year for the Network. We launched our new website and Equity Principles Campaign and celebrated our 40th anniversary in incredible style. These milestones, each significant in their own right, were incubated during preceding years, and we thank past chairs and boards for their leadership in moving these important TCN initiatives forward.
We view the launch of the Equity Principles Campaign as the beginning of a movement and we will continue to solicit business and nonprofit CEOs to sign the pledge and become our Campaign Partners. As the organization of Chicago’s most influential women leaders, we are well positioned to be leading the effort for gender equity in leadership across Chicago. As we continue to push forward, we are also cognizant that our efforts will not be effective if we do not put racial equity front and center as a priority. What gets measured gets done and in 2021 we will publish our first report on the state of gender equity in senior workplace leadership in Chicago.
And with all of this, we continue to connect Chicago’s most senior women leaders so they may be helpful to each other professionally and personally. It’s going to be a long time before it’s not lonely at the top for women and our reason for being is as strong now as it was when we began in 1979.
We also take great joy in empowering the next generation of women leaders. As you’ll see in this Year in Review, we endeavor to reach high school, college and young professional women. There are more plans to scale our ability to provide meaningful career advice to younger career women in 2020. Stay tuned!
To every member of the women’s leadership community here in Chicago—past, present and future—we salute your leadership accomplishments and invite you to work together with us as We Empower Women to Lead.
Susan Gallagher
Chair 2018–2019
Diane Offereins
Chair 2019–2020
Who we are
We meet women where they are.
We unconditionally pay it forward.
We are relentless in righting the balance.
We are stronger together.
Chicago network members represent senior leadership across all sectors
INITIATIVES:
INSPIRING THE
NEXT GENERATION
Equity Principles Campaign
In June 2019, The Chicago Network launched our Equity Principles Campaign, which aims to achieve 50% representation of women in leadership positions, throughout Chicago organizations by 2030. With a purpose of empowering women to lead, The Chicago Network is uniquely positioned to lead a citywide campaign for gender equity in the workplace. The cornerstone of this campaign is the Equity Pledge, which has been signed by nearly 80 companies and institutions, large and small. The five tenets of the pledge state:
REMOVE BARRIERS
Evaluate the aspects of the employment cycle–from the hiring process to performance reviews–to identify and remove conscious and unconscious biases within the organizational structure.
DEFINE SUCCESS
Develop and uphold performance benchmarks to ensure an understanding of what it takes to master skills and attributes for promotion and growth opportunities.
EVOLVE CULTURE
Establish open communication channels and provide routine access to leadership to foster a more open, inclusive and empathetic work culture.
ENHANCE COMMUNITY
Provide and promote human and capital resources to support networking opportunities, professional development, sponsorship, and mutual support across industries, sectors and levels.
MAINTAIN ACCOUNTABILITY
Benchmark progress against all levels of organization against goal for building a rich, diverse talent pipeline. Recognize and celebrate meaningful advances and address shortfalls.
Thank you to all of our campaign partners – if you don’t see your company listed, find out how to get involved.
- Aon
- Discover Financial Services
- Grainger
- IDEX Corporation
- Kellogg Company
- Marsh
- Mercer
- Navigant Consulting Inc.
- TransUnion
- United Airlines
- AT Kearney
- Azteca Foods Inc.
- BPI Group
- Capri Investment Group
- Caroline Rose, Inc.
- Chicago Equity Partners
- Cushman & Wakefield
- Dentons US LLP
- Dominican University
- Errand Solutions, LLC
- Forward Space
- Graham Media Group
- Grant Thornton LLP
- Isobar
- Koya Leadership Partners
- Mann Weitz & Associates LLC
- Optima, Inc.
- Primera Engineers
- r-barc
- Robinson Hill, Inc.
- The Lamar Johnson Collaborative
- The Northridge Group, Inc.
- True Value Company
- United Scrap Metal, Inc.
- Univision Chicago
- Zeno Group
- American Academy of Periodontology
- American Association of Diabetes Educators
- American College of Healthcare Executives
- American College of Surgeons
- American Dental Association
- American Medical Association
- American Society of Anesthesiologists
- Association for Supply Chain Management
- Association Forum
- CCIM Institute
- Institute of Food Technologists
- Society of Actuaries
- Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
- Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago
- Cara
- Chicago Children's Museum
- City Tech Collaborative
- Easterseals
- Economic Club of Chicago
- Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare
- Friend Health
- Governors State University
- Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in Fine Arts
- Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation
- Junior Achievement of Chicago
- LEAP Innovations
- Medical Home Network
- MxD
- NextLevel Health Illinois
- University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
- WBEZ
- Women's Business Development Center
- World Business Chicago
- WTTW WFMT
- YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
EXPLORING
CAREERS WITH
COLLEGE STUDENTS
The Chicago Network Future Leaders Program
The Future Leaders Program supports the Network’s goal of inspiring the next generation of women leaders by providing outstanding sophomore and junior female college students, at TCN’s partnering schools, the opportunity to explore career paths in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. In 2019, the Program served a total of 36 students from our partner schools:
LEADERS
STUDENTS
“We learned so much from the women at the companies and got real insight into what we should be doing within the next year or two.”
Thank you to our generous 2019 hosts!
Special thanks to our 2019 orientation host:
Since the TCN Future Leaders program launch in 2014
MENTORSHIP &
PAYING IT
FORWARD
Executive Women's Mentorship Initiative
Celebrating our continued partnership with the Executives’ Club of Chicago on the Executive Women’s Mentorship Initiative, pairing 20 mentees with mentors from The Chicago Network.
"I would highly recommend the Executive Women's Mentorship Initiative program to any female executive that is looking for outside mentorship to help with their career. The knowledge sharing and support I have received from my mentor has been extremely valuable to my career development over the last year. "
WOMEN
CONVERSATIONS
OPENING
DOORS TO
SCIENCE CAREERS
STEM Series
On October 29, 2018 more than 40 young students and Chicago Network members gathered for the third program in our STEM series: “Math is the Real World Girls Club.” Beth Kirk Malecki, Chicago Office Leader, Mercer, moderated the discussion where panelists shared their inspirations behind pursuing careers in typically male-dominated fields. Speakers included:
- Lisa Black
Health Business Leader, Mercer - Catherine Kenworthy
Former CEO, Interactive Health - Laura Randle-Smith
Manager, Reliability Programs, Engineering Group, ComEd - Lauren Brown
Senior VP, Total Rewards Hyatt Global Total Rewards
Many thanks to Cushman & Wakefield for generously hosting.
STUDENTS
&
MEMBERS
“Great program! I got so much more inspiration from this program than I had anticipated. If I can do it again, I absolutely would.”
GATHERING
CHICAGO’S BUSINESS
+ CIVIC COMMUNITIES
Women in the
Forefront Luncheon
June 28, 2019
#WhatItTakes: The
Unvarnished Truth
with Three CEOs
Never before has The Chicago Network assembled such a powerhouse slate of three public company CEOs to dig deep on #WhatItTakes to be women in the forefront. Speakers:
- Gail K. Boudreaux
President and CEO, Anthem, Inc. - Mary N. Dillon
CEO, Ulta Beauty - Christine A. Leahy
CEO, CDW
ALMOST
$1M
Video Highlights
Video Highlights
"You couldn’t have picked better, more open and honest, authentic women leaders. They were lovely, insightful and real. Perfect to exemplify who the Network is."
"They did a terrific job, notably without a moderator, hit on very relevant issues and gave great advice to each generation of guests."
IN THE MEDIA
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS, How to put more women in leadership roles? Make companies promise.
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS, It’s time to empower the next generation of female leaders.
CRAIN'S Daily Gist, “These Developers Have Momentum” (Begin at 12:21)
CRAIN'S Daily Gist, How companies can commit to more female leaders
Chicago Business Journal, United Airlines makes genderequality pledge for leadership roles.
Morning Shift, Chicago Network Asks Companies To Commit To More Women Leaders By 2030
ABC7, The Chicago Network launches campaign to have women in 50 percent of leadership positions by 2030
CBS Chicago, Irika Sargent Hosts Women In The Forefront Luncheon
Triple Pundit, Investors Are Taking a Stand for Workplace Equity
Yahoo Finance, Former Grainger Investor Relations and Communications Executive Joins Strategic Advisory Firm Rose & Company
The Daily Herald, Rush Hospital's chief operating officer appointed to Inroads national board of directors
Business Wire, Black Enterprise Magazine Selects Denise Cade to 2019 Most Powerful Women in Business List
Cosmopolitan, Work smarter with the advice of women entrepreneurs who have understood everything
Mergers & Acquisitions, Most Influential Women Q&A: Mary Josephs, Verit Advisors
WGN Radio, City Club of Chicago: Governors State University President Dr. Elaine Maimon in conversation with Carol Marin
WGN Radio, City Club of Chicago: Promising Solutions to Reducing Gun Violence
OUR MEMBERSHIP
New Members by Subcommittee
Members by Subcommittee
Members by Type
NEW MEMBERS
Anne Alonzo
President & CEO
American Egg Board
Verneda Bachus
CEO
Friend Family Health Center, Inc.
Catherine Baker
Principal
Landon Bone Baker Architects
Caroline Becker Joss
Owner & Creative Director
Caroline Rose, Inc.
Elizabeth Betten
Managing Director
Madison Dearborn Partners
Lucy Brady
SVP Corporate Strategy, Business Development
McDonald's Corporation
Stephanie Braming
CFA, Partner, Global Head of Investment Management
William Blair
Danielle Brown
VP and Chief Information Officer
Brunswick Corporation
Ivonne Cabrera
Senior VP, General Counsel & Secretary
Dover Corporation
Eileen Chin
President
R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc.
Kristin Coleman
EVP, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
US Foods Holding Corporation
Tracy Britt Cool
CEO
The Pampered Chef, Ltd.
Christina Corley
COO
CDW
Ertharin Cousin
Payne Distinguished Lecturer and Fellow
Standford University Freeman Spogli Institute for the Study of International Studies
Alison Cuddy
Artistic Director
Chicago Humanities Festival
Katie Doyle
CEO
Swanson Health Products
Brenda Feis
Founding Partner
Feis Goldy LLC
Sol Flores
Deputy Governor
State of Illinois
Mary Jane Fortin
President, Allstate Financial Business
Allstate Insurance Corporation
Esther Franco-Payne
Executive Director
Cabrini Green Legal Aid
Kourtney Gibson
President
Loop Capital Markets
Melissa Gilliam
Vice Provost, Faculty, Physician, Researchers
The University of Chicago
Lori Goltermann
CEO, Aon US, Commercial Risk and Health Solutions
Aon
Yonhee Gordon
Principal and COO
JMG Financial Group
Alison Gutterman
CEO
Jelmar LLC
Deana Haggag
President & CEO
United States Artists
Stephanie Hickman
President/CEO
Trice Construction Company
Janice Jackson
CEO
Chicago Public Schools
Susan Jacobs
Senior VP Sales & Revenue Strategy
Tribune Publishing
Rebekah Kohmescher
CEO & Managing Director
Altair Advisers
Christine Laurens
CFO and Partner
A.T. Kearney, Inc.
Mimi LeClair
President & CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
Cheryl Lulias
President & Executive Director
Medical Home Network; MHN ACO
Kelly Manthey
CEO
Solstice
Sandra Micek
President & CEO
WWCI
Natalie Moore
Reporter
WBEZ
Paige Ponder
CEO
One Million Degrees
Susan Poser
Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of Illinois at Chicago
Michele Richardson
President
Higher Education Advocates, LLC
Heather Russell
Executive VP and Chief Legal Officer
TransUnion
Kathy Seegebrecht
SVP, CMO
UL
Kim Simios
Partner
Ernst & Young LLP
Susan Stelter
CPO
West Monroe Partners
Tina Tabacchi
Partner-in-Charge, Chicago Office
Jones Day
Kimberly Taylor
VP and General Counsel
The University of Chicago
Dana Thompson
Division Head, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital
ANNUAL MEMBER
PROGRAMS
HerStories
These luncheons feature a member sharing her personal and professional life story in a small group setting among fellow members.
Special thanks to sponsor CIBC
Chairman
Midway Broadcasting Corporation
Senior Managing Director
US Midwest, Accenture
Board Chair
National Public Housing Museum
Fall Dinner
What's the Future of Retail?
Featuring Adela Cepeda, Managing Director, PFM FInancial Advisors LLC in conversation with & Kristen Rossi, Head of Midwest Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley
5,
2018
Private Dinners in
Members’ Homes
Special thanks to the following host members
Carol Bernick, Gwendolyn Butler, Melody Spann Cooper, Christie Hefner, Cathy Kenworthy, Theresa Mintle, Cathy Odelbo, Anne Edwards-Cotter, Mary Jo Herseth, Alison Chung, Jenny Niemann, Trish Lukasik, Diane Swonk
14,
2019
Annual Meeting & 40th Anniversary Celebration
We gathered to elect our new slate of Board of Directors and to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of The Chicago Network on June 11, 2019. Watch the video we produced to mark this landmark for the Network, below.
11,
2019
40th Anniversary Video
40th Anniversary Video
LEADERSHIP
Board of Directors
CHAIR
Susan Gallagher
VICE CHAIR
Diane Offereins
SECRETARY/TREASURER FINANCE & AUDIT CHAIR
Cary Grace
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR
Kary McIlwain
ENGAGEMENT CHAIR
Catherine Kenworthy
FUTURE LEADERS CHAIR
Grace Hou
GOVERNANCE CHAIR
Linda Myers
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Tierney Remick
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR/ NOMINATING CHAIR
Elizabeth Connelly
PROGRAM CHAIR
Maria Pesqueira
WOMEN ON BOARDS CHAIR
Ann Ziegler
WOMEN IN THE FOREFRONT
CO-CHAIRS
Joyce St. Clair
Jenny Niemann
AT LARGE
Deb Boyda
Denise Cade
Susan Hassan
Michelle Larson
Phyllis Lockett
Suzet McKinney
Cherryl Thomas
Angela Williams
Committees
COMMUNICATIONS
- Kary McIlwain, Chair
- Maryam Banikarim
- Emily Barr
- Deb Boyda
- Laura Desmond
- Jennifer Graves
EXECUTIVE
- Susan Gallagher, Chair
- Denise Cade
- Elizabeth Connelly
- Cary Grace
- Diane Offereins
- Tierney Remick
ENGAGEMENT
- Cathy Kenworthy, Chair
- Teri Arvesu
- Laurel Bellows
- Sue Bettman
- Patricia Bobb
- Deborah Bowen
- Karen Case
- Linda Coberly
- Caralynn Nowinski Collens
- Marsha Cruzan
- Vicki Escarra
- Jean Franczyk
- Janet Froetscher
- Sara Greenstein
- Sarah Guernsey
- Trish Halper
- Gail Hasbrouck
- Sandra Helton
- Mary Jo Herseth
- Erin Inman
- Lisa Johnson
- Angela Korompilas
- Sherren Leigh
- Pamela Forbes Lieberman
- Trish Lukasik
- Kate Maehr
- Elaine Maimon
- Terri McNally
- Dorri McWhorter
- Theresa Mintle
- Cathy Odelbo
- Alice Peterson
- Diane Primo
- Carol Ross Barney
- Kristi Rowsell
- Karen Sauder
- Alison Scholly
- Julie Vander Weele
- Cheryl Whitaker
- Brooke Wiseman
FINANCE AND AUDIT
- Cary Grace, Chair
- Denise Cade
- Ann Ziegler
FUTURE LEADERS
- Grace Hou, Chair
- Rosanne Ander
- Karyn Esken
- Gail Hasbrouck
- Robin Kelly
- Deborah Lahey
- Marilyn Lissner
- Kate Maehr
- Renetta McCann
- Jennifer Nijman
- Jennifer Rosato Perea
- Cheryl Whitaker
- Maxine Winer
- Yasmine Winkler
GOVERNANCE
- Linda Myers, Chair
- Michelle Larson
- Maria Pesqueira
MEMBERSHIP
- Tierney Remick, Chair
- Donna Carroll
- Anne Edwards-Cotter
- Terri Mascherin
- Jane Mentzinger
- Diane Offereins
- Sheila O’Grady
- Nancy Ruscheinski
- Z. Scott
- Joyce St. Clair
- Sheridan Turner
- Brenda Wolf
PROGRAM
- Maria Pesqueira, Chair
- Kapila Anand
- Diane Blanco
- Patti Bobb
- Christine Castellano
- Regine Corrado
- Gillian Darlow
- Monica Davey
- Karyn Esken
- Sandra Helton
- Eileen Kamerick
- Nivine Megahed
- Margaret McCurry
- Elizabeth Richter
- Mary Lee Schneider
- Toni Smith
- Pallavi Verma
- Kathleen Yosko
NOMINATING
- Liz Connelly, Chair
WOMEN IN THE FOREFRONT
- Jenny Niemann, Co-Chair
- Joyce St. Clair, Co-Chair
- Sue Bettman
- Regine Corrado
- Lisa Emerick
- Jill Nicholson
- Julie Scott
- Jill Smart
- Maryann Waryjas
WOMEN ON BOARDS
- Ann Ziegler, Chair
- Sheila O'Grady
ARTS AND CULTURE
- Sheridan Turner, Chair
- Michelle Boone
- Jean Franczyk
- Isabelle Goossen
- Sarah Herda
- Kate Lipuma
- Lynn Osmond
- Elizabeth Richter
- Laura Sadler
- Joyce Simon
CORPORATE
- Diane Offereins, Chair
- Cathy Anderson
- Therese Fauerbach
- Cary Grace
- Sara Greenstein
- Laura Gurski
- Beth Kirk Malecki
- Laurie O’Shea
- Yasmine Winkler
- Ann Ziegler
MID-SIZE PRIVATE COMPANIES
- Anne Edwards-Cotter, Chair
- Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias
- Rona Borre
- Marion Cameron
- Carol McCarthy
- Jenny Niemann
- Dee Robinson
- Ellen Rudnick
- Julie Scott
- Smita Shah
- Cheryl Whitaker
- Donna Williamson
FINANCIAL SERVICES
- Joyce St. Clair, Chair
- Tracey Benford
- Gwen Butler
- Sidney Dillard
- Mary Josephs
- Roxanne Martino
- Amelie Negrier
- Marita Sullivan
- Julie Vander Weele
GOVERNMENT
- Z. Scott, Chair
- Melissa Bean
- Lynn Cutler
- Kim Foxx
- Lori Healey
- Patricia Holmes
- Robin Kelly
- Corinne Wood
HEALTH, SCIENCE, & MEDICINE
- Brenda Wolf, Chair
- Cynthia Barginere
- Jan Berger
- Deborah Bowen
- Suzet McKinney
- Sharon O'Keefe
- Michelle Stephenson
- Maryjane Wurth
- Donna Carroll, Chair
- Beth Harris
- Elaine Maimon
- Stephanie Pace Marshall
- Marilyn McCoy
- Nivine Megahed
- Susan Poser
- Elissa Tenny
HIGHER EDUCATION
LAW
- Terri Mascherin, Chair
- Rebecca Bacon
- Debora de Hoyos
- Chris Edwards
- Mary Ann Hynes
- Joan Lefkow
- Susan Levy
- MauraAnn McBreen
- Mary Meg McCarthy
MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
- Nancy Ruscheinski, Chair
- Teri Arvesu
- Lisa Emerick
- Karyn Esken
- Jennifer Graves
- Renetta McCann
- Karen Sauder
- Alison Scholly
- Goli Sheikholeslami
- Maxine Winer
NONPROFIT
- Jane Mentzinger, Chair
- Heather Anichini
- MarySue Barrett
- Jean Butzen
- Gillian Darlow
- Maria Kim
- Alison Ranney
- Angela Williams
- Brooke Wiseman
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND ASSOCIATIONS
- Sheila O’Grady, Chair
- Gina Berndt
- Donni Case
- Madeleine Condit
- Lisa Johnson
- Jackie Koo
- Brittney Saks
- Jill Smart
Staff
Kate Bensen
President & CEO
312 787 1990
kbensen@thechicagonetwork.org
Nathan Brauner
Executive Assistant to the President & CEO
and Engagement Director
312 787 1979
nbrauner@thechicagonetwork.org
Elizabeth Stigler
Managing Director
of External Relations
312 787 1994
estigler@thechicagonetwork.org
Nathan Upchurch
Communications Specialist
312 787 7936
nupchurch@thechicagonetwork.org