PAST SPEAKERS OF CHICAGO INNOVATION
PAST SPEAKERS

Glen Tullman
TranscarentCEO

Ed Wehmer
WintrustFounder & CEO

Terry Savage
Syndicated Financial Columnist

Allison Rosati
NBC 5News Anchor

Toni Preckwinkle
Cook CountyPresident

Pat Quinn
State of IllinoisFormer Governor

John Rogers
Ariel InvestmentsChairman & Co-CEO

JB Pritzker
State of IllinoisGovernor

Kevin Warren
Big Ten ConferenceCommissioner

Desiree Rogers
Black Opal CosmeticsCEO

Steven Galanis
CameoFounder & CEO

Stephanie Izard
Girl and the GoatJames Beard Award-winning Chef

Michael Fassnacht
World Business ChicagoCEO

Janice Jackson
HOPE ChicagoCEO

Tom Ricketts
Chicago CubsExecutive Chairman

Danny Wirtz
Chicago BlackhawksCEO

Gordon Segal
Crate & BarrelCo-Founder, former Chairman, and retired CEO

Brandon Johnson
City of ChicagoMayor

Alexi Giannoulias
State of IllinoisSecretary of State

Chef Grant Achatz
The Alinea GroupCo-Owner

Theaster Gates
Rebuild FoundationFounder

Rick Bayless
Celebrity Chef

Andrew Mason
GrouponFounder & CEO

Bela Fleck
10-Time Grammy Winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer

Buddy Guy
6-Time Grammy Winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer

Casey Cowell
US RoboticsCo-Founder & Chairman

Chris Gladwin
Cleversafe & OcientFounder

Christie Hefner
Playboy EnterprisesFormer Chairman & CEO

Greg Brown
Motorola SolutionsChairman & CEO

Jim Belushi
Belushi FarmsActor & Entrepreneur

Joe Mansueto
MorningstarFounder

Kevin Boehm
Boka Restaurant GroupOwner & Co-Founder

Margo Georgiadis
Ancestry.comCEO

Marty Cooper
MotorolaInventor of the Cell Phone

Howard Tullman
1871 & Kaplan InstituteFormer CEO at 1871 and Former Executive Director at Kaplan Institute

Mike Gamson
RelativityCEO

Rahm Emanuel
City of ChicagoFormer Mayor

Richard Daley
City of ChicagoFormer Mayor

Karthik Krishnan
Encyclopaedia BritannicaGlobal CEO

Ron Gleason
WBBM NewsradioDirector of News & Programming

Adam Hecktman
MicrosoftDirector of Technology & Civic Innovation

Jaime Faulkner
Chicago BlackhawksPresident of Business Operations

Mary O'Donnell
RRF Foundation for AgingCEO

Kevin Cross
NBC Sports Chicago, NBC 5 & Telemundo ChicagoPresident and GM

Israel Idonije
Impact House, former Chicago Bearserial entrepreneur and Founder

Greg Cameron
President and CEOJoffrey Ballet

Thomas Jonas
Nature’s FyndCEO & Co-founder

Marc Shiffman
SMS AssistPresident and CEO

David Hiller
Former President & CEO, Robert R. McCormick Foundation; former Publisher & CEO, Los Angeles Times; former Publisher & CEO, Chicago Tribune

Luke Saunders
Farmer's FridgeCEO

Ilze Melngailis
United NationsSenior Director of Global Partnerships & The Business Council

Jackie Taylor
Black Ensemble TheaterFounder & CEO

Alex Pissios
Cinespace Chicago Film StudiosPresident & CEO

Felicia Davis Blakley
Chicago Foundation for WomenPresident and CEO

Crane Kenney
Chicago CubsPresident of Business Operations

Sarah Spain
ESPNAnchor

Steven Collens
MATTERCEO

Alpana Singh
Check, Please!Host

Jai Shekhawat
FieldglassFounder

Harry Kraemer
Kellogg School of ManagementClinical Professor of Leadership

Hedy Ratner
Women's Business Development CenterCo-Founder & Co-President Emeritus

Harper Reed
Threadless and Obama for AmericaFormer CTO

Sam Yagan
ShopRunnerCEO

Betsy Ziegler
1871CEO

Andrea Zopp
Cleveland AvenueManaging Partner

Marie Lynn Miranda
University of Illinois - ChicagoChancellor

Phil Kotler
Northwestern Kellogg School of ManagementS.C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing

Kate Sullivan
PBS' to Dine ForHost

Kate Maehr
Chicago Food DepositoryExecutive Director and CEO

Mike LaVitola
FoxtrotCo-Founder

Chef Curtis Duffy
Ever restaurant and After loungeCo-Owner

Francis Wang
NanografCEO

Amy Francetic
Buoyant Ventures and Clean Energy TrustCo-Founder and Founding CEO

Erin Amico
Peggy Notebaert MuseumCEO

Blake-Anthony Johnson
Chicago SinfoniettaCEO

Ben Weiss
CoinFlipCEO and Co-Founder

Jackie Taylor
Black Ensemble TheaterFounder

Stephanie Neely
AllstateVP & Assistant Treasurer

Maureen Ehrenberg
Lessen, formerly SMS AssistPresident, Commercial Division

Haven Allen
mHUBCEO

Kyle Nakatsuji
ClearcoverFounder and CEO

Karen Kerr
Exposition VenturesManaging Director

Michael Alter
Chicago SkyPrincipal Owner

Mary Ann Korenic
The Chicago Trust CompanyCEO

Lori Healey
Obama FoundationSVP, Obama Presidential Center Implementation Lead

Michael Shepherd
Dell TechnologiesSenior Distinguished Engineer, Chief Technology Office

Erick Williams
Virtue Restaurant and Mustard Seed KitchenChef and Owner

Amanda Lannert
JellyvisionCEO

Charles Adler
KickstarterCo-Founder

Matt Matros
Protein Bar and LIMITLESS Coffee & TeaFounder

Kate Bensen
The Chicago NetworkPresident

John Flavin
Portal InnovationsFounder & CEO

Jessica Droste Yagan
Impact EngineCEO

Hardik Bhatt
Amazon Web ServicesGM of Digital Governance, VCs and Startups

Gerould Kern
Chicago TribuneFormer SVP & Editor

Eva Maddox
Eva Maddox Design StrategiesConsulting Principal

Eric Lunt
SignalCo-Founder

Dorri McWhorter
YMCA Metropolitan ChicagoCEO

David Kalt
ReverbFounder & CEO

Tom Kuczmarski
Chicago Innovation & Kuczmarski InnovationCo-Founder of Chicago Innovation & President of Kuczmarski Innovation

Brian Bannon
Chicago Public LibraryFormer Commissioner & CEO

Brenna Berman
City Tech CollaborativeCEO

Barbara Gaines
Chicago Shakespeare TheaterFounder & Artistic Director

Ann Dwyer
Crain's Chicago BusinessManaging Editor

Ana Dutra
The Exectuives' Club of ChicagoFormer CEO

Amanda Lannert
JellyvisionCEO

Adam Hughes
AvantPresident

Jeff Aronin
Paragon BiosciencesChairman & CEO

Robert Pasin
Radio FlyerChief Wagon Officer

Renetta McCann
Publicis GroupeChief Inclusion Experiences Officer

Tim McEnery
Coopers Hawk WineryFounder & CEO

Maria Wynne
Leadership Greater ChicagoCEO

Noelle O'Mara
Tyson FoodsVP Emerging Brands Innovation

Tawfik Sharkasi
WrigleyFormer Chief Scientific Officer

Ashley Wheater
Joffrey BalletArtistic Director

Kristi Ross
tastytradeCo-founder, Co-CEO & President

Dr. Mary Ellen Weber
Stellar StrategiesFounder & Former NASA Astronaut

Kevin Willer
Chicago VenturesCo-Founder and Partner

Wendy Lewis
McDonaldsGlobal Chief Diversity Officer

Troy Henikoff
TechstarsFormer Managing Director

Matt McCall
Pritzker Group Venture CapitalPartner

Tim Kazurinsky
Second City Works, Saturday Night Live
Sandee Kastrul
i.c. starsCEO

Rudy Krolopp
MotorolaInventor of the cell phone

Ross Manire
ExteNet SystemsFormer President & CEO

Robert Blackwell
SMS ConsultingManaging Partner

Phyllis Lockett
LEAP InnovationsCEO

Peter Kilpatrick
IITProvost & SVP for Academic Affairs

Pete Kadens
Kadens Family FoundationChairman

Paula Fasseas
PAWSFounder

Michelle Larson
Adler PlanetariumCEO

Nancy Ruscheinski
Chief Operating OfficerZeno Group

Julie Winkler
CME GroupChief Commercial Officer

Leslie Vickrey
ClearEdge MarketingFounder & CEO

Kelly Leonard
The Second CityExecutive Director of Insights & Applied Improvisation

Aimee Daniels
Vistage WorldwideGroup Chair

Andrea Hanis
Blue Sky InnovationEditor

Angelo Bufalino
Vedder PricePatent Attorney

Antonio Guillen
WintrustSVP of Commercial Lending

Blair Lock
CoaptCEO & Co-Founder

Brian Friedman
First AnalysisManaging Director

Brian Hoff
ExelonDirector of Corporate Innovation

Brian Krause
MolexVice President of Global Marketing and Communications

Bruce Leon
TandemHRPresident

Charlie Baggs
Charlie Baggs Culinary InnovationsPresident & Executive Chef

Brad Henderson
P33CEO

Criss Henderson
Chicago Shakespeare TheaterExecutive Director

Danielle DuMerer
Department of Innovation and TechnologyActing Commisioner & CIO

Darcy Evon
The Village ChicagoCEO

Darren Guccione
KeeperCo-Founder & CEO

Dave Linder
BrinksIP Attorney

David Gustafson
MattersightCOO

Denise Chase
The Mom ProjectChief Community Officer

Dianne Campbell
Lincoln Park VillageFounding Executive Director

Ellen Barry
EBarry GroupPrincipal

Emile Cambry
Blue1647Founder & CEO

Fritz Golman
Illinois Business This WeekHost & Executive Director

Holly Copeland
Horizon PharmaDirector of Public Affairs & CSR

James Conley
Kellogg School of ManagementClinical Professor of Technology

Jay Dirkmaat
Comcast BusinessVP of Greater Chicago Region

Jeff James
Disney InstituteVP & General Manager

Jennifer Fried
ExplORer SurgicalCo-Founder & CEO

Jim Alvarez
GestureFounder & CEO

John Barron
Chicago Sun-TimesFormer Publisher

John Figiel
Tandem HRSr. Director of HR

John Lyell Clarke
ClarkePresident & CEO

Joe Brantuk
Nasdaq OMXVice President

Judy Bross
Classic ChicagoCo-Founder & Editor

Julie Bombacino
Real Food BlendsCo-Founder

Julie Friedman Steele
World Future SocietyChairman & CEO

Justin Massa
Food GeniusFounder & CEO

Katy Lynch
CodeverseCEO

Keith Anderson
ProfiteroSVP Strategy & Insight

Krishna Erramilli
IIT Stuart School of BusinessAssociate Dean and Professor of Marketing

Kris Hammond
Narrative ScienceCo-Founder

Kristi Lafleur
Illinois TollwayExecutive Director

Kristin Fox
FinFoundHerCo-Founder

Leo Bottary
Vistage WorldwideVP, Peer Influence

Maeve Lucas
AccentureManaging Director of Talent Strategy

Marc Bushala
MAB Capital ManagementManaging Partner

Maria Kim
CaraPresident & CEO

Mark Harris
Illinois Science and Technology CoalitionPresident & CEO

Marley Kayden
NBCTV Personality

Matt Doubleday
WintrustSVP & Chief Marketing Officer

Melissa Ballate
Blue DaringFounder & President

Michael Arndt
EdelmanExecutive Editor

Mike Cherry
Myron M. Cherry and AssociatesManaging Partner

Mitch Carrel
ProxfinityCEO

Nena Ivon
Saks Fifth AvenueFormer Special Events/Publicity/Fashion Director

Pam Buchanan
NasdaqManaging Director

Paul Larson
Blue Plate CateringExecutive Chef

Paul Lipinski
PwCMidwest People and Change Lead

Ray Genellie
Questek InnovationsCo-Founder

Rhon Daguro
NervanaFounder & CEO

Rob Malin
NASDAQ Private MarketFounding Member

Steve Edwards
Jing Mei IndustrialGeneral Manager

Steven Casey
Fresh MovesCo-Founder

Talia Mashiach
EvedFounder & CEO

Terri Lonier
School of the Art Institute of ChicagoFormer Dean

Tim Jahnke
ElkayCEO

Tony Bombacino
Real Food BlendsCo-Founder

Linda Mallers
FarmlogixFounder & CEO

Vicki Escarra
My Next SeasonSenior Advisor

Victor Chang
Dell VenturesInvestment Director

Bailey Moore
Wintrust VenturesVice President

Rohit Pasam
XaptumCo-Founder & CEO

Peggy Smedley
Connected World MagazineEditorial Director

Desiree Vargas Wrigley
PearachuteFounder & CEO

Corbett Kull
640 Labs; TillableCo-Founder; CEO

Jennifer Nau
Northern Illinois Food BankDirector of Communications

Orlando Saez
AkerCEO

Kellie O’Connell
Lakeview PantryCEO

Jon Morris
Rise InteractiveCEO

Sid Bala
AlligatortekCEO

Jodi Navta
Varsity TimeFounder & CMO

Phyllis Lee
JiobitCMO

Chris Liang-Vergara
LEAP InnovationsChief, Learning Innovation

Brenna Argall
Rehab Institute of ChicagoFaculty Research Scientist

Mike Shelton
Azure Data SolutionsTechnical Director

Luke Tanen
Chicago InnovationExecutive Director

Ken Coats
KENTECH ConsultinCEO

Mark O'Connell
SAVOFormer President & CEO

Sarah Neukom
Red Frog EventsProducer of Positivity

Lou Rassey
Fast RadiusCEO

Sonat Birnecker Hart
Koval DistilleryPresident & Owner

Garry Cooper
RheaplyCEO & Co-Founder

Lotika Pai
Women's Business Development CenterManaging Director

Eddie Lou
ShiftgigExecutive Chairman & Co-Founder

Larry Kiest, Jr.
LMK TechnologiesPresident and CTO

Eileen Murphy
ThinkCERCAFounder and Chief Learning Officer

Todd Connor
Bunker LabsFounder & CEO

Shivani Vora
AccentureManaging Director - Accenture Innovation Hub

Tope Sadiku
Kraft HeinzGlobal Head of Digital Employee Experience

Shawn Bass
VMwareCTO of End-User Computing

Michelle Vondrasek
Von TechnologiesPresident

Ron Guerrier
State of IllinoisChief Information Officer

Heidi Brown
Options AwayFounder, COO

Melissa Donaldson
WintrustChief Diversity Officer

Mary A. Rogers
AbbottPrincipal Scientist and Head of Global Viral Surveillance Program, Diagnostics

Renee Fleener Morales
Crown CastlePublic Affairs Manager, Central Area

Brad Serot
CBREVice Chairman

Ric Phillips
ElkayPresident & CEO

Shivani Jain
CubiiCo-Founder & CMO

Susan Smith Kuczmarski
Kuczmarski Innovation
Marc Freedman
Encore.orgCEO & Founder of Encore.org

Julie Silverstein
Julie Silverstein & PartnersFounder of Julie Silverstein & Partners; former President & COO of Eved; and former President & COO of SmithBucklin Corp.

Eric Gannon
GenslerStudio Director, Principal of Gensler

Lynn Osmond
Chicago Architecture CenterPresident & CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center

Adrienne Harbarger
CBRE DesignDesign Lead at CBRE Design

Karen Voelker
AccentureMidwest Innovation Lead

Rick Gates
WalgreensSVP of Pharmacy and Healthcare

Rick Long
CignaHead of Innovation

Nicole Leiter
McKessonSVP, Emerging Pharmacy Channel

Dev Singh
AiRo Digital LabdsCEO

Karen Kerr
Exposition VenturesGeneral Partner

Gloria Castillo
We Rise Together - Chicago Community TrustDirector

Brenda Cucci
AccentureManaging Director

Mary O'Donnell
RRF Foundation for AgingPresident

Kelly Page
Bennett Day SchoolDirector of Bennett Labs

David Baker
America’s Urban CampusExecutive Director

Ashley Moy
Cast21Cofounder

Daniel Cervantes
Skills for Chicagoland’s FutureSr. VP of Programs

Alan Parker
Energy BBDOChief Innovation Officer

Suzet McKinney
Sterling BayPrincipal & Director of Life Sciences

Katlin Smith
Simple MillsFounder & CEO

Dutta Satadip
ActiveCampaignChief Customer Officer

Mariel Laureano
Acero SchoolsChief Education Officer

Andrea Ingram Wiles
DuPage Children's MuseumCEO

Kris Hammond
Northwestern University | Narrative ScienceProfessor of Computer Science | Co-founder

Sonia Torres
Jungman STEM Magnet Elementary School, CPS4th Grade Teacher

Gina Grant
Discovery Partners InstituteAssociate Director of K-12 Student Programming

Michael Krauss
Market Strategy GroupCo-founder

Jahmal Cole
My Block, My Hood, My CityCEO and Founder

Chris Gates
AllstateGroup CIO and SVP, Compute Services and Technology Solutions

Abdul Jarrar
IntelVice President, Sales and Marketing Group

Carlos Cardenas
WintrustSenior VP

Robert Blackwell Jr.
EKI-DigitalCEO

Andrea Saenz
Chicago Community TrustCOO

Richard L. Rodriguez
Acero SchoolsCEO

Sean Simpson
LanzaTechFounder

Joanne Rodriguez
MycocyleCEO

Matt Gorniak
ThreekitCEO

Chuck Vallurupalli
DualitySenior Director

Paul Chaffin
MolexSVP and President of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Solutions Division

James Wieselman Schulman
CignaGlobal Design Lead for International Innovation

Anita Allemand
Walgreens Boots AllianceChief Transformation and Integration Officer

Shivani Vora
AccentureChief Innovation Officer

LaToya Collins-Jones
Dell TechnologiesVP of Culture, Diversity & Inclusion

Karen Cavanaugh
InsperitySenior Human Resources Specialist

Raki McGregor
Novant HealthVP, New Business Growth & Transformation

Steven Darrah
IntelDirector of Channel/Solution Providers

Rohini Dey
VermilionOwner

Kate Sullivan

Carlos Tortolero
The National Museum of Mexican ArtFounder & President

Ishwara Glassman Chrein
Chicago FirePresident

Vicky Lynch
Chicago Red StarsChief Business Officer

Robert Sereci
Medinah Country ClubGM and Chief Operating Officer

Ron Gleason
WBBM NewsradioDirector of News & Programming

Steve Richman
Milwaukee ToolGroup President

Linda Maclachlan
Entara & ForecheckFounder

Tim Piccirilli
Crown CastleCommercial Director, Edge Infrastructure

Joanne Rodriguez
MycocycleCEO

Garry Cooper
RheaplyCEO and Co-founder

Maggie Pakula
InvenergySenior Vice President of Strategy

Allison Myers
Buoyant VenturesCo-founder and General Partner

Joanna Kanakis
Halo InvestingEVP, Head of Business Development

Rick Gray
Milwaukee ToolExecutive Vice President of Outdoor Power Equipment & Channel Marketing

Jimmy Zollo
Joe & BellaFounder and CEO

Eva Bugg
REUSOCo-Founder and CEO

Maura O'Hara
Illinois Venture Capital AssociationExecutive Director

Disha Gulati
Here Here MarketCo-Founder and CEO

Alli Hofferica
Accenture North AmericaLead for Consumer Goods and Services Innovation

Alan Kleinerman
Kraft HeinzVice President and Head of Disruption

Brian Johnsrud
AdobeDirector of Education Learning and Advocacy

Ivy Walker
AskCodaFounder

Megan McCann
McCann PartnersCEO and Founder

Christine Stone
Deliver at ScaleFounder

Shane Colley
TempusChief Technology Officer

Karuna Rawal
Nature's FyndChief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer

Julie Zarraga
LanzaTechEVP of Engineering

Joanne Rodriguez
MycocyleFounder and CEO

Erik Birkerts
Evergreen Climate InnovationsCEO

Matt Wechsler
Hourglass FilmsAward-winning filmmaker and Creative Director

Dr. May Siksik
The Canadian Innovation NetworkPresident and CEO

Laura Ortega
Global South PartnersCEO

Dr. Chris Moore
UK Department for Business and TradeTechnology Sector Specialist

Patti Temple Rocks
It's Not Done: It's Time to Talk About Ageism in the WorkplaceAuthor

Dev Singh
AiRo Digital LabsCEO and Founder

Michael Parks
Thompson CoburnCo-Chair of I.P. Practice Group

Erik Brown
West MonroeSenior Partner- Product Experience and Engineering Lab

Colleen Egan
Illinois Science and Technology AssociationPresident and CEO

Kimberly D. Moore
KDM EngineeringPresident and Founder

Michelle Carr
Evergreen Climate InnovationsCEO

Freya Burton
LanzaTechChief Sustainability Officer

Dr. Andrea Kramer
Chicago Botanic GardenSenior Director of Restoration Ecology

Dr. Trent Ford
Illinois State Water SurveyIllinois State Climatologist

Mike Reardon
Triwater HoldingsCEO

Margaret Frisbie
Friends of the Chicago RiverCEO

Howard Learner
Environmental Law & Policy CenterCEO

Dr. Melissa Youngquist
Shedd AquariumResearcher

Karine Rouge
Veolia North AmericaCEO, Municipal Water

Mitch Harkenrider
Canopy Farm ManagementDirector of Strategy and Business Development

Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
Tree-Range FarmsCEO

Julia Stamberger
The Planting Hope CompanyCEO

Brian Imus
Illinois Green AllianceExecutive Director

Vik Vikrant
Accenture North AmericaChief Sustainability Officer

Lori Baran
AccentureManaging Director and Global Food Lead

William Towns
4S Bay PartnersManaging Director

Tonise Paul
Energy BBDOChairman

Matt Lewisman
Theron Technology SolutionsChief Operating Officer

Eric Weinheimer
ForefrontPresident & CEO