List of our guests

 
 

We’ve hosted some of Chicago’s and Illinois’ most impactful women in business, media, philanthropy, the nonprofit space and advocacy – and a few guys to boot. Our guests have included:

  • Tom Alexander, Co-Founder of Holistic and former COO of 1871

  • Ellie Bahrmasel, Co-Founder of Rise Movement, Senior Specialist for the Comcast Greater Chicago Region

  • Erin Lavin Cabonargi, Managing Director at URBAN ReSolve

  • Anne Caprara, Chief of Staff to Governor J.B. Pritzker

  • Kelly Cassidy, Illinois State Representative

  • Heather Cherone, WTTW Political Reporter

  • Colleen Connell, Executive Director at ACLU Illinois

  • Mary Datcher, District Director at the Office of U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush

  • Felicia Davis, President and CEO of Chicago Foundation for Women

  • Chris-Tia Donaldson, CEO of Thank God It's Natural

  • Deborah Douglas, Pulliam Distinguished Visiting Professor at DePauw Univeristy, Author, Journalist

  • Alexandra Eidenberg, Founder of WeWill, President of The Insurance People

  • Rosa Escareno, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection

  • Sol Flores, Deputy Governor Illinois

  • Rochelle Gorey, CEO and Co-Founder of Spring Four and Graduate of WiSTEM program

  • Jehan Gordon-Booth, Illinois State Representative 

  • Bonita Harrison, Founder of KBM Realty

  • Michelle Herndon, Director of Diversity and Community at BOKA Restaurant Group

  • Tiffany Hightower, Executive Director of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation

  • Rachel Hinton, Chief Political Reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times

  • Toi Hutchinson, Former Illinois State Senator, Current Special Advisor to Governor J.B. Pritzker

  • Cheryle Robinson Jackson, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and President of AAR Africa, TedX Talk alum and Cancer Survivor

  • Nicole Johnson, Manager of Development at Chicago Scholars

  • Shia Kapos, POLITICO Reporter

  • Natasha Korecki, National POLITICO Reporter

  • Diane Latiker, Executive Director of Kids Off the Block

  • Jennifer Lee, Co-President of Illinois Democratic Women, President/CEO of JCL Strategies

  • Kimberly Lightford, Illinois State Senator

  • Katrina Markoff, CEO of Vosges Haut-Chocolat

  • Kelly Mazeski,  Former Democratic Candidate for Congress 

  • Dr. Suzet McKinney, CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District

  • Dorri McWhorter, CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

  • Tiffany Mikell, CEO/CTO of AerialSpaces and Graduate of WiSTEM program, Program Director at South East Chicago Commission

  • Mary Mitchell, Chicago Sun-Times Columnist

  • Christian Mitchell, Deputy Governor Illinois

  • Michelle Morales, President at Woods Fund Chicago

  • Jenne Myers, CEO of Chicago Cares 

  • Marie Newman, Democratic Nominee for Congress, Illinois 3rd Congressional District 

  • Sheila Nix, Senior Advisor to Kamala Harris

  • Ina Pinkney, Formerly: Chef/Owner of Ina’s Kitchen

  • A.D. Quig, Crain’s Chicago Business Reporter

  • Celena Roldan, CEO of The American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois.

  • Aviva Rosman, Co-founder and COO of BallotReady

  • Smita Shah, President and CEO of SPAAN Tech

  • Iyana Simba, IEC Clean Water Policy Director

  • Alpana Singh, Restaurateur and Sommelier and local TV personality

  • Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods

  • Heather Steans, Illinois State Senator

  • Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune Columnist

  • K. Sujata, Interim Executive Director at Forefront Illinois

  • Elizabeth Swanson, CEO of A Better Chicago

  • Jennifer Smith Tapp, Director of Brand Strategy and Business Development at Marc-Ryan Group

  • Linda Tortolero, President & CEO of Mujeres Latinas en Acción

  • Anna Valencia, Chicago City Clerk

  • Becky Vevea, WBEZ City Hall Political Reporter

  • Amanda Vinicky, WTTW Chicago Tonight Political Correspondent 

  • Dawn Walker, Chief of Staff to MWRD Commissioner Davis

  • Laura Washington, Chicago Sun-Times Columnist

  • Jennifer Welch, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action

  • Melissa Widen, Personal PAC Chairman, Co-Founder and Chief Administrative Officer of First Women’s Bank

  • Jessica Williams, Customer Research Strategist at &yet, Facilitator at #IamRemarkble, Solutions Consultant at SDI Presence, and Newsletter Creator and Curator at Tech Biz Girl