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Rob Fojtik is Vice President for Neighborhood Strategy at Choose Chicago, the city’s official tourism and convention promotion bureau. In this capacity, Rob oversees efforts to promote and support Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods to visitors from near and far. Programs include the award-winning Neighborhood Content Creator program that leverages resident-made digital content, and Chicago Alfresco, a $2.5 million placemaking initiative created in partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation to transform public spaces into community plazas for outdoor enjoyment.
Before coming to Choose Chicago, Rob was a Senior Advisor to Mayor Lightfoot on economic development and international relations at City Hall, as well as LGTBQ+ affairs and the expanded outdoor dining program. In this role, he also worked to recommend and place over 150 civic leaders and residents onto City boards and commissions. Prior to government service in the Lightfoot administration, Rob ran her winning campaign in the crowded 2019 Chicago mayoral race as Chief of Staff. In past lives, Rob has worked as a public affairs manager for a Fortune 500 company downtown; had misadventures in management consulting, art sales, and personal cheffing; and spent time in Washington DC working for former Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Rob also served a one-year appointment at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence as a policy advisor on Central and Eastern Europe. In this role, he was part of the NSC’s interagency process to develop a comprehensive sanctions regime on Russia as a consequence of its 2014 invasion of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.
After receiving his BA in Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University, Rob lived and worked in the Czech Republic teaching English and tending bar before moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue a MA from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES). He enjoys cooking, learning foreign languages, hiking with his partner and their dog, and visiting Chicago’s many neighborhoods.
Dr. Paul Durica is the Director of Exhibitions at the Chicago History Museums and worked in a similar capacity at The Newberry Library. From 2015-2020, he served as the Director of Programs and Exhibitions with Illinois Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Prior to that he drew upon his work as a writer, researcher, and teacher to produce a series of free and interactive talks, walks, and reenactments focused on narratives from Chicago’s past that resonate with its present.
These public history programs led to collaborations with cultural institutions in the city such as the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, Chicago History Museum, Newberry Library, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago Cultural Center among others.
Each program made use of both his original research and the skills of the arts organizations, community groups, local businesses, and publications that acted as my partners. Some of these programs, such as the full-scale reenactment of the Haymarket Affair in 2011, involved recruiting and directing over 300 volunteers and 1,000 participants.
To produce these programs successfully, he wrote grants; managed budgets; generated web content; worked closely with program partners of varying sizes and resources; and identified, engaged, and sustained a diverse multi-generational audience.
Dr. Lynessa M. Rico is the Associate Chair of the Business Psychology Department at the The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Chicago campus. She is also a business mentor at 1871.
Lynessa is a results-driven Strategic Consultant with over 25 years of experience enabling leaders to meet strategic business objectives by identifying and aligning business growth opportunities with strategic direction of culturally diverse organizations. By leveraging her strategic experience in identifying and impacting business growth opportunities and maximizing profits in retail firms and higher education institutions, Lynessa leads workshops focused on the creative mindset, women’s entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, and the value and application of design thinking within entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Her services also include consulting with and educating leadership on emotional intelligence, the power of design thinking and the creative mindset, and leadership styles to support inclusive, creative workplaces. She has presented to leadership and innovation teams in small, mid-size, and Fortune 500 companies.
Lynessa received her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Management from Wichita State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration from Wichita State University with a focus in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. After earning her master’s degree, Lynessa received her doctorate in Business Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she successfully completed her dissertation titled, “The Relationship Between Personality Types and Color Preference for Color Combinations.” Her current research interests include women’s entrepreneurship, design thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship self-efficacy.
Outside of work and research, Lynessa enjoys mentoring start-ups and judging pitch competitions. Lynessa currently resides in Chicago, Illinois with her four cats. She is an avid long-distance runner, having completed 5 full marathons (and counting), and enjoys watching musical theater.
Briana Thomas is the Museum Associate at the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education (a core member of the Chicago Cultural Alliance). She wears many hats including developing exhibition content, facilitating community programs (children and adults), liaising with visitor artists, and other responsibilities. Her previous experience in the nonprofit space includes her tenure as the Financial Empowerment Coordinator at AMERICORPS Sharing Life Center as well as engaging with the public at the Dallas Arboretum. Her past professional experience has remained rooted in marginalized communities. It is their needs,discourse and histories that she has routinely been tasked with protecting and showcasing in the face of poor infrastructure, and willing ignorance. Creating safe spaces is an ancestral practice she has inherited.
Board Member
John Russick is the Interim President and CEO of the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is also Visiting Director of International Projects for the Future Museum Studio at the Institute for Cultural and Creative Industry at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Senior Advisor to Leadership Greater Chicago. Prior to that, as Senior Vice President of the Chicago History Museum, John led the departments of Exhibitions, Education, Publications, Communications, Collections and Curatorial Affairs, Information Technology, and the Abakanowicz Research Center. He has also held positions at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and the Field Museum. Since 2008 he has organized the annual Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing Competition for the American Alliance of Museums. He has won awards for his preservation, exhibition, and digital work.
Tracey Suppo is the CEO and co-founder of Book+Main, an online platform that connects authors and readers. Since launching in November ’17, Book+Main has more than 50,000 registered users, including 3,500+ published authors, in over 150 countries. Tracey’s 25-year marketing career spans many industries including fashion, cosmetics, live entertainment, and real estate. Prior to co-founding Book+Main, Tracey held the position of vice president of marketing at a national commercial real estate firm for 18 years. Clients included General Electric, British Petroleum, 7-Eleven, and more. She also owns a book review blog and reader group with more than 25k followers and a cooking Instagram feed with 7.5k followers. She is an avid traveler and has visited 44 states within the US and 18 countries worldwide, a voracious reader that often reads 150+ books each year, and is a proud foster failure mom to two cats from PAWS Chicago. She graduated from Boston University in ’95 with a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing.
Danielle O’Neal is an associate in the Litigation Group at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. Danielle’s practice includes representing clients in patent litigation matters, as well as complex commercial litigation matters.
Prior to her legal career, Danielle was a tenured professor of Biological Sciences at Kennedy-King College, City Colleges of Chicago. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Spelman College, a Master’s of Arts Degree in Biology from DePaul University, and a Juris Doctorate Degree from DePaul University, College of Law. Danielle is licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois.
Danielle is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Black Women’s Lawyer Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., and a mentor to African American high school students through the LINK Unlimited Scholars Program. In her free time, Danielle enjoys visiting museums, traveling, fine dining, attending art shows, and curating French wine varietals.
Josey Nieto is a Principal Regulatory Specialist in ComEd’s Regulatory Strategies and Solutions department. Josey received her Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida and her MBA from DePaul University. Beyond managing regulatory commitments and proceedings, Josey is strong proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With previous experience in engineering, on the CEO staff, and in strategy, Josey uses her project management skills, keen eye for data, and strategic mindset to advance DEI in the workplace. Josey has served as an advisory board member for the Asian American employee resource group at ComEd, as host for ComEd’s “D+I Voices” video series, and as the lead mentor for ComEd’s Icebox Derby. Most recently, Josey founded a cross-departmental DEI Book Club to create a safe space that allows her fellow employees an opportunity to constructively talk about race and equity. When she’s not on her corporate grind, you can find Josey on her yoga mat or biking somewhere through the streets of Chicago.
Dr. Nitha Fiona Nagubadi graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in Psychology and MS in Computer Science and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago focusing on International Business, Marketing, and HR. She completed her Doctorate in Business Psychology publishing research on cultural exposure and impact on creativity and innovation. Through her company, Mango Networx, she consults in project management, change management, agile coaching for executives and ecommerce teams in digital, technology, product and marketing departments. Focusing on leadership development programs, she develops events and panel discussions, with focus on ‘thinking out of the box’, diversity and innovation, and the global mindset. As she was raised in a multicultural environment, she is passionate about cultural psychology and practical applications. She is an entrepreneur and Founder of Ethnic Events, an app focused on creating opportunities for cultural exposure for individuals and organizations.
Henry Murphy III is a Director at S&P Global, a financial information and analytics firm headquartered in NYC. He leads the Global Procurement function for People Services, Contingent Workforce, Supplier Diversity, and Sustainability.
He has worked in the Procurement and HR industries for over 15 years, gaining a global cultural perspective by developing and leading programs for companies such as Allstate Insurance, United Airlines, Zurich Financial, Tyson Foods, and Shire Pharmaceuticals.
He is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist at various global events on Contingent Workforce, Supplier Diversity and Procurement industry topics. In 2020 he was named a Contingent Workforce industry “Game Changer” by Staffing Industry Analyst
Henry grew up on the South Side of Chicago and has a B.A. from Columbia College. He currently lives in Charlotte, NC with his family.
Demetrio P. Cardona-Maguigad is a strategist and educator in the areas of communication, design, and web technologies. As the director of strategic design at LimeRed Studio, he leads collaborative and process-driven methods between clients and design teams to uncover insights and align organizational goals towards innovative design solutions. Cardona-Maguigad is an adjunct faculty in the Communication & Media Innovation Department at Columbia College Chicago. He is also a multimedia producer whose work has focused on cultural diversity, social justice, and community development. He is also the former host and executive producer for Chicago is the World, a weekly on-air radio program on WHPK where he curated and featured music, voices and stories from around the globe.
Jacob Campbell is a Cultural Anthropologist with the Keller Science Action Center at The Field Museum, where he leads the social science team for the Chicago region program. His applied research, pedagogy, and collaborative programming has focused on cultural connections to the natural world in cities. He works with partners across Chicago to create more equitable city institutions and green spaces that help communities thrive. Jacob also co-directs the Urban Ecology Field Lab undergraduate summer course at the Field Museum, and is adjunct professor of environmental science at DePaul University. Previously, he worked for five years with artists, organizers and educators on Chicago’s West Side as program manager with the Center for Community Arts Partnerships at Columbia College Chicago. He earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Arizona.
Vandita Garg is an interdisciplinary artist and writer. As a part of the Advisory committee for the Singapore Art Biennale in 2015-16, she started a panel discussion on the shared histories of South East Asia and the various demographic which passed through, formed and dwell in Singapore. This dialogue guided the selection of the works of art for the Biennale, and helped illustrate their connection to the community. She has written articles about fostering creativity and building a positive society through art. Vandita has developed and forged partnerships for private and corporate giving at the Singapore Art Museum. She was also a part of the docent training program and mentored new docents in the program. As the Auction Chair for the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Singapore, from 2012-16, Vandita was instrumental in driving fund raising efforts, and in materially increasing the visibility and impact of the charity. She was a part of the team that planned the inaugural RMHC gala in Singapore and channeled the profits towards setting up the first Ronald McDonald House at National University Hospital, Singapore. Vandita holds a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing and Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Jessica Miley is a Principal Business Analyst at Exelon Corporation in the strategic planning department supporting Exelon’s utility business. Trained as a tax accountant, with a B.S. from the University of Illinois and a MPA from the University of Texas, Jessica has honed her skills at both Ernst & Young and the Exelon tax department in the areas of finance, effective communication, efficient processes, and adherence to deadlines. Her love of project management grew when she was nominated to take a temporary role to help lead the finance department during merger integration. In her current role, she coordinates and facilitates enterprise risk management projects, regulatory/legislative projects, and various strategic projects across Exelon’s fleet of utility companies. In addition to CCA, Jessica supports the United Way, Special Olympics, and the Network of Exelon Women. She can currently be found either facilitating a conference call or partnering with her husband, Jason, as they try to keep up with their daughter, Cassie, as she enters her toddler years. In addition, you may see her in attendance each Spring at the Roger Ebert Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois.
Kay Kihwa Rho has a strong, deep history as a committed executive and community leader of the Chicago metropolitan area. Her professional background includes work as a Systems Engineer for Rockwell International and an Application Specialist in Education for Accenture. She oversaw operations as a managing director at ioTrio Co. for 8 years, and from 2015-2017 she served as Executive Director for the Global Children Foundation.Ms. Rho is currently the Executive Director of the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago (KCCoC). KCCoC is the leading destination where all people can participate in programs celebrating Korean culture and heritage. Under her leadership, Ms. Rho has significantly grown KCCoC’s organizational capacity, including securing a major $600,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities under her leadership.
Ms. Rho has also been actively involved with the Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC), an organization that promotes equal opportunity in government, education, economic development, and international affairs to increase Asian American involvement in Chicago’s civic leadership. With the AACC, Ms. Rho chaired multiple events that helped to raise the profile of the Asian American experience to a broader community as well as honored notable public officials, including State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez and former Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn.
Ms. Rho has been recognized for her commitment to community through awards from Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Asian American organizations. Ms. Rho was born in Korea and moved to the United States nearly 4 decades ago and has resided in the Chicagoland area for the past 24 years. She graduated from Cleveland State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Science, and also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama & Theater from Dong-Guk University in Seoul, Korea. She earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Randy Adamsick is currently a non-profit consultant and Co-chair of the Board at Facets Multi-media. In 2018, he retired as the Director of Institutional Advancement at the Chicago History Museum, and previously served the Development Director at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Randy has also served as Executive Director of the Gene Siskel Film Center (2001-2002), the Minnesota Film Board (1990-2001), Minneapolis Office of Film, Video & Recording (1986-199), Minnesota Film Center (1980-86). He studied Art History at the University of Chicago, and received a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota.