More than 50 resident and nonresident fellows offer research, analysis, and commentary on US foreign policy and public opinion, global food security, and global cities.
Alongside his father and brother, Amer Abdullah launched the Cedars restaurant in 2001. Shortly thereafter, a fast-casual child of Cedars named Mezza Mediterranean Grill was born, where Abdullah heads the marketing strategy. Beyond business, he is a founding member of the Chicago Community Trust's Pillars Fund, a donor-advised fund that targets a better understanding of Muslim-American culture.
Ikbel Achour is passionate about translating cutting-edge science into patient care. She is the global head of translational medicine at AstraZeneca, and previously a senior research scientist at IO Bispecifics Franchise in genomics and molecular medicine, with a focus on innovation in precision medicine.
Before joining GoodCitizen, Jailan Adly led strategy for Amplifier’s philanthropic partnerships and planned and executed internal strategic initiatives to build the agency’s capabilities. She is a social impact strategist who believes in the power of business to tackle and solve complex global challenges and brings over a decade of experience building impact-driven initiatives around the world.
Roseanna Ander serves as the founding executive director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, which was launched in partnership with the City of Chicago. In the years following, she was appointed to the International Association of Chiefs of Police Research Advisory Committee and the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, and was named co-chair of Rahm Emanuel's Public Safety Transition Committee.
Prior to Embark Strategies, Sonya Anderson supported the development of early childhood education programs and policies for the Ounce of Prevention Fund. She previously worked for the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, overseeing their domestic and international work in education.
Steve Babitch’s work lies at the intersection of the social sciences, business strategy, and design. As a consultant who has worked with leading-edge innovation and design consultancies Doblin, now part of Deloitte, and IA Collaborative in Chicago, Babitch has worked with clients across many sectors, including computer hardware, automotive, consumer goods, and health care.
After nearly 20 years in leadership roles at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Benjamin Bader now leads the global workplace function for HERE Technologies, managing real estate across nearly 40 countries. Bader shapes and executes HERE's real estate strategy, working closely with key stakeholders to align business needs with financial goals, mitigate risks, and deliver data-driven solutions.
Carolyn Baer is a global health specialist with over 20 years of experience leading programs focused on reproductive health for women and girls in humanitarian settings, as well as infectious disease surveillance and response. She played a key role in launching the Center for Global Health and currently oversees global medical research and educational initiatives.
Kamran Bajwa specializes in complex international legal matters, particularly in the Middle East and emerging markets. He has advised major international NGOs on intercultural dialogue across the US, Europe, and the Middle East. He's lived in Dubai, Cairo, and Bahrain, and has worked in over 20 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Mary Barnicle oversees regulatory policy development for Prime Air, Amazon's commercial drone delivery service. Previously, she held the position of managing director of regulatory affairs at United Airlines, where she advocated for the company’s interests before multiple government regulatory agencies, particularly regarding taxation and economic liberalization.
