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.
As a scientist, clean energy entrepreneur, CEO, and now a member of Congress representing Chicago's western suburbs, Congressman Sean Casten has dedicated his life to combating climate change. In Congress, Casten leverages his private sector experience to develop market-based solutions that reduce emissions, create jobs, and spur economic growth.
Piyush Chaudhari is the CEO at Salsify, after previously working at Aon Consulting, IBM, Motorola, and McKinsey and Company. He has been awarded two U.S. patents in the area of microelectronics. He earned his BS and MS in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Prior to his time at Equator Capital Partners, Paul Christensen was a faculty member of the finance department at Northwestern University and the president and COO of ShoreCap Management, an international private equity company based in London. He also led Shorebank Enterprise Group, an economic development organization in Cleveland, and worked for McKinsey & Company in Pittsburgh.
Joyce Coffee is the founder and president of Climate Resilience Consulting, a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) that helps clients develop practical strategies to strengthen markets and communities through climate change adaptation. In her former role at the public relations firm Edelman, Coffee provided strategic sustainability counsel to Midwest companies.
Caralynn Collens previously served as executive director and COO of UI LABS, where she led the entire research and commercialization initiative, including the $320 million Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute. Before that, she was associate vice president for innovation and economic development at the University of Illinois.
William Burns was elected alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward in 2011. He previously served as an Illinois Representative and vice president of Conlon Public Strategies. Before that, he worked for the Office of the Senate President, the Chicago Urban League, and the Metropolitan Planning Council.
As founder and CEO of Roads United, Eliot Dam offers a wealth of global product management, business development, and leadership experience in numerous technology markets, including connected vehicles, smart infrastructure, wireless telecommunications, mobile application development, and geospatial analytics.
Before becoming a conference minister, Lillian Daniel was the senior minister of the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Glen Ellyn. She has taught preaching at three seminaries, is a trustee of the Chicago Theological Seminary, and board president of Arise (formerly Chicago Interfaith Committee for Worker Issues).
Gillian Darlow is the CEO of the Polk Bros. Foundation, which focuses its grantmaking on reducing the impact of poverty and expanding access to quality education, the arts, preventive health care, and essential human services for Chicago-area residents. She previously worked at the Civic Consulting Alliance, where she led numerous economic growth initiatives for the city, among other initiatives.
Tony Davis serves as the president and managing partner of Linden Capital Partners and has more than fifteen years of principal investing and consulting experience. He is a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), president of Americans United in Support of Democracy, and a member and former President of CityPAC.
