With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Before William Blair, Jim O'Connor worked at MVC Capital as managing director after nine years with Motorola, Inc. He was also a White House Fellow for the US Treasury Department, worked for the Committee on Ways and Means at the US House of Representatives, and was a volunteer teacher in South Africa. He was named one of American Ventures Magazine’s “40 under 40."
Justin P. Oberman is a recognized expert and industry leader in aviation/aerospace, homeland security, and identity management. His 27-year career includes service in government, founding a tech company, and advising investors and management teams. After 9/11, he helped set up the TSA and later served as an assistant administrator and senior executive at the Department of Homeland Security.
Karla Ruth Orozco Toledano has over a decade of experience in trade, investment, business development, and international affairs. At WBC, she advocates for Chicago as an inclusive economic hub. She's focused on assisting foreign companies in setting up offices within Chicagoland and integrating them into diverse ecosystems, including food and agriculture, fintech, transportation, and more.
Jeff Pajauskas is an audit partner at Grant Thornton LLP, where he has spent the past 15 years of his career. Pajauskas leverages his extensive industry and technical knowledge to serve a variety of clients including those that are global in scope, public or private in the manufacturing, distribution, and retail industries.
Mark Palchak started his career growing proprietary trading groups in Chicago at Infinium Capital Management. In time, he assumed leadership of Infinium in a distressed situation, immediately taking the company through a successful sale process and returning the successor company, V3 Markets, to profitability.
Before becoming a consultant, Jason Palmquist was the executive director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, having spent his early career in Washington, D.C., working for the Washington Ballet and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has experience with local, national, and international arts communities and served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Satya Pandey is the CTO of investment banking at William Blair, specializing in implementing AI and advanced software solutions to drive transformation. He previously founded a start-up that developed an AI-powered app for home sellers. His 20+ years of experience spans the technology space, and his AI expertise is underpinned by a comprehensive understanding of the technology's impact potential.
Lisa Pattis is president of Next Chapter Holdings, where she manages investments for the Pattis family and the Pattis Family Foundation, investing globally in a diversified range of assets. Previously, she was general counsel of Wintrust Financial Corporation and spent 17 years as a partner at Sidley Austin, LLP, specializing in corporate governance, securities law, and strategic counseling.
Matt Pelton is an audit & assurance (A&A) managing director at Deloitte & Touche LLP and serves as the US A&A sustainability offering leader for the technology, media, and telecommunications industry. He focuses on advising executive teams of multinational companies and investment firms on global regulations, sustainability standards and frameworks, and strategic communications.
A former federal prosecutor, Shoba Pillay is a partner at Jenner & Block where she leverages her technical skills and depth of understanding on global issues and risk to provide guidance to clients across a range of sizes and sectors.
