With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Charles Wheelan is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College. He's the author of "Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science," a monthly columnist on Yahoo! Finance, and a correspondent for WBEZ Radio. Previously, he worked for Chicago Metropolis 2020 and The Economist.
Nina Wieda leads the Chicago Field Studies program at Northwestern University, guiding undergraduates as they explore career paths in fields such as law, business, and public service, while developing as professionals and responsible citizens. Her research focuses on experiential learning and adapting teaching methods to the challenges and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence.
Kuliva Wilburn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Drexel University, a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is currently a doctoral candidate in the DrPH division at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. She's a 2021 Eisenhower Fellow and serves on the board of several Chicago institutions.
Jamie Wildman became one of the youngest managing directors at William Blair, where he now leads business development efforts with private equity and venture capital firms. His earlier experience includes investment banking roles at Bear Stearns and Cowen and Company in New York. He is also actively involved with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, serving on multiple committees.
Kevin Willer is a partner at Chicago Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital fund. He oversees all aspects of Chicago Ventures, including fund management, deal sourcing, investments, and working directly with portfolio companies. He's also a minority owner and vice chair of the board of the Chicago Red Stars, the city's professional women's soccer club.
Diane D. Williams is completing her Ph.D. in social work focused on productive aging in older adult populations, specifically focusing on social integration and retirement. Most recently, Williams worked on the AARP Disrupt Disparities IL Report which focuses on racial disparities among older adults across topic areas of economic security, health equity, and connectivity.
Mark Williams is the CEO of Magna Legal Services, a nationally operating provider of legal support services and technology backed by private equity. He previously served as president and COO of PPL Group and Big Shoulders Capital, and before that, as president and CEO of Kroll Ontrack, a global legal technology company with over 1,200 employees in 35 offices across 20 countries.
Beth Windisch is a national security practitioner and researcher focused on preventing violence through strengthening human networks. Windisch began her career with the US Department of Homeland Security in 2008 and currently serves as the Regional Prevention Coordinator in Chicago for the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3).
Nitida Wongthipkongka is a social impact strategist and believes there is a significant role for the private sector to play in improving the quality of lives around the world. She works in the field of social enterprise, which is the utilization of market-based principles while creating social impact.
Austin Wright is an associate professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. His research on substate conflict largely focuses on the political economy of insurgent violence, examining how rebel groups adopt new technologies of war to undermine state rivals. He also studies the political economy of crime and corruption.
