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Emerging Leaders Directory

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.

Jason S. Carter 

Chief Legal Officer, Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
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Cohort
Industry
Law
In his previous role at Novartis Consumer Health, Jason Carter was a strategic advisor to the consumer health division, guiding various domestic and international issues. His work covered corporate governance, business development, compliance in sales and marketing, and government affairs. He also represented the company before federal regulatory agencies.

Michael Cassel 

Vice President, Head of Government Affairs, ID.me
Before working at ID.me, Mike Cassel was director of global corporate citizenship (GCC) for Boeing's corporate offices in Chicago and in the broader Great Lakes region. Cassel managed the region’s charitable portfolio to ensure that all investments and activities align with company strategy and result in lasting success within the local community.

Sean Casten 

United States Representative, Sixth District, Illinois
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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 

Chief Executive Officer, Salsify
Piyush Chaudhari headshot
Cohort
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.

Paul D. Christensen 

Chair, Equator Capital Partners
Cohort
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.

Anthos Chrysanthou 

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Sav.com
Headshot of Anthos Chrysanthou
Cohort
Before founding sav.com, Anthos Chrysanthou was the founder and CEO of Translate.com, a tech startup whose mission is to eliminate the world's language barriers through the use of artificial intelligence and professional linguists. He's also an active member of the Hellenic American Leadership Council.

Joyce Coffee 

President, Climate Resilience Consulting
Headshot for Joyce Coffee
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 

Chief Executive Officer, Dimension Bio
Cohort
Industry
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.

Patrick Croke 

Founder, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
Cohort
Industry
Law
Before founding Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres, Patrick Croke was an attorney at Sidley Austin LLP where he has represented a wide variety of clients—including Fortune 100 companies, the US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, and international companies, among others—in a variety of litigation regarding transactional, regulatory, business, political, and criminal matters.

William D. Burns 

Executive Vice President, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
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Cohort
Industry
sector
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.