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.
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.
Craig Bennett, now retired, was one of eight executive committee members responsible for managing the strategic direction of Recycled Energy Development, LLC, an independent power producer that acquires, develops, owns, and operates industrial cogeneration and waste heat/gas recovery projects. They worked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of steam and electricity for host companies.
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.
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 working at KittyHawk, Lincoln S. Ellis led Green Square's strategy and business development practices and headed the firm's Chicago branch, Green Square's first office outside of Memphis. He created Columbia University's Columbia International Affairs Online (ciaonet.org), one of the first and most comprehensive databases for theory and research in economics and international affairs.
Previously, Mark Fastabend was the general manager at a foodservice equipment division within the Marmon Group. He's spent his career building businesses around innovative solutions that meet the needs of the global market, ranging from medical devices to food and beverages. Specializing in new product development, Fastabend led a team working to grow conceptual ideas into commercialized businesses.
Ravin Gandhi is the founder and CEO of GMM Nonstick Coatings, one of the world’s largest suppliers of nonstick coatings to the $10B housewares industry. Its products are found on iconic brands such as Calphalon, KitchenAid, Farberware, George Foreman, Black and Decker, Wilton, Sunbeam, and Pyrex.
Nicholas Gross is the senior vice president for government programs at AAR Corp, a leading provider of aviation services to the worldwide commercial aerospace and government/defense industries. He oversees a diversified portfolio of capabilities, including aviation supply chain and contractor logistics support, focusing on government agencies and commercial customers.
Stephen Haggerty is currently a principal and founder at Bare Hill, an advisory platform focused on hospitality and wellness-related assets. He previously held roles at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Devotio Capital Management, and Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management, among others.
