With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Previously, Amrith Kaur Aakre was the legal director of the Sikh Coalition, where she coordinated legal and policy initiatives to protect the civil rights of all Americans, create community empowerment, and continue efforts to engage communities for positive opportunities. Aakre was part of a group of student activists at George Washington University who cofounded the Sikh Coalition after 9/11.
In 2024, Garvin G. Ambrose was appointed chief of staff at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office by State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke. Prior to this role, Ambrose held several key positions, including Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County, chief of staff to former State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, and chief of the Bureau of Administrative Services under State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
Barbara Barreno-Paschall was previously a commissioner with the State of Illinois Human Rights Commission following her appointment by Governor JB Pritzker. As a commissioner, she adjudicated complaints of discrimination filed under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Sarah Boyle currently serves as the deputy director of strategic planning in the Office of the Superintendent at the Chicago Police Department. She is responsible for managing and implementing high-profile projects that include organizational development, increased technology capacity, and strengthening city-wide partnerships.
Kemena Brooks serves as Chief of Staff at the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). In this role, she supports executive leadership in advancing agency-wide priorities and managing cross-departmental initiatives. She also oversees CHA’s real estate development department, leading efforts to plan, preserve, and deliver affordable and mixed-income housing across the city.
Zachary Brown previously served as a supervisory financial analyst at the US Department of the Treasury, and before that as a principal at Milliman, where he led a team implementing risk management overlay strategies for banks, asset managers, insurance companies, and pension plans. In this role, he was a named portfolio manager on over a dozen mutual funds with over $20 billion in assets.
Representative Kam Buckner represents the 26th Legislative District in the Illinois House of Representatives, a district completely situated in the City of Chicago. Previously, he served as executive director of World Sport Chicago, an organization that uses sports as a tool to provide life-skill training and opportunities to youth in Chicago's most under-resourced communities.
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.
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.
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.
