With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
J. Jordan Shields joined Juniper Advisory, a specialized investment banking firm that provides government-owned, non-profit, and faith-based hospitals strategic transaction support, in 2011, in part due to the work his class of Emerging Leaders did exploring the opportunities and risks of privatizing public infrastructure, specifically hospitals.
Roger Shores founded Life 4.0, a consulting endeavor focused on his passion for spreading his proven business philosophies across various well-established start-up and non-profit organizations. He's a leader in Chicago civic and charitable affairs, including as an active member and past board chairman for the Chicago Youth Centers organization.
Juliet Sorensen is a clinical professor of law and the director of Loyola's Rule of Law Institute and Program in Rule of Law for Development. She was previously on the faculty of Northwestern and served as the executive director of Injustice Watch, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization focused on systemic inequities in the courts.
Nik Theodore teaches, writes, lectures, and consults on urban planning and labor markets in the United States and Britain. He was an Atlantic Fellow in Public Policy at Manchester University in England and was recognized by Crain's "40 Under 40."
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.
Reza Yassari directs the spinal oncology unit at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, in addition to being a professor of neurosurgery and the director of the residency program. He was a fellow at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics and previously taught at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, as faculty in the spine division.
Tracey Yearwood joined enSanity Productions after previously working with the Chicago Urban League, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and various national cable news networks. She produced segments for the Oprah Winfrey Show and was an Ethel Payne Fellow in South Africa in 1998. She has studied in Italy and earned her BS in communications from Northwestern University.
