With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Mark Hoyt is Popmenu’s first chief financial officer, bringing over 25 years of experience in leading financial performance for global SaaS companies and startups. He plays a key role in supporting Popmenu’s mission to help restaurants succeed through technology innovation. Before joining Popmenu, Hoyt led international growth at Groupon and served as VP of international finance at CareerBuilder.
Lila Leff cofounded and directed Illinois’ first federally funded School-to-Work Initiative, EDGE/UP, to help high-poverty students succeed in high school and effectively transition to postsecondary training and education. She was a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow and currently serves on the steering committee of the Consortium on Chicago School Research.
At the University of Chicago, Eileen McCarthy, now retired, facilitated and oversaw global initiatives, including the development and management of university centers in China and India. Before this role, she served as the director of strategic initiatives and planning in the office of the president and directed the Center for Policy Practice at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies.
Before becoming a consultant, Jason Palmquist was the executive director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, having spent his early career in Washington, D.C., working for the Washington Ballet and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has experience with local, national, and international arts communities and served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Lisa Pattis is president of Next Chapter Holdings, where she manages investments for the Pattis family and the Pattis Family Foundation, investing globally in a diversified range of assets. Previously, she was general counsel of Wintrust Financial Corporation and spent 17 years as a partner at Sidley Austin, LLP, specializing in corporate governance, securities law, and strategic counseling.
Ryan Ruskin serves as president and chief operating officer of the Ruskin Group, a 105-year-old family packaging company and industry leader in sustainability. He previously worked as a consultant with A.T. Kearney, focusing on supply chain and manufacturing strategies with several Fortune 50 companies.
Jason Schmitt is a global CEO with a track record of unlocking growth across Fortune 500 and private equity-backed companies in retail and consumer goods, most recently as interim CEO of a $100M Southern California 3rd-party omnichannel logistics firm with 600 employees. He currently serves on the board of two private equity-owned companies.
Michael Scudder Jr. is a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He earned his BBA as co-valedictorian from Saint Joseph's College and his JD magna cum laude from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Before law school, Scudder worked as an auditor for Ernst and Young and is a certified public accountant.
Maggie Westdale is the business chief financial officer for Aon, where she is responsible for managing the financial results across functions, regions, and solution lines. Previously, she served as chief financial officer for Aon’s reinsurance and retirement solutions. She also held roles at CNA Insurance and Price Waterhouse.
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.
