With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Esther Joy King began her legal career as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago and later had the opportunity to serve the State of Illinois in the office of entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. Her entrepreneurial spirit also led her to start a marketing firm after obtaining her law degree, GRP21, where she learned firsthand about creating jobs and opportunities.
Abin Kuriakose is the first-ever chief strategy and innovation officer for World Business Chicago (WBC), the city's economic development organization, chaired by the mayor. In this role, Kuriakose and his team manage a portfolio of high-impact economic development programs to grow the region’s tech, innovation, and startup economy.
At US Bank, Joyce Merkel is responsible for driving the strategic growth of electronic platform trading for her company and mitigating the ever-changing risks present in the global currency market. She executes quotes for over 400 domestic and international corporate clients, collaborating with the sales team to trade twenty-four hours a day.
Will Miller is a senior manager in Ernst & Young's (EY) Forensic & Integrity services practice in Chicago. EY is a multinational professional services network and a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy and transactions, and tax services. Since beginning his career with EY in 2009, Miller has gained experience in assisting clients with anti-money laundering (AML) compliance programs.
Satya Pandey is the CTO of investment banking at William Blair, specializing in implementing AI and advanced software solutions to drive transformation. He previously founded a start-up that developed an AI-powered app for home sellers. His 20+ years of experience spans the technology space, and his AI expertise is underpinned by a comprehensive understanding of the technology's impact potential.
Julien Rosan joined Global Affairs Canada in 2019 and serves as trade commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago where he's responsible for trade and innovation initiatives to support Canadian technology companies seeking to do business in the US market. Prior to joining Global Affairs Canada, Rosan served as business development director for Business France.
In her current role, Bria Scudder helps manage more than ten state agencies, including the Department of Corrections, State Police, Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency. She also directs and implements the administration’s top policy initiatives, including energy and criminal justice reform.
Vidisha Suman is a partner with Kearney’s digital transformation practice in the Chicago office, with over 15 years of industry and consulting experience in the digital space. She regularly works with companies to help them become digitally enabled and position themselves for growth through digital business models, all while safeguarding their business from cyber exposure.
Beth Windisch is a national security practitioner and researcher focused on preventing violence through strengthening human networks. Windisch began her career with the US Department of Homeland Security in 2008 and currently serves as the Regional Prevention Coordinator in Chicago for the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3).
