With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Before joining Brooks, Chris Lyons was a vice president and general manager at Prince Castle, a foodservice equipment business within the Marmon Retail Technologies Company. In this role, he led a business focused on developing proprietary technologies for some of the largest global brands in the restaurant industry with an emphasis on automation and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity.
Prior to joining Chicago Scenic Studios, Lisa McClung worked at Lismore International, W.M. Wrigley Jr. Company, and has over 15 years of global marketing and product development experience throughout Africa, Europe, and the US. In Chicago, McClung is a member of several boards, including the Women's Board of the Field Museum, among others.
Joe McCluskey is currently a founder and principal at JTM Advisory. He brings experience from previous roles at E & R Industrial, a specialty brand of Grainger and Grainger. He holds an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
Matt Meltzer is the founder and CEO of Sage Corps, an international internship program that sends college students to work abroad with entrepreneurs at tech startups. Before Sage Corps, he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP where he represented primarily Latin American clients in international litigations and internal investigations.
Matt Meltzer is a co-founder and partner at Meltzer Hellrung, a business immigration law firm. In his capacity as an attorney, he advises corporate clients, ranging from individual entrepreneurs to large multinational corporations, on securing visas for foreign employees. He helps companies devise immigration programs to efficiently and effectively attract and retain foreign talent.
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.
Josh Milberg is a recognized leader in sustainability, smart grid technology, and electric vehicle strategy. As former regional vice president for Midwest operations at Willdan Energy Solutions, he built the region’s energy efficiency and smart grid practice and advised key clients. His background spans strategy, finance, environmental policy, economics, and organizational development.
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.
Dan Misch's work contributes to the innovation ecosystem of world-class laboratories, universities, and businesses in Chicago. He's an advocate for international collaboration and investments in advanced energy technology to strengthen US national security. Previously, Misch served in the US Navy as a Lieutenant and nuclear engineer on a ballistic missile submarine.
L. Heather Mitchell has over a decade of leadership experience in operations, investor relations, fundraising, asset management, and investment strategy. At Capri, she manages pension fund client relationships for US commercial real estate and leads marketing for the firm’s emerging market platform in Africa, India, and the Middle East.
