With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Nicholas Gross is the senior vice president for government programs at AAR Corp, a leading provider of aviation services to the worldwide commercial aerospace and government/defense industries. He oversees a diversified portfolio of capabilities, including aviation supply chain and contractor logistics support, focusing on government agencies and commercial customers.
Joshua Hale is the executive director of Big Shoulders, which is an organization providing scholarships and programmatic support for ninety-three inner-city Catholic schools and more than 25,000 children. Previously, he worked at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School as a management consultant with The Hale Group, Ltd.
As the executive director of Project C.U.R.E. Chicago, Katie Hanlon is working to make Project C.U.R.E. the world's largest distributor of donated medical supplies and equipment to under-resourced countries. Hanlon is passionate about empowering and equipping communities, specifically women and children, with the tools needed to build a healthier community, and ultimately, a healthier world.
Sarah Herda is the executive director of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. Founded in 1956, Graham Foundation is the only private foundation in the United States committed to providing project-based grants to individuals and institutions working to address issues related to architecture and the built environment.
Rachel Hermes manages programs of scale at Rotary International. Rotary is a worldwide organization comprised of 1.2 million business and professional leaders that promote local community initiatives with global action. In her role, she leads Rotary’s five-year global grant model evaluation to understand the effectiveness of the estimated $80 million of grants awarded annually.
Emanuel “Manny” Johnson joined the Robert R. McCormick Foundation in 2016, where he serves as the program officer for the Veterans Program, managing a $3 million portfolio of 35 grantees. Additionally, he serves on the foundation’s Racial Equity Committee, a group that works to pave the way forward to more equitable grant-making.
Harley Jones is a mission-driven leader with 21 years of experience in non-profit and emergency management. As the director of domestic programs at Project HOPE, a global health NGO, he leads strategic partnerships and health initiatives with community health centers, free clinics, and public health departments across the country.
In her previous position, Abigayil Joseph leveraged over a decade of experience as a senior leader at Chicago Public Schools to advise on strategic, policy, and operational priorities. She served as a liaison for the board with the mayor’s office and the CEO of CPS. She's guided by a deep commitment to equity and access to quality education for all children, in every school and neighborhood.
Jamia Jowers is the executive director of the What's Your Forté Foundation where she designs innovative programming to solve pressing challenges faced by Chicago's South and West side neighborhoods, as well as a security fellow with the Truman National Security Project, a Boren scholar, and president of the Chicago Refugee Coalition.
Sam Kendall is an accomplished strategic relationships officer at Rotary International, where he skillfully cultivates partnerships with institutions such as the German government, the United Nations Environment Programme, and UNICEF. His efforts focus on aligning the interests of various organizations to foster impactful collaborations that support Rotary International's mission and its members.
