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Emerging Leaders Directory

With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.

Olga Camargo 

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, FARO Advisory
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Cohort
With 20 years in financial services, Olga Camargo excels in advising diverse industries on operations, retirement plans, and innovative payroll solutions. Recognized nationally for her leadership in diversity, she's a trusted advisor to growing businesses and policymakers.

Claudia Carravetta 

Vice President of Business Evolution Strategic Development, AbbVie
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Cohort
Industry
Claudia Carravetta is the vice president of business evolution strategic development at AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company based in North Chicago. In this capacity, she develops and drives public affairs strategies and advances policy solutions to improve access to innovative medicines across Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Brendan Carroll 

Senior Partner & Co-Founder, Victory Park Capital Advisors
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Cohort
Brendan Carroll is a senior partner at Victory Park Capital Advisors (VPC), which he co-founded in 2007, where he's responsible for strategic initiatives and firm operations. He's a frequent speaker at industry conferences, serves on the board of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, and was named a 2023 Notable Leader in Finance by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Jason S. Carter 

Chief Legal Officer, Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
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Cohort
Industry
Law
In his previous role at Novartis Consumer Health, Jason Carter was a strategic advisor to the consumer health division, guiding various domestic and international issues. His work covered corporate governance, business development, compliance in sales and marketing, and government affairs. He also represented the company before federal regulatory agencies.

Michael Cassel 

Vice President, Head of Government Affairs, ID.me
Before working at ID.me, Mike Cassel was director of global corporate citizenship (GCC) for Boeing's corporate offices in Chicago and in the broader Great Lakes region. Cassel managed the region’s charitable portfolio to ensure that all investments and activities align with company strategy and result in lasting success within the local community.

Sean Casten 

United States Representative, Sixth District, Illinois
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As a scientist, clean energy entrepreneur, CEO, and now a member of Congress representing Chicago's western suburbs, Congressman Sean Casten has dedicated his life to combating climate change. In Congress, Casten leverages his private sector experience to develop market-based solutions that reduce emissions, create jobs, and spur economic growth.

Abbie Castiglione  

President, DT Institute
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Cohort
sector
Social Media
At DT Institute, Abbie Castiglione partners with local communities to build more open, informed, and peaceful societies. She has brought over a decade of experience in strategy, finance, operations, and donor engagement across sectors. Previously, she helped transform a startup into a nationally recognized research and policy center at the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab and Education Lab.

Ainsley Cathcart 

Senior Vice President, Global Head of AML Risk Management Oversight, Citigroup
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Cohort
Ainsley Cathcart is head of global anti-money laundering risk management oversight at Citigroup, where she is a senior vice president and leads a global team responsible for developing innovative strategies to identify and mitigate risks related to financial crimes. Cathcart is a certified anti-money laundering specialist with 10 years of experience at top financial institutions.

Jonathan Chaparro 

Executive Director, Innovation & Head of Chicago, Braven
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Cohort
Industry
sector
Jonathan Chaparro leads the Chicago region of Braven, an organization that works to empower underrepresented young people with the skills, confidence, experience, and networks necessary to transition from college to strong first jobs and meaningful careers. He is committed to expanding opportunities for the historically disenfranchised.

Piyush Chaudhari 

Chief Executive Officer, Salsify
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Cohort
Piyush Chaudhari is the CEO at Salsify, after previously working at Aon Consulting, IBM, Motorola, and McKinsey and Company. He has been awarded two U.S. patents in the area of microelectronics. He earned his BS and MS in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.