With more than 300 members, the Emerging Leaders community is a dynamic cross-sector network of Chicago’s visionary, globally minded, locally committed leaders.
Amy Francetic's career spans over 20 years of high-technology entrepreneurship, private equity, and research. She previously founded and led Energize Ventures, a $165 million venture fund that invests in digital energy technologies. She also held roles at the Stanford Research Institute, where she worked on an early version of the voice recognition technology that became Siri.
Joi Freeman is the founder of Remnant Strategy consultancy where she works at the intersection of culture and commerce to help businesses navigate the ever-evolving global terrain. As a strategist, youth culture enthusiast, and advocate for voices of vulnerable populations, Freeman is regarded as a brand “fixer” who connects the dots between corporate strategy, brand marketing, and social impact.
Joe Frost is a team leader and broker with Aon’s Cyber Solutions Technology E&O and Cyber Broking team in Chicago, where he also serves as the Middle Market Leader for the Midwest Region. In this capacity, he manages a team of eight professionals and advises clients on cyber, professional liability, technology, and media risks.
Aileen Furlong Caffrey leads premier programs and global air partnerships at Southwest Airlines. Previously, while under her leadership at United Airlines, Mileage Plus was named Best Elite-Level Program in the Americas for the second straight year at the Frequent Traveler Awards, as well as Best Frequent Flyer Program by Global Traveler magazine.
In her former role at BMO Financial Group as chief of staff, Sonia Gabrielson identified and facilitated business connections for all operating groups, including capital markets, personal and commercial banking, and wealth management. Gabrielson also engages in thought leadership activities to reinforce and expand BMO’s corporate missions.
Before joining Beacon Building Products, Prithvi Gandhi worked at Dover Corp., where he was responsible for corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic investments. Before that, he worked at Zebra Technologies and Morgan Stanley.
Ravin Gandhi is the founder and CEO of GMM Nonstick Coatings, one of the world’s largest suppliers of nonstick coatings to the $10B housewares industry. Its products are found on iconic brands such as Calphalon, KitchenAid, Farberware, George Foreman, Black and Decker, Wilton, Sunbeam, and Pyrex.
Jeanne Gang, a 2011 MacArthur Fellow and member of the 2011 class of the Council's Emerging Leaders Program, is the principal architect of Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based firm that has been recognized internationally for its innovation in design. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology and has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.
Before joining Boeing, Anthony P. Garcia was with the US Department of Justice. His last assignment was to the gangs and narcotics section in the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois. He also served as the US Department of Justice attaché assigned to the US embassy in Mexico City, Mexico, and worked in the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs.
Rodrigo Garcia is previously the chief investment officer and chief financial officer for the Illinois State Treasury under State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. He directed the treasury’s combined $25B fixed income, equity, and venture capital portfolios; multiple asset classes; and $300B in related banking and financial services in order to bolster the Illinois macro and micro-economy.
