Sue is a Director of a private family foundation whose mission includes enhancing both local and global communities by providing access to healthcare, offering opportunities for education and empowering the disadvantaged. Through her work, Sue has engaged with both small and large non-profit organizations in countries throughout the world and within her own local community. Sue is a past mentor for the Future Philanthropist Program, a selective 2-year program for high school students to learn the workings of Philanthropy. She is also the Founder and Director of the One Earth Film Festival’s Young Filmmakers Contest. Sue was born in Australia, attended Gymea College and spent 15 years in the Travel Industry before redirecting her career to philanthropy.
Julie has dedicated her career and subsequent retirement to international development and girls’ education issues. She has been a board member of WGEP for over six years, currently serving as board secretary. Her strong background in international development began with Peace Corps where her experience in Senegal led to a lifelong association with that country. She subsequently returned to Senegal with her family for several postings and then as an executive and senior manager for NGOs and private sector companies in the US, other West African countries and Washington, DC. She worked primarily in the area of project design and operations for Maternal and Child Health and health management programs. In 2014 WGEP sent her to Sokone, Senegal for two months where she assisted local staff to set up administrative systems responding to USAID requirements for a new large literacy grant. In Chicago, as President of Citizen Bridges International she designed hands-on, immersive programs for international emerging leaders to foster the exchange of best practices through the sharing of professional skills and knowledge. She also led the Chicago Sister Cities International program for a number of years and is currently a volunteer Co-Chair of the Casablanca Committee, a Sister City for 35 years and one of 28 partnerships between Chicago and international cities. She is Executive Director of Chicago Shares, a food voucher program for the homeless, and has been a mentor of a LINK Unlimited Scholar. She has a BA in Sociology from D’Youville College and is fluent in French. Her sons live in Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
Born and raised in France, having lived in Colombia and, for the past 20 years, in the USA, multilingual, Florence has been with the Board of WGEP for 1 year and brings 30 years experience in Finance and project management.
Florence currently works as Director Financial Planning and Analysis for Polyair, a packaging company, where she provides financial and operational decision-making tools. Florence graduated from HEC Paris, one of the leading European business schools. Some of Florence’s passions include advocating for women, minorities, free education and healthcare, justice and the environment.
Regine currently serves as Baker & McKenzie LLP's managing partner of the Firm’s Chicago office and as member of the Firm's global Financial Committee and North American Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Aimee has over 19 years of experience in the information systems field with a background in information risk management and cyber security. Aimee enjoys spending time with family and friends, planning vacations, and having dinner parties at home. In addition to coaching and supporting women in the workplace, Aimee looks forward to serving alongside WGEP to advocate and enable more women and girls globally to reach their full potential!
Shan Bhati has co‐led the firm’s global legal function since 2005. In addition to continuing with her global legal responsibilities, Shan was appointed as the global chief administrative officer in 2012 where she works closely with the global chief operating officer on ensuring operational and administrative efficiency. Shan was appointed to Edelman’s Global Operating Committee in 2019.
Before joining Edelman, Shan was a corporate attorney in Abbott Laboratories’ legal department. Prior to that, she practiced law at the law firm of DLA Piper (f/k/a Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich) in Palo Alto, CA.
Shan received her undergraduate degree in English Literature, with honors, from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago from 2007 – 2017 and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Global Education Project and is a Mentor for the Girls Scouts of Chicago’s Camp CEO Program. Shan is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the State Bar of California.
Jennifer is a marketing leader with 20 years of brand-building and communications expertise in the commercial and nonprofit sectors.
Prior Booz Allen, Jennifer was a marketing director at the American Medical Association (AMA), leading a team of communications professionals on several strategic initiatives including improving health outcomes and accelerating change in medical education. She also directed brand and marketing plan development as part of the account services team at Lipman Hearne, a leading brand consultancy and communications agency in Chicago. Jennifer built a strong marketing foundation during her 11 years at Brown-Forman Corporation, managing globally recognized brands including Lenox China, Fetzer Wines, and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.
Jennifer received her B.A. in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and her M.A. in international studies with concentrations in Latin American studies and international economics from Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Mariam is the Founder and Managing Director of Axxum Consulting, a Chicago-based Management Consulting firm providing advisory services to clients in Organizational Change Management, Communications, Training, Program Management and Process Improvement. With 15 years of experience in professional services working in business development, client relationship management and transformation projects, her personal & professional experiences have taken her in France, Ireland, Canada and the U.S. She holds an M.B.A. from Université Laval (Canada) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from IPAG Paris (France) and she speaks fluently in English and French.
Katherine serves as the Chicago Development Manager for Peer Health Exchange, a nonprofit that trains college student volunteers to teach health education to 9th graders in underresourced public schools. In this role, Katherine is responsible for supporting the Chicago Executive Director in managing the local, individual, and institutional giving portfolios, as well as maintaining and strengthening data and knowledge management systems. Prior to joining the Chicago team, Katherine volunteered as a Health Educator with Peer Health Exchange for three years while attending Northwestern University. Katherine graduated from Northwestern with a major in theatre, a concentration in performance, activism, and human rights, and a minor in creative nonfiction writing. Her experience includes serving as the Executive Director of a Northwestern course in consulting for nonprofits, interning for the Alzheimer’s Association and Women’s Global Education Project, leading American teenagers on cultural exchange/service-learning trips to Japan and New Zealand, and studying global development in Ecuador, China, India, and South Africa.
Nora is the Development Coordinator at the Foundation for Endodontics. In her role there, she helps oversee access to care initiatives, administers research and education grants, and maintains donor files. Nora graduated from Michigan State University where she studied the Arts and Humanities and Arts and Cultural Management. Her experience in grant writing, sponsorship solicitation, and individual giving combined with her passion for access to education and women's rights is what led her to Women's Global Education Project.
Aliyah's goal of empowering communities through economic independence, mentorship, holistic wellness, and education have been the motivation behind her work. At Loyola University Chicago, Aliyah studied Political Science and African Studies, hoping to use that comprehensive understanding to support those around her. Aliyah is a co-lead of Edgewater Kids United, a youth mentoring program on Chicago's North Side, as well as the founder of Project R.I.S.E, a program dedicated to young women and their emotional and educational growth. Aliyah is also a member of the Obama Foundation's Community Leadership Corps, where she attends trainings and meets with community members to assist with localized and city-wide outreach and initiatives. As a Chicago-native and first-generation daughter of West Indian parents, Aliyah has been dedicated to uplifting diverse communities and individuals similar to those she has been supported by. Aliyah currently serves as a Program Assistant at Arabella Advisors.
While earning her Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Hannah became a licensed professional educator in Illinois. Since then, Hannah has taught and privately tutored students in all subjects and across all ages from infants to high schoolers. She also has experience teaching in a variety of different settings, including urban, suburban, private, and public.
Although Hannah always desired to inspire people, and indeed found a way to do this regularly through her teaching, she also longed to be a successful entrepreneur with a business of her own. So in 2015, Hannah officially began her own professional organizing business called BoneClutter. BoneClutter provides peace and efficiency to its clients by professionally organizing their objects, data, and/or time. Yet, Hannah Bonecutter’s deep passions do not stop there, as she always had a knack for acting and modeling. Hannah has been acting on film since she graduated in 2013 in several large television shows such as Empire as well as local, independent films such as Bloodlines. Hannah Bonecutter has served as a promotional model for various products featured at popular events as well as a fashion model in digital fashion shows for retail companies such as Goodwill Inc.
Hannah states that her mission in life is “to be a light of exposure and inspiration.” Whether she is teaching students in a classroom, professionally organizing a client’s home, or acting on the big screen, she strives to always be achieving this mission and improving this world to become a much better place.
Anna graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BBA in Accounting and minor in Gender and Women’s Studies. She then completed her Masters in Accounting and is now a CPA at a public accounting firm. Anna is actively involved in women’s leadership and empowerment initiatives and groups with her employer and in Chicago. She loves yoga and trying new restaurants around the city!
Caitlin currently supports Rotary International’s Programs for Young Leaders as an Engagement Specialist. Previously, she was employed at Girl Rising and the United Nations Foundation where she worked on the UN Secretary-General’s Every Woman Every Child initiative. She also spent a year in Bengaluru, India, working with two organizations focused on women’s economic empowerment. Caitlin received her B.A. in History from Kenyon College and earned her M.A. in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University where she wrote her thesis on the issue of child marriage in Malawi. Since relocating to Evanston from New York City in 2018, Caitlin has enjoyed exploring the Chicago area. For fun, she loves any outdoor activity, especially hiking, kayaking, and horseback riding.
Deyanira works at Northeastern Illinois University maintaining K-12 school partnerships and placing Professional Educator License candidates for their clinical and student teaching experiences. She worked in the social work field for nine years before moving into higher education. During this time, she worked primarily with the homeless population, and most recently for a women’s domestic violence shelter. Deyanira received her Bachelor’s in Sociology from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master’s in International Public Service from DePaul University. She feels very passionate about women’s empowerment, access to education, and intercultural communication. Deyanira enjoys reading, running, eating, watching movies, and traveling.
Ayeesha currently works as an analyst in Public Finance. She is a graduate from the University of Michigan, where she studied business with a concentration in strategy and finance. She is lucky to have had the opportunity to travel globally with family and friends, including visits to Kenya and South Africa. These experiences have made her more culturally aware and passionate about causes such as women's education and equality. She strives to create and increase opportunities for young women both locally and around the world through her work with WGEP. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and eating any or all desserts.
Oriane is a French American filmmaker, actress and women’s activist from Chicago. Graduated in 2019 with a B.F.A. in the Visual and Performing Arts School at Syracuse University. Became the Co-founder and Director at Passion Production Studios, a start up film production company based out of Chicago and New York City. A 35 mm film she produced and art directed, after having attended the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague for a semester, was selected to screen at the 73rd Annual Edinburgh International Film Festival. She is extremely passionate about women’s rights, trans rights, educational programs, global development, environmental issues and she wants to infuse them in her art. Education is the sole base to a loving and empathetic community.
Anna works in the Advancement Office at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) where she builds relationships and connects individuals and congregations with the mission of LSTC. Prior to this work, Anna was a Young Adult in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteer in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. During her time in Greater Johannesburg, Anna worked on an HIV and AIDS Prevention Program, helped with Gender-Based Violence Educational Workshops, and managed social media content for the Lutheran Church in South Africa. Anna graduated from Augustana College ('15) with a degree in Business Marketing and Finance and holds a Non-Profit Leadership Development certificate. In her free time she likes to explore Chicago's neighborhoods, travel, and try new coffee shops.
Elise is a Founding Board Member of Women’s Global Education Project. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer from Senegal (‘96-’99). Upon her return from West Africa and a training contract for the Peace Corps in Guinea, Elise worked at Chemonics International and managed multi-million dollar USAID contract projects in Mali, Senegal and Uganda. On behalf of Women’s Global, she traveled to Senegal in December 2004 and met with Women’s Global local partners and scholarship recipients. Elise received her master’s degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy from The George Washington University in 1995, and her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Mary Washington College in 1990. She is fluent in English and French and learned Wolof in Senegal.
Lucy Ascoli is a consultant to nonprofit organizations in fundraising and strategy. She has been a fundraiser for low-income housing organizations and refugee organizations in Chicago and worked for the Donors Forum of Chicago, leading a successful program to increase the number of family foundations in Illinois.
She has been a member and a leader on several nonprofit Boards in Chicago including Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, Changing Worlds and the Chicago Committee for Human Rights Watch. She is Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Cambodian American Heritage Museum.
Lynn received a master’s degree in psychiatric social work from the University of California at Berkeley, and has worked in both in-patient and out-patient psychiatric settings. She has experience in individual, family and group therapy, and has worked in all aspects of the adoption process in New Mexico and Illinois, including counseling with pregnant adolescents, education and counseling with adoptive families, and grief counseling with all members of the adoption triad.
Catherine received a BA in English Literature & Classics and a Master’s of Non-Profit Administration from the University of San Francisco and a JD from Loyola University, Chicago. Catherine has worked in the non-profit world in grant writing and program development for the Goodwill Industries in San Francisco. She has also worked as a freelance writer, and practiced employment law at the Legal Assistance Foundation in Chicago. She also co-owned and managed Yoga Trek and now tutors Latin and works as a substitute teacher at Oak Park River Forest High School. She is originally from London and is married with three children.
Farah Eck is a global citizen who was born of a Pakistani father, American mother, and has lived in 9+ countries, so she is from everywhere and nowhere! Farah’s background is in fundraising, organizational capacity building, communications, and stakeholder engagement. She has a B.A. in Advertising, a M.A. in Communications, a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management, and a M.A. in International Relations and Conflict Resolution. She relocated to Nairobi in April 2015 with her husband, Daniel, to experience the adventure of a lifetime in Africa while serving as the Alumni & Volunteer Relations Director of the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa. In Africa, Farah is involved in various capacities that support gender equality, refugees, youth empowerment, and global public policy.
In her spare time, Farah loves to expend her creative juices writing, having recently co-authored a children’s cookbook and nutritional guide, Freddy, Fork it Over! and is currently penning a children’s storybook based upon oral Kenyan folklore. Dan and Farah are expecting their first child in August 2016 and are eager for a third member of the family to join them on their international adventures.
Nancy Juda is an activist, a philanthropist, and an artist. She focuses her attention, activity, and passion on supporting and empowering community building and leadership, especially that of women and girls. Currently, along with Women’s Global Education Project she is most engaged with The Mastery Foundation School for Leadership, The Chicago Foundation for Women, and The Hunger Project. Nancy lives in Chicago and travels frequently to work towards the possibility she envisions for our shared world.
Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum is an independent fundraising consultant with more than 15 years experience in the nonprofit arena, helping organizations reach their goals through the right infrastructure, people, and resources to sustain, grow and thrive. Soudary channels her passion for human rights and social justice into projects that engage supporters to address systemic issues that touch upon equity, education and public health. During her tenure at a strategic communication and fundraising firm, she worked with a number of regional and national organizations; and previously led development initiatives for RefugeeOne, ACLU Foundation of Oregon, and International Rivers.
Soudary holds a Masters in Public Service from DePaul University, and a Bachelors in Asian American Studies and Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Based in Oak Park, IL, Soudary is an active member of AFP Chicago, and has volunteered with Women’s Global Education Project since 2009.
Edith Njuguna is a Senior Program Officer at Grand Victoria Foundation where she works on the Foundation’s three funding areas of education, environment and economic development. In particular, she led the development of the Illinois Early Childhood Fellows program, which is designed to develop the next generation of leaders in early childhood policy advocacy. Edith develops and manages relationships with grantees, contributes to developing the Foundation’s strategic guidelines and program priorities, and supports the implementation of programs that advance those priorities.
Edith has extensive experience with nonprofits in Chicago and internationally in education, leadership development and community engagement. She serves on the Board of Directors of Chicago Women in Philanthropy and Co-chairs the Steering Committee of the Illinois Early Childhood Fellows program. She was a fellow in the Association of Black Foundation Executives’ Connecting Leaders Fellowship in 2010. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Service Management from DePaul University, a Certificate in Hispanic Studies from Universidad Complutense in Madrid and a BA in Literature and Linguistics from the University of Nairobi. She is a native of Kenya and speaks four languages.
Jennifer enjoyed two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching environmental education in Senegal, where she became aware of the lack of opportunities for girls to attend school and improve their situation through education in Africa. Jennifer has been a fundraising professional for more than a decade, raising funds at many of San Francisco’s most prominent non-profits. She is currently the Director of Development for the LightHouse for the Blind. Her passions include running and painting.
Bill Taylor taught political science and history at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois, for 32 years before retiring in 2004. He began volunteering in 1999 with Seeds of Peace, an organization that brings Israeli and Palestinian teens to a camp in Maine every summer for a 3-week experience in peaceful coexistence, where he served as facilitator of the camp’s daily dialogue sessions. During the school year, Bill also teaches short courses for older adults on such subjects as Islam and the Arab-Israeli conflict. In 2002 he assisted in the founding of Hands of Peace, an organization modeled after Seeds of Peace, but adapted to the urban setting of Chicago’s northwest suburbs and has been volunteering with Hands of Peace in various capacities. He became involved with Women’s Global after hearing founder Amy Maglio interviewed on the Chicago Public Radio global affairs program Worldview.
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