Michelle Larson attributes her career path to looking up, literally. Growing up in Alaska she enjoyed the beauty of the Northern Lights, and she became further captivated by astronomy in her 20s when she pointed...

Marilynn Gardner is President and CEO of Navy Pier, where she oversees the operations, programming, and long-term vision of the Midwest’s most visited destination, welcoming more than 8 million guests annually. A lifelong Chicagoan, Gardner...

A longstanding proponent of Chicago’s tourism and hospitality industry, Lynn Osmond has taken the reins as President and CEO of Choose Chicago”?the first woman to helm the organization. Osmond previously served as President and CEO...

Erin Amico is the President & CEO of The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (“Nature Museum”). For 167 years, the Nature Museum has been connecting Chicagoans to nature and science....

Jean M. Franczyk is President and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden. The Garden is one of the world’s largest and most popular botanic gardens, hosting 1.3 million visits a year while reaching tens of...

Lisa M. Key is the Executive Director of the Driehaus Museum, a nationally recognized museum of art, architecture and design located steps away from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. As Executive Director, Key has provided transformative leadership...

Chevy Humphrey, DBA, has been at the helm of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry as President and CEO since January 2021. Each year, under her stewardship, nearly 1.5 million visitors embark on journeys...

Brooke Flanagan has served as Executive Director for Steppenwolf Theatre Company, America’s premier ensemble theatre, since 2020. Together with Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, she is responsible for stewarding the company’s artistic growth,...

EDUCATION D. Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Dissertation: The Effects of Ultraviolet Light on Bird Behavior S. Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Thesis: Pairing Behavior of Captive Chilean Flamingos as a Function of Separation Methods...

Perri L. Irmer is President and CEO of The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, the iconic institution founded in 1961 by Dr. Margaret Burroughs. It is one of the oldest institutions of its...