Midtown Advancement Council

Samuel Bell, Co-Chair   
Canon Solutions America

Al Carter, Co-Chair
Walgreens

Andrew Estill
Aon

Andy Clark
DePaul University

Art Thelen
Midtown Center

Ben Younger
Riveron Consulting

Brent Bridwell
Midtown Educational Foundation

Brian Masterson
ZeroFOX

Chris Saletta
Salo LLC

Christopher Unterfranz
Salesforce

Dave Hand
IBM

David LaSota
Greenberg Traurig LLP

Erik Ojala
Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc.

Glenn Wilke
Midtown Educational Foundation

Jake Noble
CIBC

Jay Presberg
Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust 

Jim Sullivan
Greeley and Hansen

Justin Clapper
BMW Technology Corporation

Leo Dombrowski
Sanchez Daniels & Hoffman LLP

Louis Artiaga
Midtown Educational Foundation

Michael Gray
Discover Financial Services

Peter Ladwein
Midtown Center

Rob Pluta
Mayer Brown

Todd Raclaw
Raymond James
 

Metro Advancement Council

Erika Maschmeyer, Chair
Columbia Wanger Asset Management

Lisa Brown
Post Holdings

Elizabeth Dolack
St. Mary of the Angels School

Maria Gemskie
Gagen MacDonald

Sea Grandon
Sea Grandon Photography

Mary Jaconetti
Aon 

Tracey Jordan
Foran Glennon

Dana Kumar
Boeing

Maria Llamas
TMC/ C.H. Robinson

Jody Madler
IES Abroad

Susan McCrary
Chubb

Melissa Murrell
Fidelity Investments

Valerie Newman, CFA
Perkins Investment Management

Martha O’Bryan
Walgreens

Blair Pircon
Kellogg School of Management

Mary Presberg
PwC

Susan Presberg
Abbott Laboratories

Candice Smith
Boeing

Lovetta Spencer
US Bank

Rocio Telinski
Rocio Telinski & Associates, LLC

Upcoming Events

Advancement Council Events
22nd Annual Metro Advancement Council Luncheon
Mar 7
22nd Annual Metro Advancement Council Luncheon

The Metro Advancement Council invites you to the 22nd Annual Luncheon benefiting Chicago’s Metro Achievement Center for Girls!

Advancement Council News
PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. & MEF Partner to Invest in Student Success!
PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. & MEF Partner to Invest in Student Success!

Midtown Educational Foundation (MEF) was the grateful recipient of a $100,000 grant from the PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.! This grant will help fund MEF's College Orientation Program (COP) for low-income high school youth in Chicago.

Kathrine Switzer & Giovanna Medina Share their Fearlessness at 2018 MAC Luncheon
Kathrine Switzer & Giovanna Medina Share their Fearlessness at 2018 MAC Luncheon

Kathrine Switzer, Marathon Woman, came to Chicago on March 2nd to speak at
MEF’s 21st Annual MAC Luncheon where over 295 MEF advocates and supporters
gathered to raise over $101,000 in support of MEF’s student programming. Alum Giovanna shared, "Metro inspires girls who don’t see themselves represented anywhere else, girls who often don’t think they are worthy of succeeding. Metro teaches us we can do anything we put our mind to. This is why the city of Chicago needs a place like Metro. This is why I needed Metro."
For Many Students, Midtown & Metro's Impact Continues After High School

Over winter break, Midtown and Metro hosted events for their alumni, now in college or recently graduated. It was wonderful to see handfuls of alumni gather together as a community in the places many refer to as their “second home.”

Television Journalist Zoraida Sambolin And the True Anchors in Her Life
Television Journalist Zoraida Sambolin And the True Anchors in Her Life
Every Successful Journey Begins With a First Step: Isabel Hernandez Took Hers at Metro
Every Successful Journey Begins With a First Step: Isabel Hernandez Took Hers at Metro

Metro alumna Isabel Hernandez brought the crowd at the 20th Annual MAC Luncheon to its feet with her talk about how her experiences at Metro helped her flourish.
Filling the Hole in the Middle of Our Lives

Candace Vogler leads a team of philosophers at the University of Chicago who are studying: "Virtue, Happiness and the Meaning of Life. She recently shared some of her observations about human nature and happiness at MEF's Breakfast with Champions speaker series. 

"Warrior Queen" Katie Higgins Dazzles Metro Students and Attendees at MAC Luncheon
"Warrior Queen" Katie Higgins Dazzles Metro Students and Attendees at MAC Luncheon
ABC7: First Female Blue Angels Pilot Speaks at MAC Luncheon

ABC7 interviews Captain Katie Higgins, the first female Blue Angels pilot at the 19th Annual Metro Advancement Council Luncheon benefiting Chicago's at-risk urban youth.

Andy Cunningham's "Adventures in Wonderland"
Andy Cunningham's "Adventures in Wonderland"

Former Steve Jobs PR manager and marketing guru, Andy Cunningham, dazzled a packed house at 1871 with life lessons and her bright vision for the future.
MAC Council Shares Professional Wisdom with Metro Alumnae

The Metro Advancement Council (MAC) presented a series of professional development workshops for Metro alumnae.