Adam Walls
Adam Walls is founder and CEO of the 5812 Group, a Chicago-based real estate investment company that specializes in affordable housing. Adam has a simple but bold way to tackle housing issues in under-resourced communities, using market-motivated investors and harnessing his passion for community.
Alex Niemczewski
Alex is the CEO and Co-Founder of BallotReady, an organization dedicated to helping people vote informed on every item on their ballot.
Brittany Garber
Brit is from Peoria, IL. She has a degree from Columbia College in Fashion Business and heads up PR, Marketing and Brand Management for Twenty Two Forty Four.
Chuck Anderson
Chuck is currently the Creative Director of Design at Havas Chicago, setting the design vision for the agency, infusing an artful sense of craft into client work, and mentoring young design talent.
Anderson is a popular Chicago-based artist, designer, photographer, and founder of NoPattern Studio, which he began in 2004 at the age of 18. He has created work for brands like ESPN, Complex Magazine, and Nylon, Burton, Absolut, Nike, Google, Mountain Dew, McDonald's, Microsoft, Target, Honda, Vans, and The Wall Street Journal.
Chuck has also been a judge at the Annual Art Directors Club Awards and has spoken at dozens of schools and design conferences around the world. In 2010, Chuck was named a Design Icon by Computer Arts Magazine. Embodying a balanced blend of talent and passion for design, Chuck has garnered more than 101K followers on Instagram (@nopattern), inspiring his fanbase with vivid and colorful creations that offer a peek into his maker mindset.
Graham Aden
Graham Aden is a data storyteller: software engineer, writer, and comedian with a background in anthropology. His work focuses on the use of technology to inspire emotion and facilitate human connection.
Joel Hamernick
Joel is the executive director of both Sunshine Gospel Ministries and Sunshine Enterprises. In addition to his religious service, Joel has completed several entrepreneurial ventures, leading to his involvement in the establishing of Greenline Coffee with his wife, Paula. Joel will be sharing his insights on what causes violence in our community and how can we raise each other out of it.
Mawi Asgedom
Mawi Asgedom has inspired over one million people with his uplifting speeches and written 8 bestselling books. A former refugee from Ethiopia, Mawi is the President of Mawi Learning, a provider of online leadership and success courses used by schools around the world.
Oprah Winfrey called her interview with Mawi one of her “Top 20 Moments” and ESSENCE magazine selected him as one of the “40 Most Inspiring African-Americans.” As a child, Mawi fled civil war in Ethiopia and survived a Sudanese refugee camp for three years. After being resettled in the US, Mawi overcame poverty, language barriers, and personal tragedy to graduate from Harvard University, where he also gave the commencement address to an audience of 30,000.
Ruthie Fuller
Rue is from Hilton Head Island, SC. She has a degree from Columbia College in Fashion Design and is the Creative Director and Lead Seamstress for Twenty Two Forty Four.