Bridging Chicago

From curating events that connect people through art and music, DJ'ing for corporate and non-profit organizations, opening a recording studio in North Lawndale, to hosting his own podcast, Johnny Jones is dedicated to sharing people's stories of our city. Hear his story in this week's Bridging Chicago podcast.

See you in 2020!

Ever hear of a story where one grave mistake actually led to a rewarding outcome? On this week’s episode we had the pleasure speaking with Sara Jane Castro, the Marketing and Communications Manager for the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. Initially wanting to pursue a degree in print journalism, Sara explains how a clerical mistake accidentally marked her down as a PR student. After unintentionally sparking her interest in PR, she pursued a Bachelors in Mass Communication and Public Relations from Georgie College & State University. As an avid writer, storyteller, and reader, Sara expresses her love for content creating and innovative communication. Tune in to hear about Sara’s journey in searching for a career path that not only allowed her to demonstrate and strengthen her skillsets, but also gave her an opportunity to give back to the world and make a difference.

.

.

.

With over 13 years of experience in marketing and communication, she has worked for a variety of nonprofit and corporate settings. Sara Jane Castro launched her career as the Public Relations Coordinator and Newsletter Editor at a fast-paced cooking show called “VeryVera.” Looking for a slower-paced environment, she began working as a Communications Specialist at a church called Trinity on the Hill UMC. Venturing off into the legal world, she was the Communications Supervisor at McCalla Raymer Pierce, LLC, where she supervised a team and learned a lot about management and technical writing. Sara used her passion for storytelling and her desire to reshape her career path to search for work in nonprofit organization, leading her to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. As its Marketing and Communications Manager, she furthers NKFI's mission to improve the health and well-being of people in risk of or affected by kidney disease through prevention, education and empowerment.

As a mother, personal trainer, and a director in a non-profit organization, Ayesha Akhtar believes that everything you do in life is a stepping stone for something greater. Being the Director of Education at the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, Ayesha’s story is sure to move you, as she is a strong advocate for societal collaboration, and the idea of working together to achieve the greater good. Initially pursuing a career in accounting, Ayesha had an epiphany after reading the book “The Alchemist”, and realized she had instead been longing for more a fulfilling career that made a larger societal impact. Following her moral compass, she began working towards a path that was focused on making a difference by improving the health of communities through education and advocacy. Tune in to hear how Ayesha brings together her background in business with her degree in public health, to help empower and educate individuals to build healthier lives.

.

.

.

.

Since 2011, Ayesha has been an educator with the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the welfare of people with epilepsy. The Foundation provides free case management, education and advocacy services to people living with epilepsy, including their families and support system. As the Director of Education, she manages seizure first aid training for schools and communities in 43 counties of Illinois. She has presented to schools, social service agencies, law firms, and the Chicago Police Department. She recently worked on the successful passing of the Seizure Smart School Act, which was signed into law in July 2019, and makes this first aid training mandatory in all public schools in Illinois.

It is widely known that heart disease still remains the leading cause of death in both men and women, but did you know that up to 80 percent of heart disease is preventable? Lisa Hinton, the Executive Director of American Heart Association’s Metro Chicago joins us in this week’s episode to talk about this non-profit organization’s combat against cardiovascular diseases and stroke through public health advocacy and education. Possessing a leadership role, Lisa Hinton is a strong believer that the best leaders do not focus on the things people can do for them, but what they can do to serve the people. She also brings attention to the fact that Chicago has the largest life expectancy gap in the country, and touches on how we can decrease this gap through research based solutions and treatments. Tune in to learn more about Lisa Hinton’s distinct leadership approach, and the initiatives she takes to make a collective impact on the health of our communities.

.

.

.

.

With over 14 years of non-profit fundraising and management experience, Lisa Hinton dedicates herself to oversee fundraising and community engagement activities, as the Executive Director of American Heath Association’s Metro Chicago. Receiving her Bachelors in Health and Sport Studies from Miami University (OH), and her Masters in Non-Profit Management from DePaul University, Lisa was always passionate about working towards causes that advocate for the betterment of public health. Continuing this vision, she worked with several organizations such as National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, where she supervised and managed teams and fundraising staff. Lisa believes that we should focus on improving external factors that affect health such as economic stability, access to healthcare, and the opportunity to obtain proper education.

Our next Bridging Chicago Podcast episode features Lucas De Jong, a student-athlete and biology major that turned into a marketing guru who knows the value of following your passions, even when the path doesn’t seem clear at the time. An east coast native, college brought Lucas to Chicago, a place he now considers home. From sitting in on major surgical procedures, to being the Senior Director of CRM, Marketing Automation, and Data Analytics at Plan B Advertising, Lucas’ story is sure to inspire you to follow your own passions!

.

.

.

After sitting in on a broad range of medical internships and weighing the risks and rewards of a medical career, Lucas decided to pursue other passions, including the science of marketing. Beginning his marketing career at Northwestern University, Lucas began to see ways that he can make marketing more efficient and earned his master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications. Lucas worked with Midwestern Career College and Dwell Earth prior to beginning his current position as the Director of CRM, Marketing Automation and Data Analytics for Plan B Advertising. Listen to this episode to hear all about how Lucas’ experience has helped him make marketing a better experience for all!

We all know how important it is to be able to strategically budget and plan our finances. With the constant fluctuation of the economy, it is crucial for everyone to create procedures that will allow them to maintain and grow their investments. As a Wealth Management Advisor at Vestor Capital LLC, Thomas Egan has been helping individuals and foundations manage their finances by offering plans that will equip them in making wise financial decisions.

.

.

.

For over 25 years, Thomas has been working with clients from a variety of different economic backgrounds and helping them formulate wealth management strategies. His academic career began with him obtaining an undergraduate business degree from the University of Denver, an MBA in Finance from DePaul University, and the CIMA designation from the Investment and Wealth Institute. Continuing this path, he was a Portfolio Manager for several banks and trust companies and worked his way up to being a Wealth Management Advisor at one of Chicago’s most successful independent firms, Vestor Capital LLC. Tune in to hear about Mr. Egan’s professional journey, his love for Chicago, and his thoughts on navigating through multiple types of market environments.

“You have to be willing to take risks!” From being the CEO of Sam Zell’s Equity Office Properties Trust to reimagining spaces with living green wall products by founding Sagegreenlife, Kincaid’s story proves to show how by thinking as an entrepreneur, taking risks and stepping out of one’s comfort zone can help lead to advancement and growth.

.

.

.

Coming from a small town in Kansas, Richard Kincaid received his B.A. in Finance at the Wichita State University, and obtained his MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. In 1990, he began working for Equity Office Properties Trust, where he was mentored by the firm’s founder, Sam Zell, an iconic investor for real estate related businesses. Eventually becoming the CEO of Equity Office Properties Trust, Kincaid tapped into his creative side and also became the Founder and President of the BeCause Foundation, an organization that creates different forms of social advocacy media. Having worked in a variety of different spaces, one thing that he believed each place needed was a healthier working environment. This concept led him to becoming the Founder and CEO of Sagegreenlife, a company that designs and manufactures living green walls. Take a walk with us as he describes his approach to creating a restorative, beautiful, and productive work space.

We conclude Teachers Appreciation Month with a professor who uses both Hip Hop music and theory as an invitation for her students to think of the world around them more critically. Nathan Ciulla sits down with Dr. Lisa Calvente to discuss how growing up during the birth of Hip Hop inspired her to become a professor and a performance artist. She double majored in philosophy and sociology at City University of New York, Brooklyn College (CUNY), where she took the theory and critical analytics and intersected with Hip Hop music to better analyze culture and society. She would use the tools gained at CUNY and spread them through the world of the New York Hip Hop scene and as a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Capel Hill, where she received both her M.A. and PhD. After graduation, not only did she begin to teach at various universities, but continued using Hip Hop and philosophy understandings in the classroom, and in countless journal articles and essays. Dr. Calvente also published a book in 2016 called Imprints of Revolution: Visual Representations of Resistance, and has directed many plays around the topic of mass incarceration.

Continuing Teachers Appreciation Month, Savannah Rountree sits down with Gerardo Rodriguez, a 5th and 6th grade science teacher at Darwin Elementary. Raised in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood in Chicago, Rodriguez attended Chicago Public School from elementary to high school. During his junior year of high school, Rodriguez found himself aiding other students and realizing he had a passion for teaching others about science and math. Graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he majored in Urban Education and was mentored by Dr. Edward Podsiadlik, one of Bridging Chicago’s previous guests! He took his newly gained experience and knowledge from his time at UIC to develop his teaching style and overall approach. As a second year teacher, he implements mediation and peace circles to his classroom, and is also a mentor for the Darwin Robotics Club.