July 23, 2025

City Club event description:

Speaker
Dr. Michael J. Adkesson
Dr. Mike Adkesson is a renowned leader in wildlife conservation and the professional care of animals. He is a passionate advocate on the importance of modern zoos and aquariums as a means for inspiring societal compassion and concern for wildlife and nature.

As President & CEO of Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Dr. Adkesson is building upon the rich history of one of the world’s preeminent zoos. The zoo’s Next Century Plan, developed under Dr. Adkesson’s leadership, lays out a bold vision for the zoo’s future that is already coming to life with the innovative $66 million Tropical Forests project opening in 2025, as well as other ongoing major investments in zoo’s campus. With an average of 2 million annual guests, Brookfield Zoo supports thousands of jobs and generates over $153 million in annual economic activity. Dr. Adkesson champions educational programs, such as the zoo’s King Conservation Leadership Academy, that inspire communities and people of all backgrounds to connect with nature.

Since first joining the zoo in 2008 as a clinical veterinarian, Dr. Adkesson has made significant strides in advancing the zoo’s animal care and conservation programs. A recognized leader within the zoo and aquarium community, Dr. Adkesson is known for groundbreaking veterinary programs that push boundaries and elevate the standards of care for zoo patients. As a diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine and the European College of Zoological Medicine, Dr. Adkesson is one of a few veterinarians who are board-certified specialists in the veterinary care of zoo animals and wildlife. For almost twenty years, Dr. Adkesson has also led conservation programs in Peru focusing on endangered marine species like the Humboldt penguin, Peruvian fur seal, and South American sea lion. His focus on conservation and engaging Zoo guests in that mission is a driving force as he leads Brookfield Zoo Chicago on a bold journey into the future.

City Club video

A past-president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and a professional fellow of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Dr. Adkesson is also actively involved in many other professional organizations at both a local level serving on the board of the Forest Preserve Foundation and at an international level serving on the board of Species360. Dr. Adkesson has trained hundreds of veterinary and graduate students throughout his career as an adjunct professor with the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and an associate researcher with Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru. An accomplished researcher and clinician, Dr. Adkesson is also the author of over a hundred peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings.

Dr. Adkesson (or Dr. Mike as he is known at the zoo) is an Illinois native who grew up in Decatur. He received his Bachelor’s and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with honors degrees from the University of Illinois, later returning to the University’s Gies College of Business to also complete a Master’s in Business Administration degree. Following a post-graduate clinical internship year in medicine and surgery, Dr. Adkesson completed a three year residency program in zoological medicine at the University of Missouri and Saint Louis Zoo. He lives in Lemont with his wife Adriane, also a veterinarian, and their three children, two dogs, and a pair of tortoises.

July 9, 2025

Revitalizing Historically Disinvested Communities
United Way and BMO

City Club event description:

Chicago’s Austin neighborhood is a compelling example of how a coordinated public-private investment strategy can positively impact the lives and livelihoods of local residents. In this historically disinvested community on the West Side, nonprofit, community, public and private organizations have worked alongside residents to design and leverage investments that are creating new economic opportunities and systematically transforming the neighborhood—like the Aspire Center, which is set to open June 19. 

United Way of Metro Chicago is working in 17 Chicago neighborhoods and suburban communities, including Austin, Auburn Gresham and Elgin, to help bring community vision to life and make catalytic investments with some of Chicago’s most stalwart corporate partners like BMO. 

City Club video

Join Darrel Hackett (U.S. CEO, BMO), Darnell Shields (Executive Director, Austin Coming Together) and Dr. Kimberlee Guenther (Chief Impact Officer, United Way of Metro Chicago) to learn more about how United Way’s Neighborhood Network Initiative has created a blueprint of intentional cross-sector collaboration that can revitalize disinvested communities across the Chicago region.

June 26, 2026

City Club event description:

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the front door to the criminal justice system, and Clerk Mariyana Spyropoulos has pledged to keep that door open to all by ensuring the office’s services are transparent, accountable and accessible.

Upon taking office in December of 2024, Clerk Spyropoulos began her work to increase access to every community, to institute the highest ethical and professional standards and to improve service by expanding technology. As the daughter of immigrants, Clerk Spyropoulos strongly believes in supporting diverse and underserved populations navigating the justice system.

Clerk Spyropoulos grew up on Chicago’s South Side, attended Chicago Public School and took an early interest in public service. She earned a law degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago. She is a former Cook County assistant state’s attorney.

City Club video

Clerk Spyropoulos’ passion for reforming government led her to win the election in 2010 as a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, a $1.7-billion-dollar agency responsible for protecting our water environment through the collection and treatment of waste and stormwater throughout the region. She was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016 and 2022. She served as board president from 2015 to 2019.

While overseeing the district, Clerk Spyropoulos advanced cutting edge green technologies, transparency and fiscal responsibility. She was also a strong supporter of labor and veterans’ initiatives.

Clerk Spyropoulos maintained the district’s impressive AAA bond rating and introduced independent inspector general oversight while live-streaming board meetings to the public. Her work was recognized in 2017 with the Illinois Water Environment Association Public Official Award, in 2021 with the Public Service Award from the Water Environment Federation and in 2022 with the Alumni Public Service Award from the University of Illinois School of Law.

June 25, 2025

Ciere Boatright, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Planning & Development, in conversation with Dan Gibbons, CEO, City Club Chicago

City Club event description:

Ciere Boatright, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Planning & Development, in conversation with Dan Gibbons, CEO, City Club Chicago

Ciere Boatright was appointed commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) in November 2023 by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

An experienced real estate and economic development executive, Boatright is responsible for leading DPD’s economic development, planning and zoning functions while promoting inclusive, equitable growth across the city.

In her previous capacity as vice president of real estate and community development at Chicago-based real estate firm CRG, Boatright was responsible for overseeing some of the company’s highest-impact real estate projects, collaborating with government officials, engaging with community organizations and securing public and private financing. Boatright also launched the company’s philanthropic arm and a mentoring program to support commercial developers of color.

City Club video

Boatright was formerly the vice president of real estate and inclusion for Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, where she managed the planning and development of new projects on the South and West Side, including more than $450 million in new investment involving the 180-acre, mixed-use Pullman Park project.

Local business publications have named her among Notable Women in Commercial Real Estate, 40 under 40, Notable Black Leaders and Executives, and Notable Executives of Color in Construction and Commercial Real Estate.

Boatright holds a master’s degree of urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor’s in psychology from Hamilton College.

A Chicago native, Boatright resides on the South Side with her husband and two children.

This program is presented in partnership with World Business Chicago.

June 23, 2025

City Club event description:

Stacy Davis Gates took office as President of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) in July of 2022 and is a national leader in the labor movement and progressive political organizing efforts.

President Davis Gates taught high school social studies in Chicago Public Schools before joining the CTU staff, politicized and spurred to union activity by the 2008 closing of Englewood High School, her workplace on Chicago’s South Side. Late CTU President Karen Lewis recognized Davis Gates bold strategic vision and political savvy, tapping her to become the union’s Political and Legislative Director in 2011. In that position, she built coalitions and spearheaded legislative campaigns that established an elected school board for Chicago, the most substantial charter school accountability measures in the country, restoration of bargaining rights denied to Chicago educators for nearly three decades, and securing hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding for Chicago Public Schools. Her leadership greatly expanded the union’s political vision, building political organizations like United Working Families and raising millions to elect progressive community leaders from Chicago to city, county, and state governments and the U.S. Congress, culminating with the election of CTU organizer and middle school teacher Brandon Johnson as Mayor of Chicago in 2023.

City Club video

As CTU Vice President, Davis Gates helped lead a successful 15-day strike in the fall of 2019. That strike united CTU with SEIU Local 73 members at CPS and allowed the negotiation of a historic contract providing smaller class sizes, a nurse and social worker in every Chicago public school, sanctuary protections for immigrant families, and support students and families experiencing homelessness.

Davis Gates’ focus on community outreach and CTU’s outspokenness about racism, privatization, democracy, women’s rights and other causes under her leadership have gained a national audience and made her a regular target of right-wing media, conservative activists and corporate lobbyists. In addition to her leadership at CTU, President Davis Gates also serves as the Executive Vice President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers, Party Chair of United Working Families, and board member of the Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE). She lives on the South Side of Chicago with her husband and three children.

June 17, 2025

City Club event description:

Chicago area transit agencies face a $770 million fiscal cliff after lawmakers ended the spring session without a funding solution. With major service cuts on the table and structural reform proposals still in flux, the future of public transit hangs in the balance. Join leading voices for a candid discussion on what’s next for funding, governance, and the riders who depend on these systems every day.

Speakers

Donald P. DeWitte
Donald P. DeWitte is an Illinois State Senator for the 33rd Senate District. He has served in this role since his appointment in September 2018, and subsequent election in November 2018.

He currently serves as the Minority Spokesperson for the Senate Transportation and Senate Revenue Committees, and as a member of the Appropriations, Education, Environment & Conservation, Labor, and State Government Committees. He also serves on the bipartisan Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR).

Don served as an Alderman for the City of St. Charles from 1993 thru 2005.

In 2005 he was elected Mayor, re-elected in 2009, and stepped down in 2013. Prior to his appointment to the IL Senate, Don was appointed to serve as a Director on the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board in Chicago representing Kane County from 2013 thru August of 2018.

Jacky Grimshaw
Jacky joined CNT in 1992, and has since developed its capacity to engage in public policy advocacy and transportation planning, transportation research, environmental justice, public participation tool development, GIS mapping, community economic development and air quality. Jacky advocates for and provides expertise to increase transit in the Chicago region. She created and led CNT’s transportation and air quality programs and led CNT’s Transit Future campaign in the fight for mass transit reform and dedicated funding in the Chicago region. Since 2005, she has led CNT’s policy efforts at all levels of government.

Jacky has served on numerous boards, including: Chicago Transit Authority, National Academy of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board’s Environmental Justice and Public Involvement Committees. She has just completed terms on the Women’s Issues in Transportation Committee. 

Prior to CNT, Jacky spent time as a researcher in hematology and gastroenterology, in both state and federal government, in the Chicago Public School district and served in numerous other capacities, including political advisor for the late Mayor Harold Washington and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Jacky has completed the Master of Arts in Public Policy requirements at Governors State University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Marquette University in Milwaukee.

City Club video

State Rep. Kam Buckner
Kam Buckner serves as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Illinois House of Representatives and is a key budget negotiator for the Illinois House, helping shape the state’s $55 billion budget. A proud native of Chicago’s South Side, he is the son of a law enforcement officer and a Chicago Public Schools teacher.

Since 2019, Kam has had the honor of representing the 26th Legislative District, which spans some of Chicago’s most iconic neighborhoods, including South Shore, Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Downtown, River North, and the Gold Coast. Over the course of his tenure, he has taken on leadership roles as House Black Caucus Chair, Majority Whip, Assistant Majority Leader, and now Speaker Pro Tempore.

Kam serves on several key committees, including Judiciary and Revenue, and is the founding Chair of the Lakeshore Caucus, a bipartisan, bicameral group focused on protecting Lake Michigan and tackling critical environmental issues. He played a pivotal role in securing an elected representative school board for Chicago and was a chief negotiator on the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act—one of the most ambitious clean energy laws in U.S. history. Kam also made history as the first legislator in the Midwest to pass a law banning untraceable ghost guns.

Beyond the legislature, Kam has dedicated his career to public service and community impact. He previously led World Sport Chicago, serving more than 20,000 young people across the city, and worked in Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs front office. His experience spans government at multiple levels, having served on the staffs of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

A passionate advocate for education, Kam has taught Public Policy at the University of Chicago. He holds a B.A. from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from DePaul University. Today, he lives in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood with his wife and children, continuing to fight for a stronger, more equitable future.

David Greising
David Greising is the president and chief executive of the Better Government Association, joining the BGA in 2018. For 100 years, the BGA has fought for honest, equitable and effective government through investigative journalism and policy advocacy. Under Greising’s leadership,  the BGA won its first Pulitzer Prize, for local reporting, in 2022.

Greising’s career started at the City News Bureau of Chicago, with stops at the Chicago Sun-Times, Business Week magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Reuters, where he was Midwest bureau chief. He was a co-founder of the Chicago News Cooperative and worked briefly as a consultant to World Business Chicago. A former business columnist for the Tribune, Greising today writes on government issues in regular opinion columns for the paper.

Greising has fostered transformative change at the BGA. In 2022, the organization launched an innovative strategy including a major commitment to solutions-focused reporting, establishment of a statewide network of investigative and solutions reporters and the launch of two new websites: Illinois Answers Project and BGA Policy.

The BGA won its Pulitzer for reporting about City of Chicago negligence that led to 61 fire deaths over a five-year period. The BGA’s policy team in 2022 drafted a Chicago ethics reform program that was passed into law and is a leader of the pension reform effort in Illinois.

A graduate of DePauw University, Greising with his wife Cynthia Hedges Greising are parents to three adult children and residents of Evanston, Illinois.

June 16, 2025

City Club event description:

On September 29, 2021, Pedro Martinez, who has more than 30 years of experience in the private, nonprofit, and public education sectors, began serving as CEO of Chicago Public Schools.

Born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Mr. Martinez came to Chicago with his family at the age of 5 in search of a better life. The oldest of 12 children, his CPS journey began as a student on Chicago’s west side, and he credits the education he received in our district’s schools with changing the trajectory of his life.

A proud graduate of Benito Juarez in the Pilsen community, CEO Martinez was the first in his family to graduate from high school and college, and he chose to dedicate his life to education, eventually returning to the school system of his youth as CPS’ Chief Financial Officer from 2003 – 2009.

He is a nationally recognized superintendent with a track record of creating comprehensive, multi-year solutions that advance racial equity and economic mobility. He has spent more than two decades in systems leadership, including 12 years as a superintendent.

Under his leadership, CPS has seen dramatic gains in student achievement and staff morale. Students have achieved record-high graduation rates, scholarships earned, and college credits obtained in high school. CPS is also developing comprehensive, nationally recognized partnerships with philanthropic organizations, higher education institutions, trade unions, and businesses to create transformational opportunities and outcomes for students.

Prior to joining CPS, CEO Martinez served as the Superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), where he increased San Antonio ISD’s district grade from an “F” to a “B,” receiving statewide recognition from the Governor and Commissioner of Education as the fastest improving large district in Texas in 2018, 2019, and 2021.

Before joining SAISD, Mr. Martinez served as Superintendent in Residence for the Nevada Department of Education, where he was responsible for advising the Governor’s office and the State Superintendent of Instruction on education policy decisions. And, before that, he served as Superintendent for the Washoe County School District in Reno, Nevada.

As a data-driven leader with in-depth knowledge of academic reform strategies, he firmly believes that with the right supports, students can and will rise to any challenge, and that by setting the bar high, many more young people will demonstrate the aptitude and aspiration to perform at higher levels and be well-prepared for success in college, career, and civic life. CEO Martinez earned his M.B.A. from DePaul University in Chicago and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois. He has also obtained his Illinois Superintendent Endorsement and Texas Superintendent Certificate.

City Club video

Speaker
Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martinez is CEO of Chicago Public Schools. With more than 30 years of experience in the private, nonprofit, and public education sectors, Pedro Martinez is a data-driven, results-oriented leader with a strong record of improving student outcomes in school districts around the country.

Mr. Martinez began his tenure as CEO of Chicago Public Schools in late 2021 — his third position leading a major urban school district, and his second time in a leadership role at CPS. As a nationally recognized leader with in-depth knowledge of academic reform strategies, CEO Martinez has achieved success by focusing on academic excellence, talent recruitment, culture shift, stakeholder engagement, and strong fiscal management. Read more about CEO Martinez’s vision for the district in CPS’ Three-Year Blueprint, which details the steps CPS is taking to help students recover from the pandemic and reimagine a better, more equitable District for Chicago’s children.

Born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Mr. Martinez came to Chicago with his family at the age of five in search of a better life. His CPS journey began as a student on Chicago’s west side, and he credits the education he received in the District’s schools with changing the trajectory of his life and inspiring him to dedicate his career to education.

Mr. Martinez earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois. And his M.B.A. from DePaul University. He is also a graduate of the Broad Superintendent Academy and completed a Superintendent Certification Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He holds both a Texas Superintendent Certificate and a Professional Education License in Illinois with a Superintendent Endorsement.

June 11, 2025

City Club event description:

Hear how four community leaders plan to use the $10 million Chicago Prize to advance economic opportunity in their neighborhoods: Bronzeville, North Lawndale, Back of the Yards, Chicago Lawn, Roseland and Pullman.

The Cottage Grove Corridor Collective aims to bring commercial activity to the growing Bronzeville neighborhood. Reclaiming Chicago wants to build 2,000 homes across four neighborhoods. In North Lawndale, they are focusing on increasing social and entrepreneurship opportunities that will encourage residents and visitors to spend money in the community. Renaissance 95 is building on a comprehensive community  plan that includes a thin-tech manufacturing facility, affordable homes, a health center, and a hotel.

The Chicago Prize was founded on the belief that community leaders on Chicago’s South and West sides are best positioned to envision and build positive change in their communities. Each of the projects is eligible for the full $10 million Chicago Prize  award or a $650,000 matching fund grant to advance their development.

City Club video

Featuring:
Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor
Ayesha Jaco, Executive Director, West Side United
Kareeshma Ali, Director of Community Investment, Pritzker Traubert Foundation

The Four Chicago Prize Finalists:

May 19, 2025

Commissioner Lissette Castañeda, Chicago Department of Housing

City Club event description:

Lissette Castañeda comes to the role of DOH commissioner with two decades of experience in affordable housing development, housing services, and organizational leadership. Castañeda is tasked with streamlining the affordable housing development process as per Mayor Brandon Johnson’s recent executive order and expanding homeownership to Chicagoans in historically disinvested communities.

Castañeda has served as the Executive Director for LUCHA, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-approved housing counseling agency as well as a Community Housing Development Organization since 2019, overseeing its affordable real estate portfolio and leading implementation of its strategic plan.

City Club video

Prior to serving at LUCHA, Castañeda served as the Interim Executive Director and the Director of Community Engagement for the Center for Changing Lives, where she worked to expand economic opportunities and revitalize neighborhoods across Chicago.

Castañeda has served on a number of boards including Palenque LSNA, Chicago Housing Trust, Illinois Housing Council and the Chicago Rehab Network.

For Castañeda, stable, affordable housing is a cornerstone of community safety, economic development and mental health. She is honored to serve in this role where she can spearhead new housing developments while ensuring Chicagoans have the services they need to stay in their homes for the long term.

May 12, 2025

City Club event description:

Congresswoman Robin Kelly has dedicated her career to public service as an advocate for Illinois families. Since being elected to serve the 2nd Congressional District in 2013, she has worked to expand economic opportunity, community wellness, and public safety across the state, championing numerous initiatives to generate job growth, reduce health disparities, and end gun violence.

Congresswoman Kelly is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee (the main policy-writing body of the House) and serves on the Health, Communications and Technology, and Innovation, Data, and Commerce subcommittees. Her Energy and Commerce work is focused on expanding access to healthcare, consumer protection for American families, and economic development.

She is also a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus.

A staunch champion of common sense gun reforms and responsible community policing, Representative Kelly is a Co-Chair of the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce and is the author of The 2014 Kelly Report on Gun Violence in America, the first-ever Congressional analysis of the nation’s gun violence epidemic that offers a blueprint for ending the crisis.

City Club video

Committed to improving the health and wellness of vulnerable communities across the country, the Congresswoman serves as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, and Co-Chairs the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls. She also Co-Chairs the House Democratic Policy Group and House Tech Accountability Caucus.

Prior to her election to Congress, Kelly was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, served as Chief Administrative Officer of Cook County (the second largest county in the United States) and was Chief of Staff to Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias – becoming the first African American woman to serve as Chief of Staff to an elected constitutional statewide officeholder.

The daughter of a small business owner and postal worker, Congresswoman Kelly moved to Illinois to attend Bradley University in Peoria, where she earned her B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in counseling. She later received a Ph.D. in political science from Northern Illinois University. She is also an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho, a historically Black sorority. She lives in the south suburbs of Chicago and has two adult children.