Northwestern Intersections

Since 1932, the Northwestern Alumni Medal has celebrated alumni who have had a transformative impact on their fields, who have performed exemplary volunteer service to society, or who have demonstrated an outstanding record of service and support to the University. In this special episode of Northwestern Intersections, we will hear insights from this year's recipients of the Northwestern Alumni Association's highest honor: Judy Belk '75, Andrew C. Chan '80, '80 MS, Christopher B. Combe '70 ('99, '09 P), and Gordon Segal '60 ('93 P).

In episode 106c we will hear from Christopher B. Combe, former chairman and CEO of Combe Incorporated—a private, family-held company that manufactures and markets health and personal care products globally and is known for such brands as Just for Men, Vagisil and Seabond.

If you missed the President's Alumni Panel, we've included a link to the recording here in the show notes. President Morton Schapiro leads a discussion with the Alumni Medalists about how the University shaped their lives and careers.

To our alumni listeners, if you know an alum whose life, work, and service truly exemplify the ideals of Northwestern University and deserve recognition for their accomplishments please visit alumni.northwestern.edu/medal to access the form to nominate them or go directly to the nomination form.

Since 1932, the Northwestern Alumni Medal has celebrated alumni who have had a transformative impact on their fields, who have performed exemplary volunteer service to society, or who have demonstrated an outstanding record of service and support to the University. In this special episode of Northwestern Intersections, we will hear insights from this year's recipients of the Northwestern Alumni Association's highest honor: Judy Belk '75, Andrew C. Chan '80, '80 MS, Christopher B. Combe '70 ('99, '09 P), and Gordon Segal '60 ('93 P).

In episode 106d we will hear from Gordon Segal, co-founder of Crate & Barrel, and design visionary and retail industry pioneer, who also helped transform the appearance of the University's Evanston and Chicago campuses in his role on the Board of Trustees.

If you missed the President's Alumni Panel, we've included a link to the recording here in the show notes. President Morton Schapiro leads a discussion with the Alumni Medalists about how the University shaped their lives and careers.

To our alumni listeners, if you know an alum whose life, work, and service truly exemplify the ideals of Northwestern University and deserve recognition for their accomplishments please visit alumni.northwestern.edu/medal to access the form to nominate them or go directly to the nomination form.

After nearly eight years at Northwestern as both a student and staff member, please join us in wishing Helen Kim '16 the best of luck as she starts a new role as a customer onboarding manager for a customer engagement software company in Chicago. In this bittersweet finale to Helen's time with Northwestern Intersections, Helen reflects on the lessons she learned at Northwestern, talks about her most memorable episode of this podcast, and shares her advice for the Northwestern Network.

Kangmin Justin Kim '11 is one of the most sought-after countertenors of his generation in the opera world. He has earned accolades in roles of the Baroque repertoire, contemporary music and in Mozart's trouser parts at the most prestigious opera theatres and festivals in Europe. Justin's accomplished career is built upon years of study and perfecting his technique; however the people is his life have been just as important to his success. In this episode Justin stresses the importance of finding your network, trusting your gut even when it's not easy, and being ready to jump in when luck happens to find you.

What does one do when they have a variety of interests and passions, but aren't sure of a career path? According to Lio Mehiel '15, it's important to remember that you're building yourself and not just a career. Lio is an actor, filmmaker, conceptual artist and activist. They are a co-founder of Voyeur Productions with fellow Northwestern alumni Dulcinee DeGuere '15 and Russell Kahn '16. In May, Lio led a program for the NAA called Moving Beyond Allyship in the Fight Against White Supremacy. Join us as Lio shares about their experiences in the arts industry, how those experiences helped them embraced their gender identity as a gender-queer, transmasculine person, and how activism is at the forefront of everything they do.

Donna Wang Su '14 MA is human embodiment of the old adage "Actions speak louder than words." The associate director at the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation with two decades of experience in finance, strategic planning and higher education administration, Donna has spent nearly 15 years at Northwestern. She has worked in a variety of schools and units improving systems, creating new connections for others, and making every role her own. In this episode, Donna walks us through her non-linear career path, how her identity and experiences as an Asian-American woman plays a significant role in her approaches to work, and her latest adventure: campaigning and being elected to Evanston's District 65 school board.

Lori Hall and Jessica Lane were tired of not seeing enough strong multicultural marketing agencies that genuinely captured the cultural nuances for the right audiences. They came across way too many tone-deaf campaigns that failed miserably. That's when they decided it was time for them to start an agency of their own. Pop'N Creative is a successful Black-owned, women-led multicultural marketing agency, born out of a deep desire to see brands win in marketing to a multicultural world. These two changemakers share how they started a growing business at the beginning of the pandemic, some of the most common mistakes marketers make, and how one can find their voice as an activist to dismantle racism within various industries.

In celebration of Women's History Month, Northwestern Intersections is featuring 4 female Northwestern trailblazers to honor those who have shaped and inspired the future of our community.

Patti Solis Doyle's career began when she joined Richard Daley's campaign for the Mayor of Chicago that led to a stable job at the Chicago City Hall. Then, in 1991, she took a big leap of faith to quit her job at the City Hall to join a presidential campaign for then Arkansas governor, Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. She served as a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton throughout that campaign and two terms in the White House, becoming the first Latina to manage a presidential campaign. Her career as a campaign advisor did not end there. She went on to serve as the chief of staff for then Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden and served as an advisor to the Obama-Biden campaign during the 2012 presidential election. As a proud daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico, Patti shares her personal story growing up on Chicago's south side at many speaking events, particularly for women of color in politics. Patti also serves as the Director at Large for the NAA Board as of 2020.

To celebrate Women's History Month, Northwestern Intersections is featuring four female Northwestern trailblazers to honor those who have shaped and inspired the future of our community.

In 2011, Elise Wetzel and her husband Rick Wetzel, a co-founder of Wetzel's Pretzel's, were in line at Chipotle during rush hour to grab a quick lunch when they were actually hoping to grab pizza instead. That's when a light bulb went off in her head with the idea that a pizza restaurant with an assembly line could work. She grabbed a napkin and sketched out her ideas with Rick, which led to the beginning of one of the fastest-growing franchise pizza restaurants in the world, Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza. Elise sheds light on her experience as a successful entrepreneur and brand marketer, having learned her skills in consumer behavior during her time at Northwestern. She shares the importance of establishing team inclusivity, adaptability, and brand awareness.

In light of celebrating Women's History Month, Northwestern Intersections is featuring 4 female Northwestern trailblazers to honor those who have shaped and inspired the future of our community.

What were you doing when you were seventeen? Nick Shah '08 MS, the founder and president of Peterson Technology Partners, Chicago's premier IT recruiting agency, immigrated to Chicago from India and started his entrepreneurial journey managing operations for a local Chicago newspaper, India Tribune. After deciding to not go to college, Nick started his first company—a company that earned a million dollars of revenue in the first few years.

Nick shares his untraditional career and educational paths, his advice on getting started in business, and strategies for honoring what aligns with your values.