Class of local nonprofit and government fellows embarks on interdisciplinary leadership development program in service of effective governance.
January 13, 2025

CHICAGO, IL — The University of Chicago Center for Effective Government (CEG) at the Harris School of Public Policy today announced its 2025 class of Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) fellows—some of the area’s most promising government and nonprofit leaders—who make up the eleventh cohort of the Center’s prestigious interdisciplinary leadership development program.

The 2025 cohort includes fellows from nonprofit organizations, City of Chicago government, and Cook County government. They join a program that fuels an exchange of ideas across Chicago and Cook County that improves practices and civic outcomes while spurring greater collaboration and innovation across our institutions.

William Howell, CLA Director

“When we select each Civic Leadership Academy cohort, we assemble a group of committed, knowledgeable practitioners who can learn from each other and collaborate to facilitate change in Chicago’s civic sector,” said William Howell, Director of CLA and the founding Director of CEG. “As the legitimacy of our institutions is called into question, it’s more important than ever for government to be responsive to the challenges facing its constituents. CLA advances more effective governance by elevating cross-sector discussion and empowering a community of civic leaders to enact reform.”

“Through the Civic Leadership Academy, I am excited to develop new strategies to tackle systemic challenges. I look forward to collaborating with leaders across sectors, gaining fresh perspectives, and enhancing my approach to partnership and problem-solving,” said Kathy Cullick, CLA 2025 cohort member and Director of North Lawndale Collaborative at Chicago CRED. “My goal is to use this experience to drive meaningful change, foster strong community connections, and implement sustainable solutions that address the root causes of violence. Ultimately, I aspire to contribute to lasting transformation that promotes safety, equity, and opportunity throughout Chicago.”

The new cohort joins a network of more than 300 CLA alumni integral to the civic infrastructure of Chicago. CLA fellows and alumni hold positions as change-makers across Chicago and Cook County, advancing reform and spurring progress on a number of critical policy issues.

Luis Zepeda, incoming CLA fellow and First Deputy Commissioner at the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation said: “I hope to implement the insights and skills gained from the program, and be able to foster a more inclusive, dynamic, and effective work environment within my current department and across the city. CLA will give me the opportunity to reflect and refine my strategic decision-making abilities and provide me with the tools needed to approach complex challenges I encounter daily in my current role.”

Sadia Sindhu, executive director, Center for Effective Government

Last week, fellows began a rigorous six-month program that teaches essential leadership skills and provides the time and space to focus on a specific leadership skill that will directly benefit their work. In addition to attending classes and discussions with world-class University of Chicago faculty, fellows participate in a monthly Civic Practitioner Leadership Series, closed-door discussions with key Chicago leaders and CLA alumni; and a week-long Global Practicum in Paris, where fellows engage with and learn from their counterparts in an international setting. A collaborative final project leverages fellows’ cohort experience and the broader CLA network to envision meaningful opportunities for reform in Chicago. Upon completion of the program, they will receive a certificate in civic leadership from the Harris School of Public Policy.

“The 2025 cohort of the Civic Leadership Academy is a diverse coalition of leaders that truly reflects Chicago,” said Sadia Sindhu, executive director of CEG. “The wide range of professional and lived experiences in this cohort allows fellows to have informed, rigorous, and productive conversations about how to create lasting institutional change in Chicago and Cook County.”

The 2025 Civic Leadership Academy fellows are:

  • Nida Abbasi, Program Officer, Criminal Justice, MacArthur Foundation
  • M. Tauseef Akbar, Associate Director of Spiritual Life & Coordinator of Muslim Life, University of Chicago
  • Kenneth G. Balcarcel, Director of Compliance, Adult Education, City Colleges of Chicago
  • Lisa M. Bly-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Jobs Council
  • Jeremi Bryant, Project Manager, Water Programs, Elevate
  • Christopher Chavez (AB’12, AM’13), Director of Planning & Data Analytics, Department of Strategy & Insights, Chicago Housing Authority
  • Kathy Cullick, Director, North Lawndale Collaborative, Chicago CRED
  • Deanna Durica, Director of Public Health Policy, Cook County Department of Public Health
  • Sylvia Dziemian, Director of Public Health Operations, City of Chicago Department of Public Health
  • James M. Harris, Assistant Commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection
  • Noureen Hashim-Jiwani, First Deputy of Policy, City of Chicago Office of the Mayor
  • Zulmarie Hatch (AM’16), Director of College Access & Persistence, The Academy Group
  • Laura Hool, Chief of Staff, Carole Robertson Center for Learning
  • Bweza Itaagi, Englewood Nature Trail Steward, Grow Greater Englewood
  • Audrey Jonas, Deputy Director of Communication, Cook County Bureau of Asset Management
  • Devon LaRosa, Chief of Schools - Network 16, Chicago Public Schools
  • Rory McHale, Director of Legislative & External Affairs, Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
  • Robin Murphy, General Counsel, Civilian Office of Police Accountability
  • Kanako Ishida Musselwhite (AM’12), Budget Director, Cook County Department of Budget and Management Services
  • Philip Nadasdy, Chief Strategy Officer, Chicago Architecture Center
  • Lycrecia L. Parks, Chief Risk Officer and Vice President of Portfolio Management, Chicago Community Loan Fund
  • Eleanor Perrone Toriski, Chief Operating Officer, Civic Consulting Alliance
  • Tawaga Roberts, Administrative Sergeant, Youth Investigation Division, Chicago Police Department
  • Robert Rodemeyer, Deputy Supervisor, Child Protection Division, Cook County State's Attorney's Office
  • Matt Stern, Assistant Commissioner, Implementation & Evaluation, City of Chicago Department of Housing
  • Ali S. Tarokh, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Trellus
  • Alexa Van Brunt, Director, Illinois Office, MacArthur Justice Center
  • Ariel Van Cleave, Managing Editor, Audio News, WBEZ
  • Luis Zepeda, First Deputy Commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation

The 2025 cohort of CLA fellows was introduced at a ceremony with remarks from CEG Director William Howell; Ethan Bueno de Mesquita (AB’96), Dean and Sydney Stein Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy; Mayor Brandon Johnson; and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (AB'69, MAT'77). Cindy Chan Roubik (CLA'22), Deputy Commissioner City of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, delivered an alumni address on behalf of the broader CLA community. The ceremony was held January 9th, at 5pm at the Chicago Cultural Center.

"I am proud to welcome the newest cohort of Civic Leadership Academy Fellows and celebrate the leaders who are working to improve our civic organizations and local government so that, together, we can best serve our city," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "The leadership these fellows bring to their organizations and communities is vital to addressing our city's challenges and emerging stronger. I commend the Harris School of Public Policy and Center for Effective Government for continuing to develop new leaders who are shaping a more equitable, bright future for all."

“The Civic Leadership Academy empowers our local civic leaders with the tools and knowledge to drive meaningful change in their communities. By fostering collaboration, innovative thinking and a spirit of service, CLA equips our public servants with the skills needed to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “This program exemplifies how leadership can come from every corner of our County — not just elected offices or institutions. Congratulations to this year’s cohort on joining a legacy of impactful leadership.”

Ethan Bueno de Mesquita, dean, Harris School of Public Policy

“The Harris School is exceptionally proud of the Civic Leadership Academy, which brings together some of the top government and non-profit professionals from around the city of Chicago and Cook County to develop rigorous skills and strategies for addressing our community's most pressing challenges,” said Ethan Bueno de Mesquita (AB’96), dean and Sydney Stein Professor at Harris. “This new cohort will build on the CLA’s ten-year legacy of policy engagement, bolster its 300-strong network of leaders, and work to ensure a brighter future for us all.”

The Civic Leadership Academy is made possible through generous support from the Harris School of Public Policy, Harris Family Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Walder Foundation and Waraich Family Fund, and has presented named fellowships to the following individuals: The 2025 Walder Foundation Fellows are Kenneth G. Balcarcel of the City Colleges of Chicago and Ali S. Tarokh of Trellus, and the 2025 WF Fund Fellow is M. Tauseef Akbar of the University of Chicago. Additionally, Laura Hool of the Carole Robertson Center for Learning is the recipient of the Jessica Bryar Scholarship, named in honor of CLA 2017 alumna Jessica Bryar, who passed away in 2019.

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About the Civic Leadership Academy

Launched in 2014 by the University of Chicago Office for Civic Engagement and Harris School of Public Policy, the Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) is an annual interdisciplinary leadership development program for emerging and high-potential leaders in non-profit organizations and local government agencies across Chicago and Cook County. CLA fellows engage in six months of programming and instruction with renowned faculty from across the University’s professional schools, including the Booth School of Business, the Graham School of Continuing and Professional Studies, UChicago Law School, and the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. CLA is designed to challenge fellows to analyze organizational best practices, community impact, and institutional reform in the city of Chicago and beyond while developing a diverse pipeline of talented leaders to help Chicago nonprofits and government agencies—institutions and organizations critical to the city’s civic infrastructure—thrive. Since 2019, CLA has been administered by the Center for Effective Government.

About the Center for Effective Government

The University of Chicago Center for Effective Government (CEG) is a nonpartisan academic initiative that aims to strengthen democratic institutions and improve the capacity of government to solve public problems. Founded in 2019 at the Harris School of Public Policy, CEG works to solve the problems of government ineffectiveness with a multi-faceted theory of action. The Center builds bridges between its stakeholders—scholars, students, practitioners, leaders, journalists, and advocates—and organizes its work and activities around the key areas of ideas, education, and engagement.

About the Harris School of Public Policy

For more than three decades, the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy has been steadfastly committed to advancing policy based on evidence, not ideology. Guided by this exacting perspective, our exceptional community of scholars, students, and more than 4,000 alumni take on the world’s most important problems using the latest tools of social science. As the second-largest professional school at the University of Chicago, Harris Public Policy offers a full range of degree and executive education programs to empower a new generation of data-driven leaders to create a real social impact throughout our global society. This is Harris Public Policy: Social Impact, Down to a Science.