Board of Directors
Anne C. Hallett serves as director of Grow Your Own Illinois, an innovative partnership that supports non-traditional candidates to become highly qualified teachers. She founded and served eleven years as Executive Director of the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, a network of school reform leaders in large cities. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Youth Core and the Center for Neighborhood Technology.
She co-wrote the successful Chicago Annenberg Challenge proposal which provided $49.2 million to Chicago’s school reform efforts. As Executive Director of the Wieboldt Foundation in Chicago for seven years, she co-chaired the Neighborhood Funders Group and chaired Chicago Women in Philanthropy. She served as the founding Executive Director of the Chicago Panel on School Policy and chaired the Governing Board of the National Committee for Citizens in Education. She was Executive Director of Citizens Education Center in Seattle, Washington.
Connie Duckworth founded ARZU, Inc. in 2004 and serves pro bono as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. She is a retired Partner and Managing Director of Goldman, Sachs, & Co., where she was named the first woman sales and trading partner in the firm’s history during her 20 year career. She is a Trustee of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company; a Director of Russell Investment Group and Steelcase, Inc; serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Heritage Fund; and serves on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Youth Core and the Board of Overseers of the Wharton School. She is author of The Old Girls Network: Insider Advice for Women Building Businesses in a Man’s World. She holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from the University of Texas.
Favorite Quote:
"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. Once must work at it." - Eleanor Roosevelt.
Dr. Howard Morgan has been involved in a number of prominent cultural and religious organizations including serving as Board Chair of Chicago Theological Seminary, The Lincoln Park Zoo and The Executive Service Corps of Chicago. He has also served on the boards of The Lyric Opera, The American Bible Society, St Ignatius College Preparatory School and The Court Theatre. A graduate of Lafayette College, Dr. Morgan spent his entire business career at Citibank, including being the Senior Corporate Officer for the Midwest. He lives with his wife, Brooks, in Chicago. They are members of Fourth Presbyterian Church. He has, by previous marriages, seven children and eleven grandchildren.
Gail L. Rosseau, M.D., is Director of Cranial Base Surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Northshore University Health System. Dr. Rosseau is the recipient of many honors and awards, including Chicago Woman Mentor of the Year and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/American College of Surgeons Health Policy Fellowship. She has been listed in Best Doctors in America and the Consumer Research Council’s Guide to Top Surgeons. She has served on the FDA Advisory Council for Neurological Devices.
Dr. Rosseau is frequently quoted in news articles relating to neurological sciences and health. She has appeared recently on the public broadcasting network medical program, Second Opinion and 60 Minutes II. She has appeared on national and local network television and radio programs, as well as print media. Dr. Rosseau has been an IFYC board member since 2009.
“It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
Jeff Levy is an experienced entrepreneur and investor who has founded, built and managed four successful technology-based start-ups over the past 15 years. Jeff is currently CEO of Activate3D, a new company based on technology developed at Georgia Tech that is developing software for the coming generation of motion input computer technologies in industries ranging from gaming to education, and from security to healthcare. Jeff has served in leadership positions on a number of community and civic boards, including the Emory University Board of Visitors, the Atlanta International School, The Temple and the American Jewish Committee. He currently serves on the boards of the Interfaith Youth Core, the Alliance Theatre and the Georgia Tech College of Computing. Jeff is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization. Jeff received his Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Harvard College and his Juris Doctorate cum laude from Harvard Law School.
Favorite Quote:
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- Nelson Mandela
Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite is a Professor of Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and its former president between 1998 and 2008. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ since 1974, she is the author and/or editor of seven books, and has worked on two translations of the bible. Thistlethwaite is currently working in a new area she calls “Public Theology” and her new book, Dreaming of Eden: American Religion and Politics in a Wired World (Macmillan, October, 2010) explains how the age of the Internet is affecting how we actually think about religion and politics.
Thistlethwaite currently serves on the boards of Faith in Public Life, The Center for American Progress, and Interfaith Youth Core. She has a Ph.D. from Duke University, a Masters of Divinity (Summa Cum Laude) from Duke Divinity School and a B.A. from Smith College.
Favorite Quote:
"God has told you what is good; and what does God require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbling with your God." Micah 6:8
Richard P. Kiphart, head of William Blair & Company's Private Client Advisors, and a member of the firm's executive committee, joined the firm in 1969. Kiphart became part of Corporate Finance in 1980 and was head of the business from 1995-2009. Prior to 1980, Kiphart was head of equity trading for eight years after his initial role in institutional sales. A junior officer in the U.S. Navy, Kiphart received his B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1963 and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1965. Kiphart is chairman of Ranir and Lime Energy. He is also president of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and chairman of Erikson Institute, and serves on the boards of Children's Memorial Hospital and Columbia College.
Robert Gertner is Joel F. Gemunder Professor of Strategy and Finance at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Professor Gertner earned a Ph.D. in economics from M.I.T. and an A.B., summa cum laude in economics from Princeton University.
Gertner’s research focuses on issues in strategic decision-making, corporate finance, organization structure, theory of the firm, and social enterprises. He has published papers in numerous scholarly journals and is co-author of Game Theory and the Law. He teaches courses in strategic decision-making, entrepreneurial strategy, and social entrepreneurship.
Gertner is also a Principal at Navigant Economics where he consults on antitrust, other litigation and regulatory matters, and strategic management issues. He is a member of the Evaluation Advisory Council of the Chicago Public Education Fund.
Favorite Quote:
“For great and lasting decisions in human affairs can only be made by those exposed to human value judgments. Consistently wise decisions can only be made by those whose wisdom is constantly challenged….In the long run, there can be no wisdom without dissent, no progress without diversity, no greatness without responsibility.” - Theodore Sorensen
Ron Kinnamon serves on the Executive Committee of the IFYC Board and is a past Chairman. Ron retired as the Assistant National Executive Director of the YMCA of the USA. Ron serves on several other not-for-profits: The Josephson Institute of Ethics, the Character Counts Coalition, UCAN, and St. Pauls United Church of Christ. When Ron retired from the YMCA, he volunteered as Vice President of America’s Promise, serving with Colin Powell for the first four years of that organization’s existence. Colin Powell served with this new youth organization and Ron worked with Colin Powell for the first four years of America’s Promise. Ron appears in the Millennium edition of Who’s Who in America.
Favorite Quote:
“To Dream the Impossible Dream.”
S.A. Ibrahim is the CEO of the Radian Group, a credit risk analysis, reinsurance, and structured finance firm. Ibrahim holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BE in Engineering from Osmania University in India. He was one of several Muslim business leaders asked for input regarding the President’s Cairo trip, along with Tariq Malhance, the president of UIB Capital, Hultam Olayan of the Olayan America Corporation and Noosheen Hashemi, a former vice president at Oracle.
Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur is an author and activist (faith-based initiatives and gender equality in Islam). She works with Malaria No More, a leading non-profit formed to advance the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to end malaria-related deaths by 2015. She also consults on a variety of interfaith projects and volunteerism efforts. Saleemah has been a guest on CNN and National Public Radio, and her work has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, and The New York Times.
(On Leave) Sonny Garg is President of Exelon Power at Exelon Corporation and among his responsibilities are overseeing fossil, hydro, solar and wind generation operations, outage and work management. During his 8 years at Exelon, Sonny has also served as senior vice president, Human Resources and vice president of Finance for Exelon’s Business Services Company. He also has considerable public and non-profit sector experience, having served as an Assistant to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, a White House Fellow under President Bill Clinton and a research associate at The Chapin Hall Center for Children. Sonny graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Political Science, earned a M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
Favorite Quote:
“Take your work, not yourself, seriously.”
Prior to joining Grady Pilgrim Christakis Bell LLP, Stephen Bell was a founding partner of Goldberg Kohn Bell Black Rosenbloom & Moritz, Ltd., where he chaired the Real Estate Group from 1996 to 2007 and served on the Management Committee. During Mr. Bell's 35-year legal career, he has represented clients in a wide variety of businesses, including insurance companies, pension funds, commercial banks, and entrepreneurs. Mr. Bell has lectured for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education and Law Seminar International real estate programs and lectured on real estate transactions at the University of Chicago. He has been selected by his peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA. Mr. Bell received his A.B. with honors from Wheaton College and his J.D. cum laude from Harvard University. He has been an IFYC board member since 2006.
Susie Kiphart has been interested in the Community of Faiths her entire life. As Director of Children's Ministries at Kenilworth Union Church, she tried to write curriculum materials and teach the children that we are all children of God and that while we engage in our own religious practices and stories we must see how big God is and how inclusive his love. She has retired from that position but still hold interest for that ideal. She grew up in Indiana, taught school and has a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from the Erikson Institute in Chicago. She and her husband Dick have three grown daughters and five grandchildren. She currently works on clean water in rural Ghana and making sure she has enough craft materials for her grandkids!
Favorite Quote:
"By Grace! We are fine."
-Her Ghanaian friend Peter Eduful, each time she asks him how he is
Tarek Elmasry is a Director in the Chicago office at McKinsey and Company. Currently, he leads the Telecom Practice for the Americas and co-leads the North American Tech, Media and Telecom practice. Prior to joining McKinsey, Mr. Elmasry started and ran an advertising sales company. Mr. Elmasry holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in economics from the University of Chicago and a M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Marketing and Finance. He is also very active in the community as a member of the Executive Club. Mr. Elmasry has been an IFYC board member since 2007.
Favorite Quote:
"Change your thoughts and change your world."
Tom Levinson is an attorney at Reed Smith LLP who works on complex commercial litigation, regulatory and white collar criminal defense matters. He was selected as an Illinois Rising Star in Business Litigation for 2010 and 2011. He commits a portion of his practice to providing legal representation pro bono.
Tom also writes regularly about religion in America and is the author of All That's Holy: A Young Guy, an Old Car, and the Search for God in America (2003). He is a frequent lecturer about religion and American life, having given talks at universities, seminaries, and high schools, as well as before religious congregations and denominational conferences. Tom was a 2009 Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, and is part of the Chicago Council of Global Affairs' 2009-2011 Emerging Leaders program.
Tom received his A.B. from Princeton University with honors, his M.T.S from Harvard Divinity School and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Favorite Quote:
"Throw strikes." - Satchel Paige
William G. Enright, Ph.D., is Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and former Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis. He is a graduate of Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and McCormick Theological Seminary. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and holds two D.D. (honorary) degrees from Hanover College and Dubuque Theological Seminary. Dr. Enright is a director of Lilly Endowment, Inc. as well as a trustee of Hanover College. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis and is a past President of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. In 2009, Dr. Enright was delighted to join the Board of Directors of IFYC.
Favorite Quote:
“Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a foreign language…the point is to live everything. Live the questions now..then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.” - Rainer Maria Rilke, 1903, In Letters to a Young Poet
Winston Ibrahim is the Co-Founder, Lead Investor, and Executive Vice President of Business Development for Hydros Bottle LLC. In addition he serves as Executive Director of Operation Hydros, the company’s effort to address the Global Water Crisis by financing the construction of clean water infrastructure in the developing world. He is also Co-founder of the Ibrahim Leadership and Dialogue Project in the Middle East, a pioneering effort in partnership with the Institute of International Education to develop a generation of U.S. leaders sensitive to inter-cultural understanding. He has worked on Capitol Hill with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and as an investment banking analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia. Winston received his B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University in 2009. While a student at Hopkins he served on the Executive Board of the Jewish fraternity AEPI. He currently serves on the Boards of Interfaith Youth Core and the leading social entrepreneurship company, ThinkImpact, as well as the Advisory Board of I On Poverty.
Favorite Quote:
"After a victory, tie the cords of your helmet.”
-Tokugawa Ieyasu