OUR TEAM

Cheryl is a director of three corporate boards: Aon plc, Morningstar, and HNI Corporation. She is a Cornell University Emeritus Trustee and Presidential Councillor, and a board member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. Cheryl was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of R.R. Donnelley and Sons Co. from 1995-2000.  She is a frequent lecturer and panelist in university and business settings on subjects ranging from corporate governance, strategy and leadership and the advancement of women.

Sheila is a trusted advisor to senior executives in association with Boston Consulting Group and ExCo Leadership. She has served as a director on five corporate boards across a wide range of industries, including as Chairman at JLL and Chair of Sustainability at McDonald's. In her executive career, Sheila was the first woman on Northern Trust's Management Committee and President of the Corporate Bank. She is a founding member of the 30% Club, advancing women on corporate boards, and advised the World Economic Forum on its Education, Gender and Work initiative. Sheila has also served on the Advisory Boards of Stanford Business School, the London School of Economics, and Catalyst. A frequent speaker of leadership and corporate governance, Sheila is the recipient of numerous business awards.

Deb is responsible for overseeing the operations and management of Corporate Leadership Center and its two programs, CEO Perspectives and Leading Women Executives. Most recently, Deb was Vice Chairman and National Managing Partner, Center for Board Effectiveness, at Deloitte, where she was responsible for boardroom programs and thought leadership that support corporate boards and directors in fulfilling their governance-related responsibilities. Deb is a director of CF Industries and Dover, as well as a noted community leader, serving as a member of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago; trustee at Northwestern University and University of Denver; and chair of the Civic Consulting Alliance.

Kathleen is responsible for the Leading Women Executives’ strategic direction, curriculum, design and delivery of programs, events and digital assets, as well as marketing and growth. Prior to joining Leading Women Executives, she was CFO for two venture-backed technology companies, served as principal in two Chicago-based private equity groups and practiced corporate law. Kathleen served as Chairman of KCoe Isom and has served on the boards of Agworld (sold to Semios) and NITROcrete.

In addition to serving as the Executive Director of CEO Perspectives, Michelle is the Founder & Principal of MMW Advisors, a strategic advisory firm that she established in 2020. Michelle previously worked at USG as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, where she was a member of the executive committee. Prior to that, she served at Motorola Solutions, Inc., for 18 years, culminating in her role as Corporate Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Secretary. Michelle serves on the Board of Directors for MKS Instruments, Inc., and is a member of the President’s Council for the Museum of Science and Industry - Chicago and a Board of Advisors member at Denison University.

Daniel is an Academic Advisor to the CEO Perspectives program, having served as the first Academic Director in 2005.  He is the 9th Chancellor of Vanderbilt University. Previously, he served as Provost of the University of Chicago. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Canadian Institute of Advanced Research (CIFAR). Prior to joining the University of Chicago, Daniel taught at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of CityBase, an urban technology company.