@Diana Thank you! Your ongoing support means the world!!! We appreciate you!

Hello everyone! Please feel free to add comments or ask questions anytime! We welcome an interactive discussion!

Be sure to select “All attendees” in the drop down menu so everyone can see your comments in the chat!

I’m so excited to see many of my favorite people leading this discussion. We’re in for a treat!

If you are looking to network and make new connections, also feel free to share your LinkedIn profile and what you’d like to connect on – seeing that we can’t share business cards!

Hey everyone. Thrilled to be here. I’m John Higginson, CTO at Groupon. www.linkedin.com/in/johnjhigginson

Interested in learning more about and supporting our partners? Visit their websites below.BWISE - http://www.bwiseusa.org/Chicago Tech Academy - https://chitech.org/i.c.stars - https://www.icstars.org/

Hi Everyone! Thrilled to be apart of this discussion and looking forward to connecting. I’m Shawn Hackett CRM Manager at MSI https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnhackett/

Hi everyone! I’m so excited for this very important conversation.

Connect with Sandee Kastrul, President and Founder of i.c.stars, on LinkedIn >>>https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeekastrul/

Thank you ARA leaders - looking forward to today's discussion and to connecting! I'm Jennifer Higgins, Account Director and Head of Client Success for ClearEdge Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervhiggins/

Hi everyone! My name is Gabby Higgins and I’d love to connect! I am a senior studying Economics at UW Madison, graduating in May and looking for opportunities in Chicago! I’m proud to say I’ve learned so much from ARA events in the past thanks to my Aunt Leslie, one of the founders. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellehiggins98/

Looking forward to it Sandee, thank you for cruise directing! :)

Kimberly Jones Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llci8MVh8J4

Hi All! What a great time to be together, and to talk about moving forward. If I can be of service to anyone, please let me know. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinestone/

Thank you for joining! What a line-up! I’m one of ARA’s Co-Founders and CEO of ClearEdge Marketing. I’d welcome an opportunity to connect! linkedin.com/in/lvickrey

Hi @Leslie! I am happy to be able to join the group today and the discussion

Connect with Dorri McWhorter (CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorrimcwhorter/

Connect with Pete Kadens (Chairman, The Kadens Family Foundation & Founder & Chairman, Azenity Labs) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-kadens-67748a3/

Hi all! Thank you ARA for facilitating this discussion, so excited to be here! I'm Lauren McCartney, Associate Director of Enrollment Operations at Keypath Education: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenrmccartney

Connect with Amelia Nickerson (CEO, First Step Staffing) here: www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-nickerson-1844641/

Thanks to all for being here today for this critical conversation. Look forward to connecting with everyone. https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganpmccann/

Hi Everyone! I am the Chicago Director of Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE) and so proud to be partnered with ARA Mentor on this necessary series.Leslie McKinneyDirector, BWISE Chicagodirector@bwiseusa.org585-643-5596https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliemckinneychicago/Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE)http://www.bwiseusa.org/https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-woman-in-science-and-engineering-bwise-/

Hello everyone, always happy to connect and take a moment away from the day to focus on what matters. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholinawilson/

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Hi everyone, excited to represent both the Philly region and iRelaunch and join in this discussion. https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonamspacher/

Yes all attendees are muted

We encourage you to share some of your favorite takeaways from today’s conversation on social media via @ARAMentor and #ARAallies.

I’d love to capture Pete’s quote on 7% chance of moving from lowest to highest percentile!

@Kendra and @Michele, We’ll get the stat/source from Pete! Stay tuned!

@Kendra, Brookings highlighted it (as the #1 chart) in this list: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/social-mobility-memos/2018/01/11/raj-chetty-in-14-charts-big-findings-on-opportunity-and-mobility-we-should-know

Happy to be on the call. I am Candance Chow, Managing Director at NextGroup which provides support to women re-entering the workplace, from professional development and coaching to job placement with our Chicagoland clients. Contact us at www.nextgroupus.com or candance@nextgroupus.com

As their other research has shown, the degree of mobility varies a LOT across areas in the US — higher-mobility areas are more integrated residentially, have more equal incomes, and better primary schools

My apologies, but I need to hop off for another meeting. Looking forward to the recording of this so I can finish the discussion!

That is a great idea

Thank you so much @Sendhil!

Hi all -Happy to be here to learn more about this important topic. I am the CEO and Founder of InspiHERTech. We work with companies helping to build their IT teams through our recruiting services and coaching women in tech. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurieswanson/

Thrilled to be on the call. Thanks to the panelists for sharing so much. Cynthia Hayward, IT Risk Enova International https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-hayward-01827a1/

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Hello - this is Anna Frazzetto https://www.linkedin.com/in/annafrazzetto/ Thrilled to be here for another inspirational event!

Grateful to be on this call. Kate McCulley

Love this community! thank you for this event, wow http://linkedin.com/in/jenpurrenhage

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemcculley1/-Kate McCulley, ServiceNow

From Pete, the article he referenced, we’ll include in the follow-up email, too (THANK YOU PETE!)! https://www.brookings.edu/blog/social-mobility-memos/2018/01/11/raj-chetty-in-14-charts-big-findings-on-opportunity-and-mobility-we-should-know/

Collaboration is key! LOVE IT.

Agreed on all counts, powerful message on understanding and looking for potential in a different light.

Please don’t ever get off your soapbox, Dorri! We need more people to stand tall, stand strong and use their voices. Bravo!!!!

Have a question for the speakers? Share them here!

Totally agree about creating and passing on generational wealth! It's an important part of DEI and helping with the change our country needs.I help people and organizations do this! Please connect. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-duster/

The Great Game of Business - Jack Stack

https://www.greatgame.com/the-what-great-game-of-business

Preach Pete! Love that idea of giving ownership all and then teaching them what that means especially understanding the financials.

Such a rich conversation with excellent perspectives from the panel. Thank you for highlighting this!

i agree Shannon - exceptional session and it could easily go for another couple of hours!

Thanks for sharing Chris!!

Hi, this is Tashiara Little. Thank you all for your impact and for sharing. The workplace is the perfect place to institute change!

Thanks for sharing Chris!

@Chris Deutsch: Thank you for sharing the Cubii story - know them well, past Chicago Innovation Winner. And thank you for reinvesting in our community!

I couldn’t agree more - you absolutely speak my language.

Lives Improved!

#livesimproved

Can't wait to read that OpEd in the WSJ Pete!

Hats off to Sandee for being an outstanding moderator for this discussion. This was the most substantive webinar I have been to on this topic, and I can’t wait to share the recording out among my team! Thanks for pumping us up to improve lives!

Agreed! Diversity of thought, perspective and experience enables growth

This has been incredible! Thank you so much @ARA @Panelists. Excited to see more of these. Oh! I’m Kendra Cato, Director of Enterprise Strategy at Bullhorn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendracato/

Sandi tank you for being an amazing "Cruise Director"!

This discussion helped me look at education and work differently. Thank you for this thought provoking conversation today.

BRAVO! Outstanding panel. Great closing remarks Irina!

Great panel! Great cruise directing, Sandee. :)

Fantastic panel as always!

Excellent Panel and conversation!!!

Fantastic panel - Thank you all!!

I can't wait for the next session!

Excited for the recap!!!

Sandee is extraordinary at moderating. I have big shoes to fill.

Incredible panel. Thank you ARA and moderator/panelists!