Each month we bring in top creative industry professionals from across the country to meet students, discuss changes occurring in the industry, and provide guidance for students looking to enter the sector. All events are free + open to the public.
page to see them all.
Speaker Series 2018-2019 Archive
January 17th, 2019
Gigi Pritzker, Founder/CEO of MWM (Madison Wells Media)
Moderated by: Gregg Latterman

November 14, 2018
Jane Chu, PBS Arts Adviser and former NEA Chairperson under the Obama administration
Moderated by: Jennifer Novak-Leonard
October 18, 2018
Greenlight: Idea to Script to Screen
Dan Farah, Producer, Ready Player One
Janet Yang, Producer, The Joy Luck Club
Sam Bailey, Director/Producer Brown Girls, You’re So Talented
Moderated by: Laverne McKinnon
Speaker Series 2017-2018 Archive
October 5, 2017
Rob Luchow, Vice President, Drama Development, CBS TV Studio
November 2, 2017
Angelique Power, President, Field Foundation
November 30, 2017
Greg Cameron, Executive Director, Joffrey Ballet
January 11, 2018
Deana Haggag, President + CEO, United States Artists
February 1, 2018
Criss Henderson, Executive Director, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
March 12, 2018
Adam Tucker, President, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising New York
April 5, 2018
Jake Trussell, Creative Director, World Business Chicago
5:15PM, McCormick Foundation Center Forum, 1870 Campus Drive
Reception to follow
Click here to register!
May 21, 2018
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society
5:30PM, McCormick Foundation Center Forum, 1870 Campus Drive
Reception to follow
This event is co-sponsored by the Buffett Institute for Global Studies and the Kaplan Institute for the Humanities.
Click here to register!
Speaker Series 2016-2017 Archive
October 6, 2016
Adam Sachs, Former CEO of Midroll Media
Co-presented with the School of Communication MA in Sound Arts and Industries program.
November 3, 2016
Brigette Whisnant, Executive Producer, Havas Worldwide Chicago
December 1, 2016
Chris Meador,
Global Business Brand Strategy Lead at Facebook
January 12, 2017
Erica Daniels, Managing Director, Victory Gardens Theater
February 2, 2017
Jeffrey Jacobs, Co-Head of Television, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
March 2, 2017
Glendon Palmer, Senior Vice President, Development & Production, IM Global
April 6, 2017
Mary Sherman, Director, TransCultural Exchange
May 4, 2017
Andy Bohn, Co-Founder + Partner, The Film Arcade
Speaker Series 2015-2016 Archive
October 1, 2015
Mara Webster, Panels + Programs Manager, Tribeca Film Festival
November 5, 2015
Len Kasper, TV Play-by-play Announcer, Chicago Cubs
December 3, 2015
Erica Labovitz, Indiegogo
January 7, 2016
Jane Gottlieb, VP/Executive Producer, CBS Marketing Group
February 4, 2016
Harry Gottlieb, Founder, Jellyvision
March 3, 2016
Christine Dudley, Deputy Director, Illinois Film Office
April 7, 2016
Femke Speelberg, Associate Curator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
Dan Danzig, Private Consultant + Member, The Museum Group
May 5, 2016
Mark Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director, Paper Mill Playhouse
Speaker Series 2014-2015 Archive
October 1, 2014
Stacey Schulman, EVP of Strategy + Analytics, Katz Media Group
November 5, 2014
Kevin Crotty, Partner + Board Member, ICM Partners
December 3, 2014
Matthew Schwartz, Adult Swim
January 7, 2015
Martha Lavey, Artistic Director, Steppenwolf Theatre
February 4, 2015
Sheetal Prajapati, Assistant Director of Learning + Artists Initiatives, MoMA
March 4, 2015
Mike Knobloch, President of Film Music + Publishing, Universal Pictures
April 8, 2015
Marie Davidheiser, SVP + Director of Operations, Jack Morton Worldwide
May 7, 2015
Jake Nickell, Founder + CEO, Threadless