SBOC: Conference 2006 - Schedule - Social Entrepreneurship

Cheryl Mayberry McKissack is the founder, President and CEO of Nia Enterprises, LLC - a Chicago-based research, systems integration and marketing services firm founded in January 2000. Nia Enterprises, LLC provides opt-in, permission-based marketing data solutions for the growing and specialized market of African- American women and their families. As a result of its activities, the company provides the largest Consumer Advisory Panel of African-American women and their families in the marketplace. This opt-in, permission-based panel offers companies a direct link into the buying habits and consumer preferences of the largest U.S. ethnic group in terms of its buying power.

Ms. Mayberry McKissack is well recognized as an entrepreneur and has been featured in articles of several publications including: BusinessWeek.com, Fortune.com, Ebony, Black Enterprises, Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. Ms. Mayberry McKissack recently co-edited The Nia Guide series of books for Black Women including: Achieving Career Success on Your Terms, Balancing Work & Life and Choosing Health and Wellness (Agate Publishing). Prior to founding Nia Enterprises, Ms. Mayberry McKissack enjoyed a successful 23-year corporate career in technology. Ms. Mayberry McKissack started her technology career with the IBM Corporation where she enjoyed a 14-year career in sales, marketing and management positions.

Ms. Mayberry McKissack, a native of Seattle, Washington, received her B.S. from Seattle University, completing the four-year program in two-and-one-half years, and her MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

Elizabeth A. Evans
Executive Director, Illinois Network of Charter Schools

Elizabeth A. Evans, has almost 20 years professional experience in advocacy and policy. She became Executive Director of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools in October 2004. From 1999 until joining INCS, Ms. Evans worked at the Illinois Facilities Fund (IFF) where her responsibilities focused on government relations and advocacy. She established and ran IFF’s public policy program and also established IFF’s community planning program, shepherding a unique statewide partnership with the Grand Victoria Foundation to increase early childhood capacity. From 2000 to 2003, she also oversaw IFF’s media and external communications. Previously, Ms. Evans was a policy analyst for the Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago, was a political organizer working in Washington DC and Michigan, and, for six years was a courtroom lawyer for the US Securities and Exchange Commission Enforcement Division. She served as a staff attorney in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit for two years. Ms. Evans received a JD from Northwestern University and a BA from the University of Michigan.

Elizabeth served on the Boards of Directors of the Chicago Public Arts Project and the Inspiration Café, and has been a mentor for a foster child for 14 years. She is an appointee to the Illinois Early Learning Council and was a member of the Illinois Department of Human Services Child Care Advisory Committee. Ms. Evans is one of the national Ella Baker Civil Society Fellows and a member of the Children’s Defense Fund National Leadership Network.

Stephen Maduli-Williams
President, Chicago Community Ventures

Stephen serves as the President of CCV, and brings more than a dozen years of small business, and international and community development finance experience to the organization. Stephen joined CCV as the first full-time President and began the task of building a city-wide community development organization.

Stephen came to CCV in 2001 from ShoreBank Advisory Services International Development Division, where he served as a Senior Consultant. His primary responsibilities were managing an Eastern European-based real estate loan fund and business development activities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Before joining ShoreBank Advisory Services, Stephen was a Senior Project Manager for the Enterprise Foundation’s New York Office. While at Enterprise, his duties included conducting underwriting and analysis, evaluating potential real estate investment projects, and tracking and monitoring the construction and lease up process. During his tenure Stephen underwrote more than $10 million in investments for 2000+ units of affordable housing in New York City. Prior to working at Enterprise, Stephen was a loan officer with the Chicago Community Loan Fund, where he made more than $3 million in real estate-based pre-development loans. Stephen also worked for two years as a Peace Corps Advanced Business Development Volunteer in Zimbabwe where he identified non-core business units for sale by large firms and government-owned enterprises and structured the sale of those units to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Stephen began his professional career as a consultant with Ralph G. Moore and Associates (RGMA), developing business, financial and strategic plans for small businesses owned by women and minorities throughout Chicagoland. At RGMA he developed plans for more than 50 different clients and helped secure more than $15 million in debt financing.

Stephen received his B.A. in Developmental Economics from Loyola University of Chicago and his Masters Degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While at Carnegie Mellon he was a Peace Corps Fellow, HUD Hope IV and a Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority intern in addition to winning the outstanding academic achievement award for minority students. He was selected as a Peace Corps fellow after serving 26 months in the Peace Corps’ Advanced Business Development Program in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Jonathan T. Swain
Executive Director, The Beloved Community, Inc.

Jonathan T. Swain is Executive Director of The Beloved Community, Inc., the community development partner of Saint Sabina Church led by Rev. Michael L. Pfleger. The Beloved Community's mission is to make strategic financial and programmatic investments in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood that will perpetuate its long-term growth and stability. Mr. Swain's engagement with the Auburn-Gresham community began in 1999 when he was appointed as Chief of Staff to 17th Ward Alderman Terry Peterson serving both he and his successor Latasha R. Thomas. Mr. Swain has also worked as an assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley and most recently in the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development as Deputy Commissioner for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.

As an active parishioner of the Faith Community of Saint Sabina since 1997, Mr. Swain has shown a penchant for community activity having led Operation Empowerment (Saint Sabina's consumer advocacy program), and the Vote Dry Campaign (Saint Sabina's effort to close problem liquor establishments). Mr. Swain currently resides in Auburn-Gresham with his wife and two children.

Mr. Swain earned his B.A from Duke University and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. Mr. Swain also holds a certificate in Faith Based Community and Economic Development from Harvard University. Currently, Mr. Swain is completing his MBA at the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.