Join us for this year’s ACI Breakfast Forum! Discover ways to revitalize and create full-circle partnerships that unlock growth and drive potential to support students, colleges, and employers across Illinois.
Proceeds from the event will help fund scholarships and professional development services for students.
Thursday, April 9, 2026 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saul Ewing 161 N. Clark St. Chicago, Illinois 60601
Director, Talent Acquisition, Northwestern Medicine
Additional panelists will be announced soon.
Michael Fassnacht
Chief Growth Officer & President of Chicagoland for Clayco
A seasoned business executive, marketing and strategic thought leader with more than 30 years of experience, Michael joined Clayco, one of America’s largest fully integrated design and engineering centric builder and real estate development firm across the commercial, industrial and residential sector as its first ever Chief Growth Officer and President of Chicagoland in early 2024. Prior to this role, Michael led as President and CEO World Business Chicago, the City’s economic development organization, with more than 100 C-Suite executives from all over Chicagoland on its business centric board between 2020 and early 2024. The organization’s core focus is on growing its industry sectors by supporting the expansion of existing Chicagoland based companies and by attracting new corporate relocations to the region, all with a focus on equitable economic prosperity across all 77 neighborhoods and the region. Additionally, Michael worked alongside the Mayor’s Office as the Chief Marketing Officer to ensure that all marketing, branding, and business development activities for the city were aligned with Mayor Lightfoot’s and then Mayor Johnson’s economic growth plan focused on inclusive growth across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods.
Michael Fassnacht is a prominent figure in Chicago’s civic community, known for leading crucial pro bono initiatives. His contributions include rebranding the Chicago Public Library and its foundation, developing the city’s bid for Amazon HQ2, supporting the City’s Census 2020 efforts, and spearheading “Boards of Change,” an award-winning voter registration campaign. He recently co-chaired Mayor Johnson’s transition subcommittee on Economic Vitality & Equity. Michael’s extensive board service includes the Chicago Public Library Foundation, The Civic Consulting Alliance, CURRENT, The Poetry Foundation, Intersect Illinois, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, and World Business Chicago. He also advises P33 and The Chicago Prize by the Pritzker/Traubert Foundation. He is a 2022 Daniel Burnham Fellow.
Prior to his most recent role, Michael served for more than 10 years as CEO & President at one of the city’s oldest and most successful advertising agencies, Foote Cone & Belding (FCB). He led his agency to unprecedented international creative recognition and strong above-industry topline growth over his tenure. Over his long career, he has been recognized as a global expert in building and marketing brands. He started his corporate success trajectory at Lufthansa Airlines in Frankfurt, where he led the airline’s frequent flyer program, Miles & More, before departing to Silicon Valley where he was a successful start-up entrepreneur.
Michael was born in Germany and made his way stateside in college where he met his wife, Dr. Rhonda Duffaut. They currently reside in Chicago and have two children, Maya and Ryan.
Amy Cisnero
Senior Director, Regional Success, Braven
Amy Cisneros serves as Senior Director of Regional Success at Braven, where she leads the enterprise strategy to ensure all of Braven’s markets are equipped with the leadership, systems, tools, and operational support needed to deliver strong, consistent outcomes that fuel strong career outcomes for promising college students. In this role, she partners closely with site leaders and national teams to strengthen execution, align priorities, and build scalable infrastructure that enables high-quality implementation across regions. Previously, Amy oversaw program strategy and partnerships in Braven’s Chicago market, working in partnership with a range of higher ed institutions and employers across the city.
First in her family to graduate from college, Amy brings more than a decade of experience in higher education and the nonprofit sector, with expertise spanning program operations, talent development, volunteer engagement, and culturally responsive practice. Amy earned a B.S. in Elementary Education with a minor in French from Valparaiso University. She is an alumna of Mujeres de HACE (2022) and a Surge Institute Fellow (2024). A proud Latina and native of Chicago’s Southwest Side, she lives near Midway with her husband and two daughters.
Eva Giglio
Executive Director, CME Group Foundation
Eva Giglio has served as Executive Director of CME Group Foundation since 2021. In this role, Eva oversees a grantmaking budget of more than $6.5 million annually, supporting over 130 nonprofit organizations. She also manages the CME Group Foundation Scholars program, providing scholarships and career opportunities to First Generation college students.
Prior to this role, Eva served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), where she led the district’s strategic vision and improvement planning, with a focus on creating more equitable outcomes for students. In this role, she also co-led the Mayor’s Pre-K through 12 Reopening Schools Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that she served as a Director in the Chief Education Office of CPS, where she was responsible for creating systems to better support schools and engage critical stakeholders. With a lifelong passion for education, Eva started her career as a middle and high school Spanish teacher at Kenwood Academy in Chicago.
Eva serves as an elected school board member in her community, is the Board President for Share Our Spare and serves on the Children First Fund Board, the Youth Guidance Working on Womanhood Advisory Council and the After School Matters Advisory Board. Eva is the Co-Principal of North Center Consultants, a boutique consulting firm focused on organizational strategy and team development. She has a Master’s in Educational Leadership from North Park University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Eva is a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago, Class of 2021 and was recognized in Crain’s Chicago Business “40 Under 40” and “Who’s Who in Chicago Business”.
Erin Cohan
Director, Talent Acquisition, Northwestern Medicine
Marie Trzupek Lynch is the chief people officer at Morningstar. Lynch leads Morningstar’s global people and culture team responsible for scaling its talent strategy and operations, building an inclusive culture, overseeing the DEI strategy, and driving a world class employee experience for all Morningstar employees.
Lynch brings a passion for developing innovative talent strategies for Fortune 500 companies and a flair for entrepreneurship. She is recognized as a results-driven executive that has grown organizations from inception with a track record of building high performing teams. She previously served as the founding president and CEO for Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, a nationally recognized nonprofit that partners with companies to create equal access to jobs and economic mobility. She worked with its Board of Directors to expand the organization into multiple cities in the United States. Prior to Skills, she spent eight years working for the YMCA of Chicago and the National YMCA of the USA in executive roles in human services and operations. Lynch has also worked at Deloitte in the consulting practice and in the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office.
Lynch attended the University of Illinois-Champaign, where she was awarded the 2018 LAS Alumni Humanitarian Award, and holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.
Toby Eveland
Chicago Managing Partner, Saul Ewing LLP
With successes in state, federal, and appellate courts across the country, Toby Eveland is a skilled litigator that clients often retain when their reputation is on the line and when they are involved in high-profile cases that could affect their viability.
Toby’s nationwide litigation practice focuses on three main areas: higher education, municipal and government, and complex business disputes. He works across numerous industries and handles matters involving a range of issues such as class action defense, tort defense, employment, real estate finance, and shareholder disputes. Given his results-oriented approach and national recognition, Toby is often retained when the stakes are the highest. In 2024 he successfully defended clients in claims that sought in excess of $275 million.
In addition to his work in the courtroom, clients retain Toby because of his servant leadership, customized team-building approach, and commitment to excellence and client service. He also is a passionate civil rights advocate and regular speaker and panelists at conferences.
Discounted hotel accommodations are available for the night of April 8th at the Cambria Hotel Chicago Loop, located at 32 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601. Please reserve your room by calling Mariela Alcantar at 312-763-3816 and mention “ACI Breakfast Forum” to unlock room rates starting at $155 plus taxes. Prices are subject to change depending on availability.
Self-parking is available at the Government Center Parking Garage located at181 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60601. Reserve your spot for $25 online using this link.Please note that the garage entrance is between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. Prices are also subject to change depending on availability.
2025 ACI Breakfast Forum
To see the full gallery of photos from the 2025 ACI Breakfast Forum, please click here. If you are asked to enter a password, please use ‘Breakfast’ (case-sensitive).
Associated Colleges of Illinois is a 501(c)(3) organization.
