We’re grateful to everyone who attended this year’s ACI Breakfast Forum. Together, we explored new ways to revitalize and strengthen full‑circle partnerships that 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
Discover the ways we captured the essence of the morning. Explore key takeaways and a photo gallery that bring the event to life.
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 Cisneros
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
Erin has been at Northwestern Medicine since 2013 and currently serves as a Director, Talent Acquisition for the health system. Her current portfolio consists of Campus and Community Recruitment. In addition to her core responsibilities in recruitment, Erin oversees the management and strategic growth of several key programs at Northwestern Medicine. She plays an influential role in shaping the health system’s graduate and undergraduate internships, apprenticeship and workforce development initiatives. She is passionate about creating partnerships and attracting a talented workforce at NM.
Toby Eveland
Chicago Managing Partner, Manley Burke LPA
Toby Eveland is the Chicago Managing Partner at Manley Burke LPA and leads the firm’s higher education practice, advising colleges and universities on complex legal and regulatory challenges that affect modern campuses. Drawing on extensive litigation experience, Eveland helps institutions navigate high-stakes matters including Title VI, VII, and IX claims, civil rights and ADA disputes, government investigations, and complex civil and class action cases. He works closely with university leadership to address issues such as student conduct, faculty disputes, compliance audits, and crisis response involving incidents like hazing, discrimination claims, or catastrophic campus events. Eveland and the Manley Burke team also counsel institutions on regulatory compliance, intellectual property and technology issues, data privacy, and institutional governance– providing strategic, practical guidance that allows colleges and universities to manage risk while staying focused on their academic mission.
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.
Associated Colleges of Illinois is a 501(c)(3) organization.
