FY 2016
YTD totals
  
25
PRO BONO
PARTNERS

50
PROJECTS
 
$5.9M
PRO BONO INVESTMENTS

154
PEOPLE
 
AAA
A changing of the guard
On July 1, Deborah DeHaas will take over as Chair of the Civic Consulting Alliance Board. After six years as Chair, Jim Glerum will step down from that role, but will remain a member of Civic Consulting's Board and its Executive Committee.
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Looking back on six great years



James T. Glerum, Jr.
Managing Director and Chairman, Regional Banking for North America
The past six years have been exciting for Civic Consulting Alliance, and immensely fulfilling for me as Board Chair. Coming into the role just before Mayor Daley announced he would not run for a fifth term, I knew we had a lot of work ahead. In the nearly six years since then, with the help of 145 pro bono partners, we have completed 375 projects involving more than 1,800 individuals. Together, we have invested more than $75 million in the things that matter most to the region----better schools, safer streets, access to health care, and an economy that works for everyone. Plus, we've done a few special projects----our description of work that doesn't fall neatly into these categories----such as Mayoral, County Board, City Treasurer, and Gubernatorial transitions.
 
These data points speak to the remarkable investments our partnership has made in the region, demonstrating how much we can accomplish when we work together. I am proud of the impact of our work these past six years, including:
  • The Reinvention of the City Colleges of Chicago, where graduation rates have more than doubled since we began our work, even before I became Chair;
  • The ongoing reform of Cook County Bond Court, which has contributed to a decrease in the average daily Cook County Jail population of more than 20%;
  • The Police Accountability Task Force, which provided a blueprint for fundamentally changing the way in which the public engages with the police;
  • The Transformation of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, which has enrolled more than 95,000 vulnerable adults in the new CountyCare health insurance plan.
We have also made some important changes internally, such as installing Board committees, increasing the engagement of our Board members, and strengthening our level of collaboration with our parent, the Civic Committee.
 
None of this is possible without the support, hard work, and commitment of our partners, clients, and the Civic Consulting staff. To every one of the more than 1,800 who have been part of this work over the past six years, thank you.
 
I am delighted to see Deb step into this role, as her experience, keen insights, and energy will help lead Civic Consulting and our region forward. And I am thrilled to continue serving as a member of Civic Consulting's Executive Committee. I look forward to seeing----and helping----Civic Consulting and our partners continue to make our region a better place to live, work, and do business.


James T. Glerum, Jr.
Managing Director and Chairman, Regional Banking for North America
Citigroup

CCC
Looking forward


Deborah L. DeHaas
Vice Chairman, Chief Inclusion Officer and National Managing Partner, Center for Corporate Governance
 
I have lived in the Chicago area for my entire career. In this time, I've cultivated a thorough knowledge of the region and its challenges, established strong relationships in both the public and private sectors, and, most importantly, developed a deep love for our community. I owe these experiences in large part to my work with the Civic Committee and the Executive Committee of the Commercial Club, for which I have served as Treasurer for the past four years. These organizations have provided me with countless opportunities to give back, including many fulfilling and impactful engagements with Civic Consulting Alliance.

I'm a strong advocate of Civic Consulting's work, and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that my new role with the organization will present. As Deloitte's chief inclusion officer and national managing partner at the Center for Corporate Governance, I have long embraced pro bono partnerships with Civic Consulting, which provide our employees with enriching experiences. Because of its unique way of bringing together private sector partners with public sector leaders, Civic Consulting Alliance has become the go-to organization for City, County, and State leadership. Given this high demand for its services, perhaps the biggest task I will take on as Board chair will be to ensure that Civic Consulting continues to focus on addressing our community's most pressing issues----those where our partnership can achieve highest impact.

Achieving this impact requires the support of Civic Consulting's greatest resource: our own people. We are fortunate to have exceptionally committed staff, Board members, and pro bono partners. I have watched proudly as many Civic Consulting staff and partners have grown into highly-qualified civic leaders, and I am honored and humbled to play a role in developing the next generation of leadership that will sustain our great work.

Jim and other Board leaders before him have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and have set quite a high bar. I look forward to following in their path and helping Civic Consulting Alliance build a brighter future for the region.


Deborah L. DeHaas
Vice Chairman, Chief Inclusion Officer and National Managing Partner, Center for Corporate Governance
Deloitte LLP
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In other news...
  • The City of Chicago passed an ordinance this week guaranteeing most workers in the city access to paid sick leave. Under the leadership of Civic Consulting Alliance Board member Anne Ladky, Civic Consulting staffed the Task Force that was charged with examining options for supporting working families. The Task Force engaged multiple stakeholders----in particular employers----before recommending a range of potential policy proposals, including paid sick leave.
     
  • Serving 9.9 million visitors per year, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) is an educational asset for the City of Chicago. In 2013, Civic Consulting Alliance helped CPL create a three-year strategic plan, and in 2015, CPL worked with Civic Consulting to refresh the plan, to align with Mayor Emanuel's Second Term Priorities Committee recommendations. Earlier this month, CPL released the refreshed Strategy, highlighting the Library's vital role as centers of connectivity and community building.
     
  • Congratulations to the Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) class of 2016! Launched in 2014 in collaboration with LISC, the University of Chicago, and Civic Consulting Alliance, the CLA aims to develop a pipeline of talented leaders from non-profits and government agencies. This year's class of 30 fellows participated in more than one hundred hours each of coursework and mentoring and dedicated countless hours to capstone projects designed to address issues within their own organizations. We are proud of the graduating class and congratulate them on their inspiring work!
     
  • Since 2014, Civic Consulting Alliance and pro bono partners have supported the Illinois Supreme Court and criminal justice stakeholders to reduce the number of people detained in Cook County Jail who are accused of non-violent offenses. Read our latest Public Safety case study to learn more about our efforts!
     
  • On June 1st, Willis Towers Watson conducted a management effectiveness training with our Management Team. Through a series of presentations and hands-on exercises, the trainers shared insights on how to successfully develop team members, energize change, and shape team experiences. Thank you to our Leadership Council member Peter Bresler for setting up this invaluable training and to Jill Havely for delivering an engaging session!
     
Questions? Comments? Interested in writing a guest article? Please email Leslie Glotzer with any newsletter feedback.

Civic Consulting Alliance is an affiliate of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago.