Looking forward

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