Erikson Institute Welcomes New Trustees to our Mission
We are honored to welcome three members to Erikson’s Board of Trustees: Susan Booth of The Goodman Theater, Elizabeth Browne of GCM Grosvenor, and Angela Cobb of FirstGen Partners, LLC.
Welcoming new trustees to Erikson Institute is more than an expansion of our leadership—it’s a powerful affirmation of our mission and a bold step forward in our commitment to children and families. These visionary individuals bring not only expertise and insight, but a deep dedication to the wellbeing of every child. Their presence on the Board ignites new possibilities, strengthens our voice and fuels the transformative work that lies ahead. Read on to learn more about our newest Trustees.
Susan V. Booth, Goodman Theater
Susan V. Booth, Walter Artistic Director, joined Goodman Theatre in the fall of 2022, having previously served as Artistic Director of Atlanta’s Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre, premiering new work that went on to national, international and commercial life. She has directed at the Goodman, Hartford Stage, Ford’s Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, New York Stage and Film, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, Court Theatre and others. She has held teaching positions at Northwestern, DePaul and Emory Universities. She is past president of the Board of Directors for the Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for the field and a 2024 Leadership Greater Chicago Daniel Burnham Fellow.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Booth directed widely throughout the Chicago theater community, taught for both Northwestern and DePaul Universities and served as the Goodman’s Director of New Play Development.
Elizabeth Browne, GCM Grosvenor
Ms. Browne is a Managing Director at GCM Grosvenor and Co-Head of the Elevate strategy and Sponsor Solutions Group. In addition, she works on various strategic investing initiatives across the firm. Prior to joining GCM Grosvenor, Ms. Browne worked at RedBird Capital Partners, where she focused on investing in family and founder-led businesses, including transaction sourcing, company-building, capital raising, and co-investments. Before joining RedBird, she was a senior member of the investment team and head of business development for DNS Capital, a prominent Midwest family office, where she focused on investing in venture and private equity transactions across a range of industries and sectors. Earlier in her career, she held roles at Goldman Sachs, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Ms. Browne earned a BA in Sociology with Great Distinction from McGill University and an MBA in Finance and International Business from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She is a member of the Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN) and The Chicago Network; Trustee of the Erikson Institute; and founded the Chicago Women: Lift & Lead citywide interview series, in partnership with Chicago Scholars.
Angela Cobb, FirstGen Partners, LLC
Founder and CEO of FirstGen Partners, LLC., Angela Cobb works with education organizations and social enterprises to create positive change in the world. Her 25-year career spans a myriad of social issues in the public and private sectors.
Angela is an expert in driving positive organizational change through strong leadership with an equity lens. She also has extensive experience launching and leading large-scale initiatives and social impact ventures.
Angela spent the early part of her career with Deloitte, where she managed diversity and community outreach programs, worked in change management consulting and was an auditor.
She received her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame where she received a B.B.A. in Accounting.
Angela’s honors include: Pahara-Aspen Education Entrepreneurs Fellowship, Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network, Fall 2012; Leadership Greater Chicago, Fellow, 2008; and The Council for the United States and Italy, Young Leaders Institute, Fellow, 2005.
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