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Celebrating Erikson’s 2023 Annual Luncheon

Thank you for helping us celebrate Erikson’s positive impact on young children, their families, and communities on October 27, 2023. You can still support our work with a donation or a sponsorship payment below.

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This year’s luncheon featured a remarkable keynote address by voting rights activist and children’s book author, Stacey Abrams. Stacey was awarded Erikson’s 2023 Equity Award alongside Erikson alum and President and CEO of the Carole Robertson Center for Learning, Bela Moté, who received the 2023 Advocacy Award.

The theme of the event was “resilience” and both honorees exhibit that trait in their work that benefits children, families, and communities. The luncheon was attended by over 450 people, including Valerie Jarrett and U.S Senator Dick Durbin, and raised more than $1 million to support the institute’s academic programming, clinical services, policy, and research initiatives. The event also featured a special tribute to Erikson co-founder, Barbara Taylor Bowman, who turned 95 years old on October 30.

Watch a Highlight Reel from the Event

Highlights from Erikson Institute’s 2023 Annual Luncheon
2023 Erikson Institute Annual Luncheon

Special Thanks

Special thanks to Erikson Institute’s 2023 Luncheon Host Committee and Sponsors for their profound commitment to the children, families, and communities we serve.

Host Committee

Founding Partners

Mr. & Mrs. Norman Bobins, The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation
The Harris Family Foundation
Caryn & King Harris
Toni & Ron Paul
Pam Szokol
Linda & Bill Friend
Stephanie & John Harris
Liz & Eric Lefkofsky
The Malkin Family
Judy & Ray McCaskey
Ortus Foundation
Cari & Michael Sacks
Sandy & Will Sterling
James C. Tyree Foundation

Benefactors

Gail Basch, M.D. & Eric Adelstein
The Bluhm, Helfand & Wolf Families
Rick & Dee Dee Chesley, DLA Piper
Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation
GCM Grosvenor
Shawn & Lewis Ingall
Lori & Ross Laser
Peggy & Yung Bong Lim
Kate Neisser
Northern Trust
Kathy R. Pick
Joy Segal/Anne E. Leibowitz Fund
Jenni Sorenson & John Holmes
Sara & James Star
Susan & Bob Wislow
Sheri & Sherwin Zuckerman

Sponsors

Patrons

AAR Corp.
ITW
Ikram & Joshua Goldman
Motorola Solutions
PNC
Carol Prins & John Hart
Mary K. Sextro Black
Elenne Song & Soheil Esmailzadeh
Susan A. Stone

Advocates

Anonymous
Buffett Early Childhood Fund
Carole Robertson Center for Learning
Macol & Jose Cerda
Christopher House
John Ettelson
Jones Day
Kovler Family Foundation
Katherine Mann & Mitchell J. Lederer
Diane Goldstick Meagher & Tom Meagher
Paul & Jill Meister
Mesirow
Jane & Daniel Och
Colette & Tom Smithburg
Mariana Souto-Manning
The Spencer Foundation
Start Early
Steans Family Foundation
Sunshine Charitable Foundation
Liz & Don Thompson
Wilson Garling Foundation
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

Luncheon Committee

Jenni Sorenson and John Holmes, Co-chairs

Eric Adelstein
Virginia Bobins
Jose Cerda III
Frank Gettridge
Diane Meagher
Kate Neisser
Cari Sacks
Elenne Song
Sandy Sterling
Susan Stone