We’re a group of award winning social entrepreneurs, founders, and designers who haven't just supported others in building visionary organizations and solutions, we’ve done it ourselves. We bring a deep reservoir of experience, from leading movements to working with the world’s biggest brands.
Founder and Principal
Imran Khan
Imran is a multi-award winning social impact innovator, leader, advisor, and educator. He began his career as a teacher in “one of Chicago's toughest schools,” and has since collaborated with some of the top philanthropic and nonprofit leaders from across the country. He has convened hundreds of community members and institutions from highly diverse backgrounds to collaborate across differences and build bold solutions. Imran co-founded and led Embarc, a highly innovative experiential learning organization bringing thousands of students, teachers, families and business partners together. Imran is an Ashoka Fellow, a Bridging Fellow, and a member of the University of Chicago Leadership Academy.. He has served as an advisor to the Mayor of Chicago, the MacArthur Foundation, the University of Chicago, National Louis University, the Workforce Funders Alliance, and several family foundations. He currently advises The Paul M. Angell Foundation on transformation, the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching and Learning on the future of education, and is advising leaders in New Mexico on improving outcomes for indigenous communities. Imran is a lecturer and advisor at the University of Chicago’s Leadership and Society Institute and a guest lecturer at the Harvard Business School.
Design Partner
Neil Stevenson
Neil is a human-centered designer who leverages psychological insights to create new experiences and help people progress. He is passionate about creativity, and how creative methods and mindsets can enable clients to innovate successfully. Neil understands what it takes to manage a creative culture and set the conditions for teams to do their best work. Neil spent 14 years at IDEO, where he led the IDEO Chicago studio. He ran design collaborations with a range of world-leading companies, including LEGO, Google, Levis, Electronic Arts and the NFL. As the editor-in-chief of the IDEO Journal, he also worked with the company CEO and founder to tell the story of design thinking in new ways, and push forward IDEO’s approaches to creative challenges. Prior to becoming a design consultant, Neil worked in journalism, at magazines that include The Face, Mixmag, Wallpaper and Dazed+Confused. In both his magazine and design work, he applies insights into human behavior that he learned while gaining masters degrees in psychology and social anthropology from Oxford University. Neil has worked as a design consultant with companies that include Mattel, Harley-Davidson, Danone, Deloittee and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Design Partner
Jessyca Dudley
Jessyca Dudley is a pioneering leader reimagining wealth's role in society through community-driven leadership and equitable systems. As Founder and CEO of Bold Ventures, she has directed over $50 million to BIPOC-led organizations, creating equity-centered funding strategies that disrupt traditional philanthropy and uplift divested communities. A 2024 Crain's Chicago Business Notable Black Leader, Jessyca draws on over 15 years of social sector expertise, having led Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy and served as a Director at Arabella Advisors. Jessyca’s impact also includes co-founding the South Side Giving Circle and teaching Social Sector Leadership at the University of Chicago, where she inspires the next generation of philanthropic trailblazers. With a Master of Public Health from UIC and a Bachelor’s in Women’s Studies from Skidmore College, she champions a strategic, evidence-based vision for equitable capitalism. Beyond her work, Jessyca finds renewal in nature, kayaking Midwest waterways and nurturing her garden—embodying her grounded, curious, and growth-oriented spirit.
Design Partner
Jim Cohen
Jim helps individuals and teams uncover the stuff that makes them great, find their purpose, and use it to make the future compelling and real. He’s a guide, facilitator, coach and co-creator that knows the path, the pitfalls and the way to move from wandering to realizing.
For over forty years, he’s worked with philanthropic and non profit leaders, founders, blue chip corporations and start-ups as a brand strategist, designer, trusted advisor and transformation sherpa. He helps clients be heroically authentic, galvanize their influence and invent a positive future, in which to flourish.
He is a mentor to business leaders, designers and entrepreneurs and a frequent guest speaker,instructor at educational institutions and seminars including; The University of Chicago, The Kellogg School of Management, Kellogg Executive Education, The Segal Design Institute, The Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley Healthy Workplaces Experts, Chicago Ideas, LaunchFest, MG Fest, The Chicago Convergence among others.
Design Partner
Habib Bako
Habib Bako is a facilitator and strategist who builds alignment across movements, leaders, and networks. He advises national organizations in shaping their network development strategies—helping them expand their impact, deepen relationships, and align their efforts across sectors. As the Founder and Principal of Aligned Minds, LLC, he guides leaders and teams through complex systems change, with a focus on strategic partnerships, community engagement, and long-term field building. ding.
He works with diverse communities—including policy leaders, executive teams, and faith leaders—to build solidarity across lines of difference. He previously led civic and racial justice initiatives at Independent Sector, including the Upswell platform. Habib works across sectors—from policy to faith communities—to foster solidarity and collective action. He holds a degree from the University of Maryland and is trained in Results Count, Facilitative Leadership, and Lean Startup.
Our roster is dynamic, so it always matches the challenge.
When it comes to making it real, we pull from an extended bench of accomplished leaders with the proven experience to get you there. Whether it's reimagining journalism, leveraging innovative technology, doing deep research, creating compelling story content, or financial modeling for the future, we’ve got you covered.