Rustandy Center Rustandy Center Team

Assistant Director, Event and Program Marketing

Grace Abifarin manages marketing efforts for the Rustandy Center’s global portfolio of programming and events, highlighting the growing community of Booth students, alumni, and faculty working to address social issues.

Director, Marketing, Communications, and Brand

Zeynep Aksoy Ata develops and leads data-driven marketing strategies to grow the Rustandy Center’s brand. She also supports event and program marketing to generate leads and engage core audiences.

Assistant Director, Operations

Ja’Nette Andrews supports Rustandy Center programs and events related to social sector engagement and social entrepreneurship. This includes managing event logistics, maintaining the team’s event calendar, and administrative support for longer-term programs.

Assistant Director, Edwardson Social Entrepreneurship Program

Rose Arkus oversees the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC), coordinates events, and supports student and alumni ventures, including the Tarrson Social Venture Fellows program.

Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives

Patience Baach manages the Rustandy Center’s internal impact measurement work in Chicago and Hong Kong. She provides strategic and administrative support for initiatives such as the social impact data hub and operations systems and procedures.

Sr. Associate Director of Research Initiatives

Alissa Bolz catalyzes research projects focused on the social sector and complex social and environmental issues. She develops strategic partnerships between Booth faculty and for-profit, nonprofit, and public-sector organizations and manages data sourcing and collection efforts.

Senior Director, Nonprofit and Civic Engagement Programs

Wai-Sinn Chan leads the Rustandy Center’s strategy and design of social sector programming for students, alumni, and practitioners. She also serves as the program director for Booth's Civic Scholars Program.

Sr. Assistant Director of Programs, Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation

Iris Choi is responsible for managing the Rustandy Center’s programming in Hong Kong, including The Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation.

Director, Edwardson Social Entrepreneurship Program

Will Colegrove is responsible for leading the Edwardson Social Entrepreneurship Program, including cultivating the pipeline for the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge from across the university. He also leads programming on funding social impact, including impact investing experiential learning opportunities such as MIINT, Invest for Impact, and the Total Impact Portfolio Challenge.

Assistant Director, Golub Capital Social Impact Lab

Jennifer Hernandez supports with the planning and programming of the new Golub Capital Social Impact Lab in their signature offering of IGNITE. 

Director, Golub Capital Social Impact Lab

Tyeise Huntley leads the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab which provides training and professional development to amplify the impact of leaders of high-potential nonprofits serving communities of color. The signature offering of the Lab is IGNITE, offered in partnership with the Chicago Urban League.  

Director, Hong Kong Social Impact and Innovation Initiatives

Kalmond Ma oversees the social impact programming for the Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation. He also leads social impact and entrepreneurship initiatives in Hong Kong and throughout Asia for both the Rustandy Center and the Polsky Center.

Senior Assistant Director, Operations and Strategic Initiatives

Jennifer Marschand manages internal processes as part of the operations team for the Rustandy Center and is a welcoming presence for students, alumni, staff, and guests in the newly designed, state of the art co-working office space shared by the Rustandy and Polsky Centers.

Research Specialist, Research Initiatives

Grace manages internal processes as part of the Rustandy Center’s research team. She supports Data Hub and ESG Data Tool administration and provides faculty research assistance.

Associate Director, Marketing and Communications

Olivia Moody Peach leads content strategy and oversees the center's brand voice across all materials and mediums. She works to amplify the impact and influence of center programs, research, events, and its community of Booth students, alumni, and faculty working to address social issues.

Senior Assistant Director, Programs and Partnerships

Christopher Schneider manages social sector engagement programs related to philanthropy, sustainability, and community development. He provides event planning, research, facilitation and assists the center’s strategic growth, partnerships, and social entrepreneurship programs.

Associate Director, Impact Investing & Sustainability Programs

Gina leads the Rustandy Center’s ESG and impact investing events and programs to grow Booth’s presence in these ecosystems. She is the relationship manager and an academic advisor to the Steven Tarrson Impact Investment Fund and the MIINT competition.

Assistant Director, Programs

Mateo manages social sector engagement initiatives, fosters partnerships, and empowers students and alumni to drive social impact. Specifically, Mateo leads the Net Impact Boards Fellows, NonProfit Leadership Circle, and Alumni Board Connect programs.