A Spring of
Opportunity
HIGH JUMP ANNUAL BENEFIT
We believe that equalizing educational opportunities for Chicago students is a powerful investment in our shared future.
Join us to empower Chicago middle schoolers with the right resources at the right time so that they can go on to thrive in middle school, high school, college and beyond!
We look forward to celebrating with you!
2024 Benefit Co-Chairs:
Jenny Bekkerman
Jymme Chaouki
Meg Frey
Catherine Rosenberg
Ramya Shah
Daisie Siska
and the 2024 Benefit Committee
Come celebrate the scholars and alumni of this life‑changing program and hear their inspiring stories. We hope you can join us!
Keynote Speaker
Aris Mendoza
High Jump Cohort 10
Writer and actor dedicated to creating soulful narratives that give voice to underrepresented communities.
Benefit Emcee
Elaine Rojas-Castillo
High Jump Cohort 14
Reporter/Multimedia Journalist, WTMJ-TV
Guest Speaker
Richard Mbouombouo
High Jump Cohort 23
Fixed Income Research Analyst, PPM America
Guest Speaker
Eleanor Nicholson
Founder of High Jump
Sponsorship Opportunities
Benefit guests will enjoy an elegant cocktail hour followed by a fine dining experience and an inspiring program.
120 East Delaware Place, Chicago, IL 60611
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Presenting Sponsors
Diane Saltoun and Bruce Braun
Paula and Tim Friedman
Michael and Pamela Gordon Family Foundation
John and Jill Levi
Access Sponsors
Brian and Christina Greviskes
Anna Meytina-Lurye and Alexander Lurye
Nicole and Brad Mann
Cindy and Mike O'Connor
Georgy Ann and Bill Peluchiwski
Abby and Mason Phelps
Scholarship Sponsors
Jenny and Jerry Bekkerman
Megan Hodes, Casey Ray, and Emily Bennett
Chris and Elisa Cartwright
Krishnan and Erica Chandrasekhar
Jymme and Steve Chaouki
David Chazen
Sarah and John Cobb
Vince Cozzi
Karen and Arne Duncan
Mary and Christopher Fifield
Meg and Karl Frey
Arla and Joel Gomberg
Krissan and John Jennings
Lena and Andrew Jessen
Karen and Liam Krehbiel
Margaret Egan Lawler and Mike Lawler
Kerrie Maloney Laytin
Kim Lynch
Thomas Meyers and Suzanne Lynch
Matthew D. Means
The Meyers Family
Kim and Manny Picciola
Catherine and Michael Rosenberg
Daisie and Michael Siska
Ramya and Ajay Shah
Opportunity Sponsors
Anonymous
Katie and J.R. Berger
Charlie and Mary Gofen
Eleni and Steve Griesemer
Erik and Adrienne King
Anh and Chu-An Lee
Deneese Walia Levin and Matthew Levin
Nichole Lopez-Tackett
Dara and Ross Milner
Laura and Charlie Tribbett
Enrichment Sponsors
Farah and Praveen Adhi
Heidi Ortolaza-Alvear and Andres Alvear
Sonia Antolec
Arkes Family Foundation
Katie and Chris Barber
Leslie and Bill Barker
Dr. Brandi Kenner-Bell and Juan Bell
Mariana and Paul Ingersoll
Jonathan and Elisabeth Glick
Erin and Jon Grodnick
Sami Chaouki and Scott Hendrickson
Nirmala Gonsalves and Steven Herwick
Cynthia Heusing and David Kistenbroker
Carol Jones and Tom Hynes
Lynn Sasamoto and Todd Kurisu
Wende Fox Lawson and Jim Lawson
Cathy and Mike Lee
Janet and Jon Rauschenberger
Dr. Stephanie Ross
Lisa Walker and William Rudnick
Andrew and Gigi Schwertfeger
Nidhi Agrawal and Noah Weiss
2024 Benefit Committee
Farah and Praveen Adhi
Nidhi Agrawal
Carrie and Rolf Barth
Emily Bennett
Marc and Sarah Bushala
Krishnan and Erica Chandrasekhar
Nichole Charfoos
Michelle and Tom Cusick
Joe and Megan Devaney
Kristen Flather
Eleni and Stephen Griesemer
Sami Chaouki and Scott Hendrickson
Nirmala Gonsalves and Steven Herwick
Megan Hodes
D.J. and Emily Hoffman
Deli and Julie Jimoh
Kelley and Matt Kaleta
Brandy and Tim Kemp
Margaret Egan Lawler
Wende Fox Lawson and Jim Lawson
Anh and Chu-An Lee
Cathy Lee
Kristin Lane Mack
Melissa McMahill
Matthew D. Means
Max Meyers
Kim Picciola
Casey Ray
Rebecca Rokos
Trisha Rooney
Deanna Ryan
Renee Salomon
Lynn Sasamoto and Todd Kurisu
Michael and Donna Sims
Kelly Waters
High Jump Board of Directors
Chair
Cindy O’Connor
Chair Elect
Lena Jessen
CVice President
Nick Shields, Cohort 6
Treasurer
Georgy Ann Peluchiwski
Secretary
Sonya Malunda
Immediate Past Chair
Katie Barber
Directors
John Akalaonu, Cohort 4
Omid Bañuelos, Cohort 10
David Chazen
Gina Chen, Cohort 13
Sarah Cobb
Sarah Cogswell
Vincent Cozzi
Karen Duncan
Mary Fifield
Tim Friedman
Wilkingson Germain
Arla Gomberg
Pam Gordon
Shelley Greenwood
Mariana Ingersoll
Krissan Jennings
Erik King
Karen Krehbiel
Sophia Ladouceur
John G. Levi
Deneese Walia Levin
Kim Lynch
Kerrie Maloney Laytin
Nicole Mann
Thomas Meyers
Anna Meytina-Lurye
Dara Milner
Philip Nevels, Cohort 5
Heidi Ortolaza-Alvear, Cohort 10
Abby Phelps
Janet Rauschenberger
Scott B. Rose
Stephanie Ross
Diane Saltoun
Errett Van Nice
Ramon Villalpando, Cohort 5
Directors Emeriti
Diana Aixalá
Richard J. Almeida
Bill Barker
Sally Carton
Paula H. Crown
Charles S. Gofen
Langdon D. Neal
Annmarie Neumeier
Eleanor Nicholson
Richard Rothkopf
Todd A. Smith
Tina Wardrop
Our Partner Schools
