Chicago Alumni Board Connect

Young woman and man sit next to each other at a desk staring onward smiling

For organizations focused on solving social and environmental problems, time and resources are often in short supply.

The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation’s Alumni Board Connect (ABC) program was designed to address this issue. 

ABC is a nonprofit board-matching initiative that combines a guided, cohort-based search for Chicago-area alumni with open networking mixers convening Booth alumni and nonprofits across the US.

For nonprofits, it’s a chance to access top-tier business insights and expertise. For alumni, it’s an opportunity to engage, network, and learn from fellow Booth graduates; to leverage their MBA to make an impact on issues they care about, and to accelerate social sector innovation.

Interested? Register for the virtual info session and mixer on January 15, 2026. 

By the Numbers

ABC has connected hundreds of Chicago-area nonprofits with Booth alumni looking to leverage their MBAs for social good. And in keeping with Booth’s multidisciplinary approach, we track our outcomes and the successes of our participating alumni and nonprofits

Harper Center

11

Number of years that ABC has connected Chicago area nonprofits with alumni

11
Harper Center

200+

Number of alumni who have been voted onto nonprofit boards of directors through ABC

200+
Harper Center

140+

Number of nonprofits that have gained board members through ABC

140+

Participate as a Booth Graduate

From addressing systemic poverty to expanding health-care access, organizations in the Chicago ABC network are leading vital social impact work across the city. Serving on the board of one of these nonprofits gives you the opportunity not only to grow your leadership skills and your network, but to take action in supporting causes that matter to you.

ABC offers two complementary paths for Booth graduates:

  1. A cohort-based experience for Chicago-area alumni, where a small group of participants move through a structured board search together. Cohorts meet once a month virtually to receive guidance on nonprofit governance and board readiness, are paired with an accountability peer, and are introduced to vetted Chicago-area nonprofits with board vacancies. 
  2. Virtual mixers that provide an easy opportunity for Booth alumni and nonprofits across the US to explore board service and meet about open roles.

You’ll have the chance to:

  • Connect with fellow alumni and community leaders to grow your own social sector knowledge and networks.
  • Create social impact by putting your Booth education to work.
  • Propel important social impact work through strategic projects across finance, marketing, governance, and more.

The Alumni Board Connect cohort is open to Chicago-area alumni who graduated from any Booth MBA program at least three years ago OR with 10+ years of work experience. Virtual mixers are open broadly to Booth MBA alumni and registered US nonprofits. 

Alumni applications for the 2026 Alumni Board Connect cohort will open in January.

The first mixer is scheduled for January 15, 2026.

Register here.

"The Alumni Board Connect program can help you find a way to support a cause you truly care about and ensure you'll be able to make a significant impact."
—Noam Avidov, ’15, Board Member, Association House of Chicago

Participate as a Nonprofit

Connecting with motivated candidates who have the right skills for your board of directors is a critical part of your organization’s long-term strategy, but it can be a difficult and time-consuming process. ABC streamlines the process by offering multiple, low-lift ways for nonprofits to connect with Booth alumni interested in board service.

Chicagoland Nonprofits:

  • Apply to be reviewed by a Chicagoland alumni in our guided cohort who are actively seeking new board opportunities. Selected organizations will be shared with alumni completing a structured, staff-assisted board search. In the application, you will describe the skill sets, financial and time commitments, and mission alignment you’re looking for in a board member.

All Nonprofits:

  • Join our mixers, which require no preparation nor materials. Simply show up to share your mission and talk about your board with Booth alumni.

The first ABC mixer is scheduled for January 15, 2026. 

Register here

"It can be challenging to find a diverse group of candidates for our board who can lend a variety of skills to help our organization grow. Chicago Booth alumni bring with them expertise that benefits our organization greatly."
—Steve Leaver, Executive Director, Imagination Theater

Meet our Executives in Residence

Learn from industry experts in the Rustandy Center’s network, who work closely with students as mentors and advisors and share insights from their experience in the social sector. Learn more about opportunities to engage with Dorri McWhorter and Todd Connor.

"It can be challenging to find a diverse group of candidates for our board who can lend a variety of skills to help our organization grow. Chicago Booth alumni bring with them expertise that benefits our organization greatly."
—Steve Leaver, Executive Director, Imagination Theater

Meet our Executives in Residence

Learn from industry experts in the Rustandy Center’s network, who work closely with students as mentors and advisors and share insights from their experience in the social sector. Learn more about opportunities to engage with Dorri McWhorter and Todd Connor.

Todd Connor

Todd Connor, MBA ’07, The William, ’88, and Alison Fitzgerald EIR for Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Board Service

Todd Connor, MBA ’07, is currently CEO of Veterans for all Voters, an organization he co-founded to fight political polarization and advocate for more political competition and choice for voters and is the founder of Bunker Labs, a national entrepreneurship organization dedicated to helping the military-connected community start and grow businesses in over 40 chapters across the United States. He is the founder of The Collective Academy, a leadership development consulting firm, as well as Emerson House, a luxe retreat venue in La Porte, Indiana. Todd also serves as the lead facilitator for the President George W. Bush Veteran Leadership Program in Dallas, Texas.

Todd Connor, MBA ’07, The William, ’88, and Alison Fitzgerald EIR for Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Board Service
Dorri McWhorter

Dorri McWhorter, Nonprofit Engagement

Dorri McWhorter is president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Most recently, McWhorter was CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, leading the 140-year-old social service agency's expansion of digital services and helped develop an exchange-traded fund (ETF) for women’s empowerment. A winner of innovation awards and a 20-year veteran in large-scale change management consulting, McWhorter was a partner at Crowe Horwath LLP and a senior leader at Snap-on Incorporated and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Dorri McWhorter, Nonprofit Engagement

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