Liz has operated as the HR Director for Northshore University HealthSystem for the last three years. Liz serves as a strategic business partner, focused on employee relations, for all non-hospital based customers including the Research Institute, Corporate functions, Foundation and Medical Group which includes over 100 physician practices and a 200+ employee call center.
With over 19 years of professional human resources experience, Liz provides counsel and support to her customers to help them achieve strategic and operational goals, while mitigating risk. Along with a strong business acumen, her comprehensive background in HR management, recruitment, retention, compensation, labor relations, policy interpretation, training and communication has resulted in strong and trusting relationships with her customers.
Liz holds a B.S. in Psychology and a M.S. in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Liz is currently the Director of Talent Development at Sprout Social, Inc. She is passionate about building strategies and initiatives focused on solving business and people challenges. She is exceptionally strong as a practitioner in employee selection and assessment, talent management, organizational development, change management, survey design and analysis, and training. Liz has demonstrated success in working across the business at all levels developing trust and building effective partnerships. Liz is also an Adjunct Instructor at Valparaiso University, where she is extremely passionate toward teaching Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology to undergrads.
Prior to Sprout, Liz served as the Director of Culture and Organizational Development at Cision where she was responsible for strategizing, developing, and implementing all culture, employee engagement and organizational development initiatives. She has also has led Talent Development at Optiver, Inc. and was a Consultant at Wonderlic, Inc.
Liz received her BS in Psychology from Valparaiso University as well as her Master’s Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. When Liz isn’t working solving people challenges or teaching the next generation, she enjoys traveling with her husband Dan. She’s also an overly ambitious home renovator when it comes to her new, old home.
Andrew is the Director of Operations at Bathwraps by Liners Direct and is a proven leader with extensive experience in product management, project management, operations, and process improvement. His superior track record in increasing operational efficiencies, obtaining sustainable cost savings, and implementing new programs to increase sales revenue and key metrics is exemplary of his character.
His previous works as Director of Marketing Operations at The Warranty Group and Project Manager for Empire Today have provided Andrew with the skills and experience to get him to where he is today. At Empire, he reduced stock-out occurrences (by 95% while saving 25-30 hours of time per week) by developing and implementing an inventory replenishment model while working with operations and purchasing associates. At The Warranty Group Andrew designed, developed, and delivered training classes to introduce project management framework and tools into the organization to set standards, while also developing a project dashboard reporting resource which was implemented across multiple countries.
Andrew honed his groundbreaking skills at Marquette University, where he graduated with a Bachelors in Marketing and Organizational Management in 1993, and then earning his Masters in Business Administration in 1994.
George is a human resources executive with over 20 years of consulting and operational experience. He has a unique combination of strengths, including education and experience in technology and organizational psychology. George actively influences organizational change, developing and implementing innovative strategies in support of workforce engagement. He transcends conventional management practice to generate immediate and long-term results and transforms traditional HR departments into value-adding business partners contributing to bottom-line organizational success.
George has designed and delivered hundreds of presentations to a variety of professional groups of between 10 – 500 individuals. Topics have included Communication, Motivation, Leadership, Diversity, Team Development and Performance Management.
George holds an M.A. in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from the University of Tulsa and a B.S. in Psychology and Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Deanna SaloIf you ask Deanna Salo about her 25-plus-year career with Cray Kaiser, she will eventually share stories of the mergers and acquisitions she has overseen. In due time, she will tell you about the succession plans, audits and internal control reviews. But first, Deanna will reflect on the lives that she and her firm have touched.
In her mind, every financial report is linked to a person or family. So while it is true that Deanna grew up professionally at Cray Kaiser—joining in 1986, fresh from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s in Accountancy—Cray Kaiser has also grown with her. Deanna, a recipient of the prestigious AABE award, has instilled a people-centric approach in every corner of the firm.
A CK Principal since 2001, Deanna executes assurance, strategic and tax planning services across the client portfolio. For closely held and family-owned businesses, she focuses on the value she can bring to the family and owners. For nonprofit clients, she manages internal control procedures, budgeting, governance issues and audit compliance procedures. Deanna has also handled special M&A engagements on the buy and sell sides.
Leading Cray Kaiser’s relationship with the Chicago Family Business Council at DePaul University, Deanna is a past chair to the Strategic Partner Committee and presently serves on its Finance Committee. Given her investment in the success of family-owned businesses, it should come as no surprise that members of the organization practically have Deanna on speed dial.
Community: Executive Board Member, DuPage Area Education to Careers/Technical Preparation; Chairperson, DuPage Student Leadership Academy; Director, Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County; Executive Board Member, Empowering Women Network.