All Topics in Chicago

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  • Master Networking for your business

    Dan Gelfond, Former Steven Spielberg Project Interviewers, Personal History Interviews

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Business

    Join Dan Gelfond, a master networker with 28+ years of experience building his business almost entirely through networking. As moderator of the Northbrook Chamber’s “First Friday” networking meeting for the past 25 years (averaging 110 attendees monthly), Dan brings proven, practical strategies you can use immediately.
    What you’ll learn:
    Clear, actionable do’s — and even more important don’ts — for effective networking
    How to craft and perfect a compelling elevator pitch MORE >

    Practical tips to maximize your ROI from every networking opportunity
    Format:
    Fun, interactive seminar tailored for companies or organizations with sales staffs.
    Hands-on exercises, real-world examples, and time for Q&A.

    For companies with sales staff in multiple locations, seminar can be conducted via Zoom.

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  • When Authoritarianism Stops Being Abstract: Trump’s Presidency and the New Resistance to Strongman Politics

    Ed Spire, Co-lead, Restore our Democracy Project, NWSOFA-Indivisible

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Educational

    For years, warnings about democratic erosion could feel abstract. Under Donald Trump, authoritarian tactics — attacks on institutions, personal rule through decree, aggressive tariff wars, and now the extreme deployment of military force — have become concrete. That concreteness is frightening many citizens, elites, and institutions into action, both in the US and in Europe. Come learn how this is happening, and how you can help make it happen faster. MORE >

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  • Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement?

    Thomas Perrucci, Medicare Benefits Advisor, Premier Medicare Benefits

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Health & Fitness

    If you're on Medicare and seeking additional coverage beyond what Medicare offers, you may be considering whether to opt for a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement plan. Understanding the differences between these two options, their costs, and which one may be better suited for your needs can be overwhelming. Premier Medicare Benefits, led by Tom Perrucci, is here to assist you in comparing these two plans, comprehending how they function, identifying their distinctions, and ultimately guiding you to select the most suitable plan based on your needs, risk personality and budget.
    Tom Perrucci is a seasoned professional in the health insurance industry, specializing in helping clients navigate the complexities of Medicare. With a focus on building trust and prioritizing client needs, Tom goes above and beyond to ensure his clients receive the best possible Medicare options tailored to their specific requirements, financial situation, and eligibility criteria. By treating his clients with the same care and dedication as he would his own parents, Tom guarantees a personalized and reliable service that puts client well-being first.
    Tom, a 37+ year resident of the NW Suburbs, is a dedicated business owner, husband, father, and grandfather. Tom and his wife Jackie are seniors and have had personal experiences with a variety of different plans, so Tom can also provide a unique consumer perspective; something which is usually hard to find among agents.
    Apart from helping seniors with insurance needs, Tom also doubles as the Chicago Wedding Guy, providing heartfelt wedding officiant services on weekends. MORE >

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  • Medicare 101

    Thomas Perrucci, Medicare Benefits Advisor, Premier Medicare Benefits

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Health & Fitness

    Tom Perrucci is a seasoned professional in the health insurance industry, specializing in helping clients navigate the complexities of Medicare. With a focus on building trust and prioritizing client needs, Tom goes above and beyond to ensure his clients receive the best possible Medicare options tailored to their specific requirements, financial situation, and eligibility criteria. By treating his clients with the same care and dedication as he would his own parents, Tom guarantees a personalized and reliable service that puts client well-being first.
    Tom, a 37+ year resident of the NW Suburbs, is a dedicated business owner, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather. Tom and his wife Jackie are seniors and have had personal experiences with a variety of different plans, so Tom can also provide a unique consumer perspective; something which is usually hard to find among agents.
    Apart from helping seniors with insurance needs, Tom also doubles as the Chicago Wedding Guy, providing heartfelt wedding officiant services on weekends. MORE >

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  • Not Another Workshop: What School Leaders Actually Need

    Susan Close, LCPC, LMHC, Owner | Psychotherapist, Susan Close Psychotherapy & Wellness

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Educational

    School leaders are often asked to attend one more training, one more initiative, one more workshop—while already running on empty. This is different. A restorative, practical experience designed to help school leaders exhale, reconnect with themselves, and leave feeling lighter than they arrived. Through reflection, nervous system reset tools, meaningful connection, and realistic strategies for boundaries and sustainability, participants receive what they rarely get: support. MORE >

    No endless slides. No performative participation. No added burden. Just something genuinely helpful.
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  • Love on Trial: When Relationship Therapy Feels Like a Courtroom

    Susan Close, LCPC, LMHC, Owner | Psychotherapist, Susan Close Psychotherapy & Wellness

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement

    Many couples come into conflict believing they are arguing about the same issue—but often they are trying to solve entirely different problems. One person is fighting for reassurance. The other is fighting for fairness. One wants understanding. The other wants the argument to end. In this witty, eye-opening presentation, psychotherapist Susan Close shares what she has learned from years in the therapy room, where conflict can sound less like connection and more like cross-examination. MORE >

    With humor, relatable stories, and practical tools, Susan helps audiences recognize common traps like mindreading, defensiveness, scorekeeping, assumption-making, and trying to win instead of understand.

    Attendees leave with strategies to slow conflict down, communicate more effectively, and move from opposition to partnership.

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  • Beyond Blame: How Men and Women Are Both Struggling in Modern Love

    Susan Close, LCPC, LMHC, Owner | Psychotherapist, Susan Close Psychotherapy & Wellness

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement

    Modern relationships are full of confusion, pressure, resentment, and mixed expectations. Instead of blaming one another, this refreshing and balanced presentation explores how both men and women are navigating new emotional realities, changing roles, and unmet needs. Susan offers practical insight into communication, connection, and how couples can move from conflict to understanding.

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  • Wait… Could I Have Trauma? The Hidden Ways Survival Shapes Adult Life

    Susan Close, LCPC, LMHC, Owner | Psychotherapist, Susan Close Psychotherapy & Wellness

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Self-Improvement

    Most people think trauma only refers to extreme events, but unresolved survival patterns often show up as anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, burnout, emotional reactivity, and repeating painful relationship dynamics. In this eye-opening and hopeful presentation, Susan helps audiences understand the overlooked ways trauma can shape adult life and offers practical first steps toward healing, regulation, and change. MORE >

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  • You Never Said Anything: Why High Performers Get Passed Over

    Rosie Zilinskas, Keynote Speaker | Certified High-Performance Coach, No Woman Left Behind

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Business

    High-performing women in corporate roles deliver real results every day. And yet, many of them are still not being recognized and rewarded at the level they have earned. MORE >

    It is not because they lack talent. It is not because they lack confidence. It is because of the Articulation Gap: the distance between the impact they create and the impact leadership recognizes and rewards.

    In this keynote, Rosie Zilinskas reveals why strong work alone does not lead to advancement, and what high-performing women can do about it. Drawing from over 30 years of corporate leadership experience, including Executive Vice President at AIG Private Client Group, Rosie delivers a practical, story-driven talk that resonates with women across industries and leadership levels.

    Her structured approach is built on three pillars:
    ~ Clarity: knowing your impact in measurable terms
    ~ Composure: delivering your impact when the pressure is on
    ~ Conviction: directing your impact to the people who make decisions about your career

    What attendees will walk away with:
    ~ A name for the invisible problem that has been stalling their careers
    ~ The ability to translate task language into impact language that leadership responds to
    ~ A clear, repeatable structure for articulating their value in performance reviews, leadership conversations, and interviews
    ~ The knowledge that they were never behind. They simply had not been taught how to say what they do in the language that gets recognized and rewarded

    Ideal for:
    ~ Mid-level to senior women in corporate roles (Director, VP, Senior Manager)
    ~ High-performing women in finance, insurance, and structured performance-driven organizations
    ~ Women's leadership summits and ERG events
    ~ Corporate learning series and leadership development programs
    ~ Association meetings and industry conferences

    Rosie Zilinskas is a keynote speaker, Certified High Performance Coach, and StoryBrand Certified Guide. She is the Incoming President of the NSA Illinois Chapter (July 2026) and host of the No Woman Left Behind podcast.

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  • Own the Interview: Preparation That Reduces Anxiety

    Rosie Zilinskas, Keynote Speaker | Certified High-Performance Coach, No Woman Left Behind

    TOPIC CATEGORY: Business

    Interviews do not have to feel overwhelming. This hands-on session gives you a practical system to prepare for any interview and show up feeling calmer, clearer, and more in control. The session also introduces free AI tools like ChatGPT for ongoing interview practice. No tech experience needed. Whether you are changing careers, preparing for a promotion, or navigating an unexpected job search, you will leave with a clear plan and renewed self-assurance. MORE >

    What attendees will walk away with:
    ~ How to build a Story Vault of accomplishments so you have clear, structured examples ready for any question
    ~ Confidence-building opening phrases to start strong and command attention
    ~ Three strategies for responding when you are unsure how to answer a question, so you never freeze or go blank
    ~ How to create a 90-Day Plan that signals readiness and forward thinking to a hiring manager
    ~ A simple pre-interview routine to manage nerves and stay grounded on interview day
    ~ Access to a custom AI interview practice coach for continued preparation after the session

    Ideal for:
    ~ Job seekers at any career stage
    ~ Career changers and professionals reentering the workforce
    ~ Mid-career professionals preparing for internal interviews or promotions
    ~ Anyone who feels anxious or underprepared walking into interviews
    ~ Libraries, workforce development programs, community organizations, and corporate learning events

    Presented by Rosie Zilinskas, a Certified High Performance Coach and former Executive Vice President who has sat on both sides of the interview table during 30+ years of corporate leadership at AIG Private Client Group.

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