40th Anniversary Luncheon
September 25, 2025 | Hilton Chicago
As we mark 40 years of impact, we invite you to join us for a powerful celebration of community, progress, and purpose. Our Annual Luncheon has long been a highlight, but this year, it is the centerpiece of our 40th Anniversary Campaign: Unite. Uplift. Unleash.
We will gather to honor the people and partnerships that brought us here and to fuel what comes next for gender equity in Chicago. From reflection to recommitment, this milestone event will channel the energy of our movement and the bold vision driving us forward.
Event Schedule
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: VIP Reception*
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Registration & Networking
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Program & Keynote
*By invitation only or $10,000+ sponsorship
Featured Speaker
Allyson Felix is the most decorated track and field athlete in U.S. history, with 11 Olympic and 20 World Championships medals.
Felix’s influence goes beyond the track. She is an investor, venture fund advisor, and the founder of Saysh. She serves on the Board of Directors for For All Mothers+ and Right to Play and partners with Voice in Sport, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and more.
She has fearlessly advocated for increased maternity protections and closing the gender pay gap.
Felix was named to TIME’s “100 Most Influential People of the Year” in 2020 and 2021 and Sports Illustrated’s “Unrelenting List.”
At the 40th Anniversary Luncheon, she will share her journey—from Olympic greatness and entrepreneurship to trailblazing advocacy—with attendees and inspire us to keep pushing for a more equitable future for women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
Become a Sponsor
Sponsoring the 40th Anniversary Luncheon is more than a show of support; it’s an investment in the future of gender equity. This milestone event brings together Chicago’s boldest changemakers to celebrate four decades of progress and to chart the path forward.
As a sponsor, you will help us unleash new possibilities for women, girls, and gender-expansive people across our region. Whether you have stood with us since the beginning or are joining us for the first time, your sponsorship will help fuel a movement that’s built to last. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ilda Lagunas, Director of Donor and Community Engagement, at ilagunas@cfw.org.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Our highest level of sponsorship includes two premium tables for 20 guests, an opportunity for a senior executive to speak during the event program, and the ability to distribute approved materials at the event. Title Sponsors also receive access for all guests to the VIP Reception and a full-page ad in the program book.
This sponsorship includes one reserved table for 10 guests, a speaking opportunity for a senior executive, and the option to share approved company materials at the event. Benefactor Sponsors also receive VIP Reception access for 10 guests and a full-page program book ad.
Action Sponsors receive one reserved table for 10 guests, the opportunity to distribute approved materials at the event, VIP Reception access for 10 guests, and a half-page ad in the program book.
Patron Sponsors enjoy one reserved table for up to 10 guests, access to the VIP Reception for 10 guests, and a half-page ad in the program book.
This sponsorship includes one reserved table for up to 10 guests and a half-page ad in the program book.
Friend Sponsors receive one reserved table for up to 10 guests and a quarter-page ad in the program book.
Host Committee
Interested in supporting the Luncheon as a Host Committee member?
Contact Inaara Sultanali at isultanali@cfw.org (subject line: Host Committee).
Thank you to this year’s Host Committee for their generous support and dedication to making the Anniversary Luncheon possible. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to championing this year’s celebration!
Ellen Benjamin
Marjorie Craig Benton
Kemery Bloom
Sunny Fischer
Norman B. Jones
George Kraniotis
Iris J. Krieg
Marcie Love
Carol Prins
Janice E. Rodgers
Gretchen M. Wolf
Ellen Benjamin
Marjorie Craig Benton
Kemery Bloom
Sunny Fischer
Norman B. Jones
George Kraniotis
Iris J. Krieg
Marcie Love
Carol Prins
Janice E. Rodgers
Gretchen M. Wolf
Thank you to our sponsors!
Title Sponsors
Fay Clayton
Benefactor Sponsors
Action Sponsors
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Patron Sponsors
Nancy Juda and
Jens Brasch
Norman B. Jones
Leader Sponsors
Catherine Braendel
Tanya Davis
Friend Sponsors
Valerie Sherman
The 40th Anniversary Luncheon is almost here!
Date and Location
September 25, 2025
Hilton Chicago
720 South Michigan Avenue
Program
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: VIP Reception*
*By invitation only or $10,000+ sponsorship
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Registration and Networking
12:00 – 1:30 PM: Program and Keynote