Our Team
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CO-CHAIRS
Benjamin J. Bornstein, MBA ’97, JD ’97
Aleksandra Efimova, OPM ’10
Anthony Chirchirillo, OPM ’03
CEO, Chirch Global
COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP
Rodrigo Garcia Ayala, MPA-ID ’18
Adam Malaty-Uhr, MA ’15
Amy Kabaria, BA ’08
The Chicago chapter of HAE was launched in 2015. In HAE Chicago’s first year of operations, the Chapter strategically began similarly exploring these priority areas in alignment with activities on campus. In addition, we added a focus area to reflect the uniqueness of our local Chicago Chapter: My Harvard.
A distinguishing characteristic of the founding members of HAE Chicago is our real-world experience as successful entrepreneurs. Collectively, our 10 founding members have centuries of experience and include alumni featured in Harvard Alumni Magazine and a Harvard Business School case study. Our membership’s success in the business and non-profit sectors is well documented. We understand that true entrepreneurship is experienced, not merely studied. Not surprisingly, as entrepreneurs, we also recognize a void in leadership on the topic of entrepreneurship among Harvard Alumni in Chicago.
An enduring principle of HAE Chicago is that our alumni recognize the obligation to our local community to help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their dreams, particularly in disadvantaged segments of our community. My Harvard is not a name on our resume, but a bridge to deliver the benefits of our transformative collective Harvard experience to help others.
Consistent with our mission and strategy to bring My Harvard to benefit our local communities, we have adopted several focus areas for HAE Chicago, including:
Cultural Entrepreneurship
Economic Development and Sustainable Employment
Education Innovation
Energy and Environment
Food System
Innovation in Sports
Our goal is to facilitate and encourage our Chapter alumni to select areas of personal interest…areas they believe in personally and passionately. We know firsthand that passion drives entrepreneurs. We ask our fellow alumni to join our collective group in bringing entrepreneurship to our Harvard community and to make an impact by leading. We aim to transform MY HARVARD into everyone’s Harvard…and ENJOY THE JOURNEY!
The making of an entrepreneurial community doesn't just happen. It takes hard work to create an environment where ideas flourish and companies succeed. Curious about how others have done it? Join Michael Madden '00, Managing Partner of The Yard Ventures, for a kick-off discussion on what it takes to foster a culture of growth.