Theme: Bridges

TEDxOakParkWomen is an annual lecture series that brings together forward-thinking and innovative women from the community to discuss important topics and new ideas worth spreading in the Oak Park area.

19th Century Club
178 Forest Avenue
Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
United States

ANA GARCIA DOYLE

Executive Director, One Earth Film Festival (a program of Green Community Connections

Ana likes to be future-facing. She believes there is no time like the present to focus on the future of our planet and of generations to come. As a founding member and Executive Director of Chicagoland’s One Earth Film Festival ("Moving Planet, Moving People"), she is thrilled to be working with an amazing team as it enters its 7th year. Over the past year and a half, and in light of longtime world events, she is captured by the critical work and promise that sits at the nexus of ecology and equity. Ana has spent more than 20 years in digital publishing, marketing, and strategy. She is an active leader in the zero waste schools initiative in Oak Park’s District97, speaks professionally on topics of sustainability, is a green homeowner together with her husband Jim and is proud mama to 3 sharp, sweet young greenies.

CATHY YEN

Executive Director Oak Park – River Forest Chamber of Commerce

Cathy is active in both communities’ economic development organizations, the Oak Park Business and Civic Council and Entrepreneurial Leaders in Philanthropy. Since settling in Oak Park in 1994, Cathy has held leadership positions in many community organizations, including the Oak Park Education Foundation, the Community Chest United Way, Girl Scouts and various parent organizations. In 2018, Cathy will be the one-hundredth President of the Rotary Club of Oak Park - River Forest. Cathy graduated from Princeton University with a degree in politics. She holds a Masters Degree in Asian Studies from University of California, Berkeley and a Masters in Business Administration from University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She was an early participant in Leadership Lab, a year-long community leadership program of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation.

EILEEN TIMMINS

Muscular Dystrophy Association – Chief People Officer, DePaul University Adjunct Professor, Ainglin – Founder and CEO

Eileen is an author, artist, professor, life coach, labyrinth builder and board member. She is the founder of Aingilin, LLC (which means little angel in Gaelic), and lives and works by Marshall Goldsmith’s credo:“If you aren’t opening doors for people, you are closing them!” She’s been opening doors as a senior global Human Resources executive for seventeen years to drive creative innovation, solve business challenges and lead global talent management for companies in the tech, finance and non-profit space. Eileen serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Prentice, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She has her Ph.D.,in Business and Organizational Management, and a MS in Organizational Development.

MICHAEL ALTHEIMER

Miro Development, President

Michael Altheimer is a real estate developer and investor who leads Miro Development. Michael is an alumnus of DePaul University and started his real estate career at the age of 20 while a Finance student. Michael's first series of transactions in early 2000 were structured as “buy, renovate and sell” projects located on Chicago’s Southside. After 2008, Michael pursued a strategy to increase the company's portfolio by rehabilitating multi-family properties. In addition, Michael created relationships with distressed investors in order to develop an exit strategy for distressed assets. His efforts led to over 200 of units being rehabbed between 2010-2016.

PATTY JOHNSON

Clinical Psychologist and Author

Patty Johnson is a health psychologist who enjoys writing about spirituality, culture, justice and other bizarre and beautiful intricacies of life. She has written for Girls’ Globe, Thrive Global, 500 Pens and other publications. Patty recently completed a memoir about her secret American boyfriend, her two very angry Indians parents who eventually find out, and the unraveling of the whole hot mess. This story has cultivated over years and has surely been one of Patty’s babies, minus the teenage drama. Speaking of teenage drama, Patty has two lovely daughters. Her husband is a patient guy and thankful the dog is a boy. She can be contacted at www.pjtemple.com.

SADIE BJORNSTAD

Pursuit of Chapter 2 (division of Pursuit+) Founder

Sadie is a veteran of healthcare marketing, with over 10 years of experience in professional pharmaceutical marketing. Sadie has supported brands that reach patients struggling with mental disorders such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, and most recently, patients with IBD. Sadie is also the founder of the women’s network, Eleo, which focuses on bringing resources and community for those going through a transition in their relationship. Sadie graduated with a Degree with Distinction from University of Delaware, where she received a scholarship to play Division 1 volleyball. She later received her MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Sadie is an avid beach volleyball player and yoga enthusiast. Sadie’s true joy comes from spending time with her daughter, working in the community, and being with her extended family