Young Women’s Impact Network: CHICAGO

Eva is passionate about building community, fostering meaningful connections, and strengthening ties within the Jewish community. While studying at Michigan State University, she served as a Hillel intern, deepening her involvement in Jewish life on campus. Her commitment grew further through her participation in the Onward Masa program during the summer of her junior year, where she developed a deeper connection to the global Jewish community.

Now based in Chicago, Eva is an active member of MEMGlobal and hosts events through her Moishe Pod, welcoming others into her home to celebrate Jewish life and culture. She is eager to continue expanding her network, meeting new people, and cultivating unity among Jewish women across the city.

Professionally, Eva has worked in strategy consulting, with a focus on the technology, non-profit, and higher education sectors. Outside of work, she enjoys playing padel, traveling, and diving into a good book.

Eliana has been an active member of the Jewish community throughout her life, from growing up in the Bay Area to staying involved during her time at the University of Rochester. After moving to Chicago two years ago, she has enjoyed building new connections and is excited to further foster community among young Jewish women through her role on the YWIN Chicago Board. In her free time Eliana loves traveling, reading, training for marathons, spending time outdoors and taking every opportunity to jump into Lake Michigan. 

Samantha Blumenthal grew up on the South Side of Chicago, where her family and education at Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School instilled in her a strong foundation in Jewish learning and identity. Growing up on Chicago's South Side gave her a deep appreciation for understanding people across differences, bridging perspectives, and building meaningful relationships across cultures and communities. She believes meaningful relationships begin with genuine conversation, shared experiences, and creating spaces where people feel empowered to share their stories. After spending much of her career bringing people together across teams, building trusted relationships, and turning ideas into action, Samantha is excited to bring those same strengths to the Young Women's Impact Network. She believes that strong communities are built when people feel welcomed, heard, and connected, and she is honored to help foster that sense of belonging for Jewish women across Chicago and beyond.

Professionally, Samantha is a commercial strategy and growth leader with experience leading go-to-market strategy, commercialization, and customer growth initiatives for Fortune 500 companies, including Grainger and Walmart. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Learning and Education Studies with a focus in Educational Equity at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before returning to Champaign to complete her MBA at the Gies College of Business. She is known for translating complex ideas into compelling stories, building trusted relationships across organizations, and aligning diverse stakeholders around a shared vision.

Outside of work, Samantha enjoys biking along Chicago's lakefront, playing tennis and guitar, attending live music and comedy shows, and spending time with friends, family and her dog, Oso.

Emily has always had a passion for surrounding herself within the Jewish community, specifically connecting with Jewish women. She was previously involved with Chicago’s JUF chapter, Northwestern Hillel and served on the board for Northwestern Challah for Hunger. She is an advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and she hopes to emphasize these passions through her programming work on the board. In her free time, Emily enjoys cooking, playing pickleball and tennis, reading and traveling. Since moving to Chicago in 2020, she has sought opportunities to connect with other Jewish women in the area which led her to join the YWIN.

Elise has always been a strong connector and communicator and first learned of JWI while living in Washington, DC. She was excited to remain connected to the organization when she moved to Chicago in 2022. Elise has always been involved with efforts to strengthen Jewish communities – from involvement with JCC’s Camp Seneca Lake to attending Jewish United Fund events to running the Chicago Marathon with Team Sharsheret. Outside of Chicago YWIN, Elise works for United Airlines in communications and marketing. She enjoys travel, being outside and spending time with friends. Originally from Cherry Hill, NJ, Elise went to University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a degree in journalism.

Born in Israel and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Karin is a proud Jewish woman with Ukrainian roots that have shaped her deep love for tradition and community. Her connection to Judaism grew through ten summers at JCC Camp Chi, years in BBYO, and serving on the Sigma Delta Tau board at the University of Illinois. Now living in Chicago, Karin is excited to keep building Jewish community as a board member of JWI’s Young Women’s Impact Network. She is a speech-language pathologist and loves yoga, reading, and spending time with her family! 

Sarah has always loved connecting with others and being involved in her local Jewish community, from growing up in Atlanta to college at Georgia Tech and now in Chicago for the last six years. She has previously been involved with different facets of Hillel, Chabad, and Olami through different leadership and membership roles. Sarah has a passion for celebrating holidays, connecting over Shabbat dinners, and volunteering with different organizations. She is excited to continue meeting new friends and building her Jewish identity as a board member of the JWI's Young Women's Impact Network. In her free time, Sarah loves reading, cooking, playing mahjong, and going for long walks. Professionally, she works in data analytics for a large food and beverage provider. 

Dani has always been involved in her local Jewish community, both in the Chicago suburbs and throughout her four years at the University of Michigan. She is excited to strengthen these connections as a member of the YWIN Chicago board. Dani has worked as a physical therapist in Chicago for the past 2.5 years after graduating from Northwestern University. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, walking, cooking and trying all of Chicago’s newest restaurants!

Amy has been involved in all aspects of Jewish community since she was young, starting with a foundation through traditions at home with her family. She first learned about JWI during her time in BBYO and followed by Sigma Delta Tau (including the JWI/OPI nail polish collab!) Amy is passionate about building community wherever she goes- you can often find her at Shabbat dinners and making new friends at young professional events around the city! Amy is currently a pediatric speech-language pathologist who enjoys reading, baking, and trying new workout classes. 

Anna Ceci is a first generation American whose parents moved to Chicago from Mexico City. Anna Ceci has always been proudly rooted in her Jewish identity and holds a passion for sharing her background and history with those around her in order to create informed dialogue and combat inaccurate stereotypes. 

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Noa attended the University of Tennessee, where the Jewish community was small. Seeking a deeper connection, she spent the summer between her junior and senior year in Tel Aviv through the Onward Masa internship, an experience that deepened her sense of connection to Israel and the global Jewish community. That connection stayed with her.

She carried it into law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she threw herself into Jewish student life, joining the Decalogue Society of Lawyers and eventually serving as President of the Jewish Law Student Association, creating space for Jewish students to connect throughout their studies. Building community, fostering meaningful connections, and strengthening Jewish ties have remained central to who she is ever since.

Noa passed the Illinois bar and now practices law in Chicago as an associate at Advitam IP, LLC, where she focuses on trademark prosecution, TTAB proceedings, and client counseling across a range of industries navigating IP protection.

When she's not working, you'll find her leading an indoor cycling class; fitness is as much a passion for her as her legal career.