THREAD a Forum for Nonprofit Leaders
THREAD: Together Having Resilience, Engagement, Action, and Direction
Presented by: HandsOn Suburban Chicago in collaboration with TEAM LEWIS
Every day, nonprofit leaders like you rise to meet growing needs with shrinking resources. The challenges are real. Tight budgets, small teams, shifting policies, and ever-increasing demands. It’s easy to feel stretched thin, or even alone.
Yet, you’re not alone. THREAD is here to bring us together.
THREAD is a half-day, in-person gathering designed for nonprofit leaders who want more than just another networking event. This is a space for real connection, honest conversation, and practical action. Together, we’ll move from sharing our challenges to building solutions side by side.
Our conversations will be rooted in the real needs of the communities within Northern Cook County, ensuring our solutions are locally relevant and actionable.
What to Expect
This isn’t just a discussion. It’s a hands-on, facilitated forum where you will:
- Identify and share the most urgent challenges facing your organization and community.
- Discover shared struggles and new opportunities for partnerships.
- Hear from TEAM LEWIS experts about tools and tips to create actionable communications, marketing, and digital strategies.
- Develop messages and campaigns that amplify our collective voice. You’ll walk out not just with ideas, but with resources and new allies.
Why THREAD Matters
Leading a nonprofit can feel relentless. However, when we come together, we find strength, inspiration, and new ways forward. THREAD is about more than improving operations. It’s about lifting up our communities, together.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m
District 214 Building Forest View Educational Center
Arlington Heights, IL
Cost to Attend: Free
We understand that these are challenging times, and financial strain shouldn’t be a barrier to connection and growth. That’s why we’re offering this event at no cost—because your presence matters most. If you’re in a position to contribute, we kindly invite you to donate $10 or more to help offset event expenses. Every contribution supports our ability to keep events like this accessible to all.
Why Should I Attend?
Shape the conversation:
Your voice matters. Help set our shared priorities.
Gain practical strategies:
Walk away with tools, campaign ideas, and plans you can use now.
Collaborate with peers:
Build relationships with leaders who understand your challenges.
Amplify your impact:
Learn how to attract more funding, volunteers, and partners.
Be part of advocacy:
Help craft messages and content that tell our sector’s story.
Who Should Attend?
Senior Leadership
Village leaders who work directly with community needs
Nonprofit CEOs and Executive Directors
Ready to Join Us?
If you’re leading a nonprofit, you belong in this room. Let’s move forward together.
Space is limited, so reserve your spot today.
If you have any questions or comments in advance of the forum, please contact our Chief Executive Officer, Chris Swope Cholewa at chris@handsonsuburbanchicago.org
We want to hear from you. Your insights and experiences will help shape the day. Please take a moment to fill out our 5 minute, pre-event survey. Your input will:
- Highlight the most pressing local issues.
- Guide our forum discussions.
- Ensure our solutions are grounded in your reality.
Forum Presenters
Inez is Vice President of the TEAM LEWIS Foundation, and is known for her emotional intelligence and dedication to helping others grow. She holds a master’s from Stanford and has led her own multimedia production company. Inez has directed, written, and produced documentary series for Frontline, PBS, and state and federal law enforcement training. Her work covers legal, medical, political, and social justice topics.
Inez has appeared on and hosted multiple podcast series, with topics ranging from developing women’s leadership skills to elder abuse. She always brings warmth, humor, and insight to her conversations. She is a leader in educational administration, with a strong track record in independent schools.
She has extensive expertise coaching leaders globally, helping individuals and teams thrive across cultures and continents. Inez is passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations. Inez believes strong relationships and genuine connections are the foundation of any successful venture. She is a sought-after public speaker and co-author of The Silent Rebellion: Becoming a Modern Leader, written with Chris Lewis, Founder and CEO of TEAM LEWIS.
Michael is a former broadcast news producer turned PR professional. For the last twelve years, he has led PR programs for clients in the supply chain, retail, technology, transportation and association space. He brings unique knowledge of rapidly evolving industries and complex communication strategies for niche audiences. Prior to entering the world of public relations, Michael worked in television news at ABC affiliates in the Midwest which gives him unique insight into the storytelling process and the ability to craft pitches that attract the interest of reporters and producers.
Meagan has 12 years of experience in public relations and media relations for B2B tech companies, spanning autonomous vehicles and quantum computing to data integrity and sustainable tech and everything in between.
In her current role, Meagan oversees PR programs focusing on building and driving tier-one media relations programs, elevating executive profiles, and developing strategic campaigns to elevate companies’ profiles and key messages. She also leads advanced media training programs to help executives hone their stories and messaging for a broad range of media.
Based in Chicago, she has worked with companies like Honeywell, Schneider Electric, Dentons, RRD (formerly R.R. Donnelley), Workiva, Precisely and adMarketplace, among many others.
Aaron Lewis, possessing over 6 years of experience as a public relations professional, specializes in high level, go-to-market communications for cybersecurity, energy, and technology companies, with a proven track record of elevating brand visibility and securing high-impact media coverage. His expertise lies in crafting compelling narratives that resonate with technical and business audiences alike, helping clients navigate complex industries and communicate with authority in competitive markets.
At TEAM LEWIS, Aaron leads strategic communications programs for clients across critical infrastructure, technology, and security sectors, overseeing media strategy, thought leadership, and integrated campaign execution. Servicing clients such as BioCatch, Axonius, JFrog, Schneider Electric and more, Aaron represents a plethora of advanced service and infrastructure-based tech organizations pushing the boundaries of innovative solutions that make the world more efficient and more secure.
Marliese is an emerging public relations specialist in the B2B tech space with a focus on cybersecurity, IT, supply chain, and energy management. As a Campaign Executive at TEAM LEWIS, she supports media strategy and execution across several accounts, including BioCatch, JumpCloud, and Schneider Electric. Known for her detail-oriented approach and collaborative spirit, Marliese is passionate about helping clients navigate complex narratives and drive impactful media coverage in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Marliese brings a unique blend of public relations and advertising experience, having previously worked with global brands such as Disney, Panasonic, and Vertiv on creative and media campaigns. Her expertise spans media relations, campaign development, and strategic communications for established enterprises, innovative technology companies, and emerging franchises.
Presented by:
TEAM LEWIS is a global communications, PR, and digital marketing agency. Their team brings expertise in marketing, storytelling, audience engagement, and impact amplification. At THREAD, their facilitator will guide us through an interactive process to help nonprofits turn challenges into real solutions.
