NextGroup, LLC

"You never know when you are going to meet a Fierce Woman (am I right?). My husband and I had the bucket list trip of a lifetime last week to Iceland with our friends and two other couples who they knew well. This can be a risk, but we all hit it off from the get-go. Everyone was amazing, but I found the work and story of Cathy Kenworthy (Catherine) to be the model of what it means to be a Fierce Woman. Cathy has had a long and impressive career from her degrees at Georgetown and MIT to moving up the career ranks in financial services and healthcare corporations including JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, McKinsey, Cardinal Health and others. But her most recent leadership role as CEO of ConceiveAbilities truly marries her operational and management skills with deep care and passion to help families fulfill their dreams. I had never heard of ConceiveAbilities but after spending time with Cathy and learning a bit more, the team there, with her leadership, has built a comprehensive surrogacy program that honors surrogate, egg donor and intended partners fully and understands that what they are doing truly is life and death. From a management perspective, I am awed at how Cathy and her team can inject best practice around scaling an operation nationally (ConceiveAbilities is promoted as the largest surrogacy agency in the US) while maintaining the highest level of service and care. Cathy is of course very humble about her accomplishments and role in the growth of the agency. But, even though I was hearing this as we trekked a glacier (fierce and awe-inspiring in its own right), I could tell that her entire career has led to this level of impact. In a space so essential and yet so fragile as this, Cathy Kenworthy is truly a fierce woman and leader for the cause of families." -Candance Chow, NextGroup CoFounder

Meet the Reserves: Susan Behrmann, originally from the Detroit area, holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Michigan. She has a diverse range of administrative and organizational skills and has worked as a Labor Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. During her tenure, she conducted comprehensive analyses on collective bargaining, compensation, and benefit trends. Additionally, Susan showcased her editing expertise by overseeing a monthly publication. She also has experience as a compensation analyst, paralegal/office manager and real estate broker. Her current focus is on the pet care industry, specializing in dogs and cats. Want to work wtih great talent like Susan? Hire the Reserves for your short term, freelance or project-based needs! https://lnkd.in/gaTub7Nz

One of NextGroup's most long-standing clients is in immediate need for a contract-to-hire payroll processing analyst to work 30 hours per week in a hybrid working environment in Lake Forest. If you know of someone who would be a good fit for this role, please have them contact Shana@nextgroupus.com as soon as possible. This is a great firm with operations here and throughout North America.

Check out our upcoming workshops and events! https://lnkd.in/d6Hf3g2t

#Hiring: The City of Highland Park is hiring a #fulltime onsite Sustainability Manager. e Sustainability Manager will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of programs and policies to meet the objectives outlined in the City’s 2023-2027 Sustainability Plan. The salary band for this position is $66-82,500 annually. Take a look at the full job description here: https://lnkd.in/gJwMsHKw

Register for our Nov. 7 workshop with Lisa Lanier of the Lanier Leadership Group. She'll be teaching how to power up your executive presence. https://lnkd.in/dFrXaemi

Register for NextGroup's special LinkedIn workshop with Amanda Doblin. She'll be teaching us how to use the platform during a pivot. https://lnkd.in/gtAERSRJ

Celebrate the top innovators in the Chicago region at the 23rd annual Chicago Innovation Awards on November 14th. The event convenes leaders from corporations, startups, government, investors and key stakeholders who drive Chicago's innovation ecosystem forward. RSVP at https://lnkd.in/gBPUfcFj

Join the Evanston Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 6 for a Women in Business “She Changed It” panel, an event highlighting female professionals who have navigated significant career changes. NextGroup's Patty Barbato will be speaking on the panel. NextGroup is a proud member of the Evanston Chamber, helped with the search for their new ED and are thrilled to be sharing our knowledge on this panel. https://lnkd.in/g9J4zt6s

"Deborah Kasindorf joined the Evanston History Center as its Executive Director about a year ago and has already had a huge impact in raising awareness for this national historic landmark that recently celebrated its 125 anniversary! Deborah's creativity and marketing skills, as a former marketing director for the Starbucks Coffee Company, have breathed new life into the Dawes House and the History Center. Deborah also held several leadership roles in museums in New Jersey and New York as she took her extensive communications and external relations experience to the arts world. In the fall of 2023, Deborah moved to Evanston with her husband, and joined EHC as its Executive Director. Just new on the scene, In June, she and her team launched The inaugural ReFashioning History Open where Chicagoland fashion designers and creators took inspiration from a curated selection of objects from our extensive, historically significant costume collection and created a new look of their own. Four winners were presented with prizes as part of a fashion design showcase and juried competition. I can't wait to see this new tradition continue and more to be dreamt into being through Deborah's energy and skill. You can still catch the exhibition as it has been extended through October 18 for Chicago Fashion Week. Evanston has become known for so many great things, including fashion! Here's to a new visionary leader on the Evanston scene and a true Fierce Woman!" - Candance Chow, CoFounder, NextGroup