Abigayil Joseph is the CEO of the Bolhous Foundation for Women and Girls, a private philanthropic institution headquartered in Chicago, committed to breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Driven by this mission for almost three decades, she has innovated new legislation, policies, programs, and initiatives to achieve education equity and increase access to economic opportunity across the country. She learned early on as a grassroots organizer how to center community voice for systems change, a transformational experience that led to executive roles for the Chicago Public Schools, City of Chicago and the Children First Fund. In addition to the public sector, Abigayil worked in the tech, private equity and global affairs sectors prioritizing a social impact agenda.

For her achievements as a leader and innovator, Abigayil has been a featured moderator, panelist and speaker for public and private institutions across the country, served as a keynote speaker for the Harvard School of Education Graduation and the University of Chicago International Women’s Day. She was recognized in the 2010 book by Pamela Meyer From Workplace to Playspace: Innovating, Learning and Changing Through Dynamic Engagement, and was similarly featured in the Harvard Ed. Magazine, Q&A with Abigayil Joseph, ED.M.’99 by Andrew Baud.

An active member of her community, she was elected to her local school board, and appointed as Co-President of the PTA of her over 4,000 student public high school. She also serves/ served on various boards, in both chair positions and advisory roles for the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Club of Chicago, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Joffrey Academy, Pitch In: Wood Family Foundation, Youth Guidance WOW, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago Foundation for Women Impact Awards, and the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Policy.

Abigayil graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Emory University and holds a Master’s in Education Policy from Harvard University.

Kathy Bolhous is Chairman and CEO of Charter Next Generation (CNG) a manufacturer of specialty film used in food and medical packaging. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, the company operates 15 manufacturing plants across the United States.

Kathy has led CNG through significant growth. Under her leadership, the company’s valuation has soared from $58 million to over $4.5 billion in 2023. It has also become a frontrunner in sustainability – designing films for recyclability and investing in efforts to reduce plastic waste. With support from private equity partners Leonard Green and KKR, Kathy championed an all-employee ownership program in 2021.

With more than three decades of experience in manufacturing, Kathy is a trailblazer and role model for women in the industry. In 2022, she established the Bolhous Foundation to empower low-income girls and women by removing barriers to success from early education through career development.

For her achievements as CEO and her advocacy of women and girls, Kathy was named Outstanding Leader in Business by YWCA Metropolitan Chicago in 2023. She and CNG also jointly received the Chicago Foundation for Women’s Outstanding Corporate Citizen Impact Award for supporting women’s economic development. Kathy won EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 Midwest Award and was a finalist in the national competition. In 2021 she earned a spot on Forbes inaugural ‘50 Over 50’ list of successful female founders, leaders and CEOs.