Erikson Luncheon 2025
Thank You for Your Support!
We are honored by the presence and generosity of all who attended the 2025 Seeds of Joy Luncheon. Your commitment to growing stronger families and healing communities plants hope for generations to come. A special thank you to Dr. Kira Banks for her inspiring message and to Weston Kieschnick for guiding a meaningful conversation about nurturing joy, resilience, and healing.
Make a Meaningful Difference
2025 Annual Luncheon
Erikson’s 2025 Annual Luncheon was a remarkable gathering centered on nurturing young children holistically, ensuring every child has a solid foundation to grow up joyful, happy, and healthy. On November 11, 2025, more than 250 attendees came together at the Theater on the Lake to support this important cause and celebrate Erikson’s ongoing commitment to children and families.
A Message from our President
“At Erikson, we believe that belonging is the foundation of learning, that culture and language are assets to be celebrated, and that justice must be woven into every policy, every practice, every classroom.
And in this moment — when children and families are navigating unprecedented challenges, when educators and clinicians are stretched thin, and when inequities continue to deepen — our work is more needed than ever.”
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Erikson Institute’s 2025 Luncheon sponsors for their profound commitment to the children, families, and communities we serve.
Founding Partners
Anonymous
Gail Basch & Eric Adelstein
Mr. & Mrs. Norman Bobins, The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation
Rick and Dee Dee Chesley, DLA Piper
Sabrina Gracias, Ortus Foundation
GCM Grosvenor
The Harris Family Foundation
Judy & Ray McCaskey
Cari & Michael Sacks
Sandy & Will Sterling
Benefactors
Ikram & Joshua Goldman
Shawn & Lewis Ingall
Lori & Ross Laser
Liz Lefkofsky
The Malkin Family
Peggy & Yung Bong Lim
Kate Neisser
Joy Segal, Anne E. Leibowitz Fund
Sara Crown Star
Patty Walsh
Susan & Bob Wislow
Sheri & Sherwin Zuckerman
Patrons
Joseph & Bessie Feinberg
Foundation Northern Trust
Mariana Souto-Manning, PhD & A. Kyle Mack, MD
Best Practice Solutions
Jenni Sorenson
Susan Stone & Jonathan Kahn
Elenne Song & Soheil Esmailzadeh
Advocates
Catherine Adduci
Bank of America
Elizabeth Browne
Macol & Jose Cerda
Michelle Collins
Wilson Garling Foundation
Mark Hancock
The Herr Foundation
Katherine Mann & Mitchell J. Lederer
Ann Liston
Diane Goldstick Meagher & Tom Meagher
Charles R. Middleton
Mesirow
Carole Robertson Center for Learning
Schiller DuCanto & Fleck
Chris Segal
Start Early
James C. Tyree Foundation
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
Luncheon Co-chairs
Special Thanks to our Luncheon Committee
Eric Adelstein, Board Chair
Jenni Sorenson, Development Chair
Kathy Richland Pick, Trustee
Erikson Institute proudly recognizes our
valued corporate sponsors:
Celebrating Erikson’s Mission
On October 22 2024, more than 375 attendees came together at the Marriott Marquis to support mental health, drawing attention to its vital role in early childhood development.