Come work with us and change people’s lives.

— Bill Jackson, executive director of DPI

> Development

Introducing Suzanne Schoeneweiss, DPI’s New Director of Development

Q. Previously you worked at the Kellogg School of Man- agement at Northwestern. What about DPI enticed you to join?

The 10 years I spent working with Kellogg donors in Silicon Valley showed me the power of a strong tech ecosystem. When I learned about the opportunity to join DPI, I thought it was just what Chicago needed: an ambitious plan that brings the community together to boost the tech workforce, especially among under-represented groups, while building tech companies from scientific research.

Q. What was your favorite piece of technology growing up and why?

As a teenager in the ’80s, my Commodore 64 seemed revolutionary! I could actually write a paper and edit it as much as I wanted without having to type out every draft. My late-night studying was reduced quite a bit!

 

Q. What do you hope to achieve at DPI in 2022-23?

DPI is doing truly groundbreaking work by showing students a path that will allow them to develop their talents and gain ac- cess to a world of possibilities. I hope to find more forward-thinking individuals and organizations that will find joy in helping these students succeed.
Q. If you could give DPI’s planned new building a nickname, what would it be?
I would call it The Cocoon, a place where innovative ideas, technologies, and (most importantly) students’ potential are born.

> Our Greatest Needs

Our goal is to annually launch more than 7,000 people — half of whom are women or people of color — into high-paying tech careers in Illinois.

To achieve that goal, we need two things.

We need more companies working with us to hire tech talent. Our homegrown talent is a better investment than hiring an expensive headhunter to poach coders from other states. Together, we can build a more equitable world.

We need you or your company to join the ranks of Don and Anne Edwards, the Pritzker Foundation, Apple, Google, and the Walder Foundation in providing transformative philanthropic gifts or grants.

This is the headline we are aiming for:

Chicago Becomes
a Dominant Tech Hub

Help us make that possible. Contact me at suzannes@uif.uillinois.edu or Executive Director Bill Jackson at billjack@uillinois.edu to begin the conversation.

Suzanne Schoeneweiss
Director of Development

A special thank you to the Pritzker Foundation

DPI would especially like to thank the Pritzker Foundation and former U.S. Commerce Secretary and PSP Partners Chairman Penny Pritzker for their support during the earliest phases of DPI’s development.