Julianna Slager, Ballet 5:8
Julianna Slager is a choreographer, director, and artistic leader whose work lives at the intersection of art, faith, and storytelling. Through Ballet 5:8, she creates spaces where dance is both excellent and meaningful—inviting audiences into reflection, conversation, and transformation. Her work has been recognized across the arts field, including being named a National Visiting Fellow at the School of American Ballet (2023), receiving multiple Illinois Arts Council grants, and earning a DCASE Individual Artist Grant. Her work has also been featured by major media outlets and is praised for its originality and emotional depth.
Rather than a single accomplishment, Julisnna is most proud of the culture she has cultivated—one that challenges artists toward excellence while forming them as whole people. She began to realize she was “changing the game” as audiences responded not just to performance quality, but to how deeply they felt seen and moved.
Navigating leadership as a woman has required balancing strength and tenderness. Today, she leads with clarity, conviction, and intentional care. Her advice: pursue substance over visibility and build something true to who you are.
Jameka Williams-Muhammad, USA Masters Track & Field National Champion
Jameka Williams-Muhammad is a national champion track athlete and owner of Anointed Hands Physical Therapy, where her passion for movement and performance extends beyond the track. As a USA Masters Track & Field National Champion hurdler, she has earned multiple national titles and podium finishes, consistently ranking among the top athletes in her division across the country. Competing in both indoor and outdoor events, she exemplifies speed, precision, and longevity at an elite level.
What sets Jameka apart is her ability to sustain peak performance while balancing entrepreneurship and community impact. Her journey reflects discipline, resilience, and a commitment to growth—qualities that have defined both her athletic and professional success.
Through her achievements, she is redefining what it means to be an athlete, proving that greatness is not limited by age, but driven by mindset and consistency.
Brittany Kaup, Kaup Builders
Brittany Kaup is a fifth-generation home builder, female general contractor, and co-founder of Kaup Homes. With over 15 years of experience, she has worked hands-on through every stage of residential construction, from planning and design to collaborating directly with homeowners. Her perspective as a mother of three shapes her philosophy: homes should be functional, welcoming, and designed for real life.
Currently, Kaup is leading her first full-scale development under Kaup Homes, a 58-lot community set to debut in New Lenox in Spring 2026. While she has contributed to countless projects, this milestone marks her leadership of a project entirely under her guidance, continuing her family’s long-standing legacy in home building.
Her approach has always been collaborative, prioritizing transparency, trust, and the unique needs of each family. After overcoming early career challenges in a male-dominated industry, Kaup now leads with resilience, integrity, and encouragement, fostering environments where clients, partners, and team members feel respected and supported.
Her advice to aspiring women leaders: embrace challenges, trust your abilities, and let doubt fuel growth. Surround yourself with mentors and allies, and build a path guided by your own vision and values.
Sherri Heckenast, Dirt Oval 66
Sherri Heckenast, owner of Dirt Oval 66, grew up immersed in her family’s auto parts and recycling business on Chicago’s South Side, where she learned every role from the ground up. After stepping in to help run the business following her father’s health crisis, she developed resilience and earned respect in a male-dominated industry through hard work and determination. She later helped lead the company through a successful sale, marking a pivotal career milestone.
Her journey into motorsports was a natural extension of her upbringing. A former racecar driver, Heckenast combined her passion for racing with her talent for event planning, ultimately launching Dirt Oval 66 through a partnership with Route 66 Raceway and NASCAR. Today, she leads large-scale, high-energy events with a team of over 100 employees, creating a space where families and fans can connect.
A defining moment came when she confidently asserted her expertise to a skeptical customer—realizing she didn’t need to fit expectations to earn respect.
Her advice: don’t limit yourself by labels. Work hard, believe in your ability, and take the driver’s seat.
Rita Cook, Bank of America
Rita Cook serves as President of Bank of America Chicago and Midwest Division Executive for the Private Bank, connecting clients, teammates, and communities to the firm’s full capabilities. She oversees billions in lending, deposits, and client assets, helping families and businesses thrive. While proud of her professional impact, she considers motherhood her greatest legacy.
Her path has been intentionally non-linear, shaped by lateral moves across finance, operations, and leadership. She realized she was “changing the game” when her broad perspective allowed her to connect teams and serve clients more holistically, blending strategy with empathy.
Navigating the financial services industry, Rita rarely saw leaders who reflected her experience. That reality shaped her belief that true credibility and long-term impact stem from authenticity and a strong network of support. Those experiences shaped her servant leadership style: grounded in authenticity, preparation, and creating space for others to succeed.
Her advice? Stay curious, embrace lateral growth, find strong sponsors, and lead with purpose. Ambition, she believes, doesn’t require certainty - only courage and a willingness to evolve.
Briley Birkey, Nautical Bowls Frankfort
Briley Birkey, owner of Nautical Bowls in downtown Frankfort, is an entrepreneur whose path to business ownership was shaped first by motherhood. After spending nearly a decade raising her three children, she stepped into her long-held dream of building something of her own. Drawing on experiences in Disney hospitality and Chicago-based software sales, she created a business rooted in wellness, community, and meaningful connection.
Since opening in Fall 2024, Nautical Bowls has become more than a superfood café—it’s a space where young employees grow into confident leaders and where community gathers. Birkey is especially proud of the culture she’s built, including leading a team that extended its impact globally through a service trip to Malawi, helping bring clean water to communities in need.
Her journey has been non-linear, and at times underestimated, but those experiences shaped her leadership. Today, she leads with resilience, creativity, and a commitment to developing others.
Her advice: embrace failure, lead with integrity, and build something that helps others discover their purpose.
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