Teny Gross

Teny Oded Gross founded the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago in 2016. Guided by the nonviolence principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolence Chicago’s critical work heals and restores Chicago communities with the highest incidences of shootings through street outreach, victim support, job and wellness programs, and meaningful partnerships with Community Violence Intervention (CVI) and research organizations.

Teny also led efforts to build a comprehensive violence reduction strategy for the entire city. He is considered a thought leader in CVI and advises many cities in the US and abroad on how to implement similar programs.

Earlier in his career, Teny was a Senior Street Outreach Worker for the City of Boston. He is also a veteran of the Israeli Defense Force and later volunteered with three different groups for peace between Israel and Palestine—often at considerable risk to his own safety.

For his dedication to peace, Teny was awarded the 2026 Trailblazing and Excellence in Nonviolence Award from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Institute for Nonviolence Chicago has additionally been presented the 2025 Excellence in Neighborhood Safety and Youth Development Award from Austin Coming Together, the 2025 Coalition Builder Award from One Aim Illinois, and has been honored by NAMI Chicago for being a “game changer” in mental health for its behavioral health and wellness initiative for CVI frontline workers.