LSI Information Session

Seth Green was appointed Dean of the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies on July 1, 2021.

Before joining Graham, Green served as Founding Director of the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility at Loyola University Chicago. During his tenure, the Center launched a top-ranked specialty MBA program, a globally significant award for social innovation in business, and an array of educational programs that annually engage more than 4,000 learners. Green also served as an Executive Lecturer in Loyola’s Quinlan School of Business, teaching classes on social entrepreneurship and receiving recognition as the Mission-Driven Faculty Member of the Year in 2021.

Prior to Loyola, Green led Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.), a nonprofit organization that prepares low-income youth for post-secondary and life success. At Y.O.U., Green oversaw the fourfold expansion of programs and a $16.4 million fundraising campaign to build a state-of-the-art youth center. He also spearheaded two strategic planning processes, resulting in an enhanced program model and deepened impact. Alongside Y.O.U., Green taught courses on nonprofit management as an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University.

Earlier in his career, Green worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, guiding private sector clients through strategy development and change management. A recipient of McKinsey’s Community Fellowship, he spent one year of his time at the firm supporting nonprofit clients, including the Gates Foundation and United Way.

Green speaks and writes on social innovation. His commentaries and research have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Fortune Magazine, the Journal of Business Research, and the Social Innovations Journal, and he serves on the Editorial Review Board of the Business and Society Review. Green has been a featured guest on Slate Podcasts, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, MSNBC, and CNN, and his efforts have been covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2008, Utne Reader named him one of 50 “Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.”

Green is civically engaged in Chicago, serving on the Campaign Cabinet of the United Way of Metro Chicago, the Impact Investing Advisory Council of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, the Advisory Board of Concordia Place, the Reception Committee of the Economic Club of Chicago, and the Advisory Board of the Executives’ Club of Chicago.

A Marshall Scholar, Green holds a J.D. from Yale University, a master’s in women’s studies from Oxford University, a master’s in development studies from the London School of Economics, and a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University.

Diana Petty designs and oversees leadership development programming to help senior executives prepare for their next chapters in leadership, service, and philanthropy. She builds collaborations across the University’s Schools and Divisions and with civic partners to deliver a distinctive higher education experience supporting accomplished leaders committed to using their talents toward creating positive societal impact. You can contact Diana at dpetty@uchicago.edu.

Diana has spent her career helping mission-driven organizations deepen impact in their communities, with expertise in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and program evaluation. She brings extensive experience working in municipal government and public-sector consulting, particularly leading cross-sector, cross-functional partnerships. Diana received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Media Studies from Macalester College, and is a graduate of the New York Urban Fellows Program, the New York University Wagner School’s Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service, the StartingBloc Fellowship for Change Leaders, and the University of Chicago Booth School’s Executive Program for Emerging Leaders.

In her spare time, Diana enjoys exploring Chicago by bike with her family and playing cards with friends, specifically bridge, euchre, and cribbage.

Dixie Adams held a distinguished career at the forefront of business and technology, marked by collaborative leadership and a deep commitment to driving meaningful impact. As an M&A integration leader for IBM Consulting, she was responsible for achieving the business objectives of IBM’s acquired companies.  In this role, Dixie implemented an effective operating model to facilitate a smooth transition of each acquired organization into the IBM enterprise. Dixie also served as IBM’s representative for all matters related to the State of Illinois, engaging with state and local government, academia, and non-governmental organizations to leverage technology for improving the lives of citizens.

Throughout her career, Dixie was dedicated to making cutting-edge technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing practical and accessible for her global clients. She excels in designing and orchestrating programs that deliver transformational results, driving innovation and operational excellence.

Dixie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from California State University, Chico, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Passionate about developing future leaders, accelerating diversity within the area of STEM, and protecting aquatic life, Dixie serves on the Boards of Chicago State University, Chicago Youth Centers, the oldest youth services agency in Chicago, the International Women’s Forum, Chicago and volunteers at the Shedd Aquarium.

Dixie, her husband, Rick, and their dog Ollie live in Chicago and have four children close by.  As recent “empty nesters” they typically split their time between city living and the woods of Upper Michigan.

Michael Lurie is a seasoned brand strategy and legal & governance executive at Constellation Brands, where he has served for the past nine years as Managing Director of Constellation’s global brand-owning entities based in Zug, Switzerland. Michael first joined his company in 2005 as General Counsel for its Beer Division in Chicago, and subsequently relocated to Europe in 2016 to oversee brand positioning and expansion across beer, wine, and spirits— especially for Constellation’s iconic Mexican beer brands of Corona, Modelo, and Pacifico-bringing a powerful combination of international legal acumen and strategic brand leadership.

Born and raised in Chicago, and a graduate of Stanford University (B.A. in Economics and Psychology) and the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.), Michael began his career in private practice at prominent Los Angeles and then Chicago law firms before transitioning to a stint in public service as General Counsel of the Illinois Governor’s Office of Management & Budget from 2003-05.

In addition to his work at Constellation, Michael is active in global alcohol industry governance as Vice President on the international trade group FIVS Presidential Council, contributing to worldwide dialogue on responsible practices, regulatory harmonization, and sustainable growth. Michael also stays true to his legal roots in supporting two premier pro bono legal services providers in his hometown of Chicago. Michael has both a son and a daughter at university in the U.S., and prioritizes maintaining his home country connections (regardless of any shifting political winds from time to time).