Red Shoe Society Leadership Team

Joe Schmidt, Aon
Red Shoe Society Co-President

Joe is a life-long resident of Illinois and the Chicago area. Since graduating from the University of Illinois in 2017 with a degree in Economics/Finance, Joe has spent three and a half years working for Aon in a variety of roles and currently is focused on strategy and business development within the Data & Analytics practice. Joe joined Red Shoe Society in 2018, and previously served as co-chair of Family Enrichment. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, golf, chess and piano.

Harris Sessions, Grant Thornton
Red Shoe Society Co-President

Originally from Texas, Harris moved to the Chicagoland area in 2016. He attended Baylor University and received his BBA in Accounting. Harris is a partner at Grant Thornton LLP, where he specializes in audits of multi-national consumer product and professional service organizations. He has been involved with the Ronald McDonald House since 2016 and joined the Auxiliary Board in 2018. Before moving to Chicago, Harris and his family spent three years living abroad in Germany. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Millie, and their three children and hunting, fishing and camping in his free time.

Danny Wysocki, Aon
Red Shoe Society Chicago Secretary

Danny was raised in Downers Grove, IL and attended the University of Iowa earning a bachelor’s degree in economics. After, Danny attend University of Illinois at Chicago earning an MBA with a concentration in accounting and finance. He currently works at Aon as a manager for the Aon Operating Committee. He joined Red Shoe in 2018 and joined the board in 2019. He currently resides in Logan Square with his wife Kelly and his dog Leroy.

Jim Borgaard
Membership Chair

Jim was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and attended University of Kentucky, where he played hockey for four years. After college, he spent three years in Cincinnati, Ohio where he found his passion for Ronald McDonald House Charities and their mission. He’s been involved with Red Shoe Society in some capacity since 2012, most recently completing a two-year term as co-president of the Chicago chapter. Jim has run the Chicago Marathon on Team RMHC four times and plans on running again in 2021. In his spare time, Jim coaches hockey at St. Ignatius, and is working towards obtaining a private pilot license.

Laura Cropper, Kraft Heinz
Communications Co-Chair

Laura is excited to build the Red Shoe Society with members who share the same passion for helping others when they need it most! She has been involved with RMH since 2010, where her journey began as a volunteer while living in Minneapolis. She knew after her first volunteer shift that this was an organization she wanted to continue to support and is so honored for the opportunity to serve on the board.

Laura is an Associate Director of Sales for Kraft Heinz and appreciates the fast-paced, dynamic environment of her job. She has an adventurous spirit and enjoys learning new things, exploring different cultures and places through travel, and checking out new restaurants in Chicago.

Miranda Wieczorek, Parkview Orthopedics
Communications Co-Chair

Miranda was born and raised in Orland Park, Illinois and attended Central Michigan University, where she was a gymnast for four years and received her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. She currently works at Parkview Orthopedics as a physical therapy technician.

Miranda plans on attending school in the summer to receive her Masters in Medical Science and will continue on to medical school following graduation. Outside of school and work, she enjoys running, being a dog mom, and drinking lots of coffee!

Julius Agnor, HDR
Corporate Partnership Co-Chair

Julius grew up in Omaha, NE, home to an INCREDIBLE zoo and the College World Series. Nebraska is also home to the Cornhuskers, where Julius obtained his undergraduate degree from University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He returned home to Omaha, to obtain his MBA before leaving home to move to Chicago in 2017. Julius is a Diversity and Inclusion Program Developer for HDR.

Chris Hemzacek, Northwestern Mutual
Corporate Partnership Co-Chair

Born and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Chris continues to invest his personal and professional life in the Chicagoland area today. He is a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual were he primarily serves medical professionals, growing families, and closely held businesses. For the last three years, he ranked in the Top #50 amongst his peer class. In 2019, Chris was named Top 5 Best Financial Advisors in the Silver Category, Advisor of the Year for the agency and received Top Company Honors. Chris qualified and was nominated to join the 263rd Fastrack Academy, an exclusive, career development school for the company’s top financial representatives and advisors. Chris graduated from the Eller School of Business at University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in marketing. He is a Registered Representative (Series 6, Series 63 and Series 7 securities licenses) with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Chris is a husband and father of two boys. Aside from support for Ronald McDonald House Charities and Red Shoe Society, Chris is an active supporter for other national and local charities such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand and is also an active member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Holly Hagen, Thomson Memory Center
Events Chair

Holly grew up in Northwest Indiana and has lived in the city of Chicago for 7 years. She is a pediatric neuropsychologist when she is not planning fabulous events for the Red Shoe Society. She has been on the board since 2014 and has developed a strong commitment to raising funds and awareness of the mission of the House. When she is not working or planning events, she is the self-proclaimed World’s Greatest Auntie and proud Crazy Cat Lady.

Nate Behe, Grant Thornton
Events Vice-Chair

Born in upstate NY, Nate spent most of his formative years living abroad in Germany. He attended an American boarding school in the Black Forest until returning to the States to attend college at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nate moved to Chicago in June 2019 to work at Grant Thornton’s headquarters, where he is currently an Audit Senior Manager.

Nate is married, with no kids but he does have two Dachshunds. He lives out in the suburbs near Itasca with his husband TJ. They LOVE concerts/festivals, enjoy biking and running and his drink of choice is either a nice glass of red wine or two-fingers of bourbon on craft-ice.

Laura Davidson, Aon
Family Enrichment Co-Chair

Laura was raised in Morton Grove, IL and attended the University of Illinois at Springfield earning double bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration. She currently works at Aon as an Accounting Manager on US Controllership. She joined Red Shoe in 2019 and joined the board in 2020 to co-lead a new RSS task force, Corporate Partnership. She is excited to build relationships with organizations throughout Chicago and Northwest Indiana communities in order to raise more money and further support RMHC.

Kristen Chin Sitko, Newly Weds Foods
Family Enrichment Co-Chair

Kristen was raised in Lemont, IL and holds and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Purdue University and master’s degree in Food Science from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She is a Technical Sales Manager for Newly Weds® Foods, a leading global purveyor of customized coatings, seasonings, sauces, and functional ingredients. Kristen has been involved with RMHC through her company for many years but is excited to officially join the board and expand her role. Aside from work, Kristen is a big sports fan, enjoys the Chicago dining scene, and especially loves spending time with her husband, two little boys, and dog.

Lial Field, Grant Thornton

Lial was born and raised in St. Louis, MO where he attended St. Louis University and received his Bachelors and Masters in Accountancy. He moved to the Chicagoland area in 2019 with wife, Jessica, and two kids. He works at Grant Thornton LLP where he is a senior manager in the audit department. Before having kids, he lived in Singapore with his wife while working for the Grant Thornton Singapore office.

During his free time he enjoys traveling with his family and checking out restaurants and parks in the different Chicagoland suburbs and neighborhoods.

In Memorium

Colleen Gleason

Colleen was raised in Crystal Lake, IL (but always knew she was a city girl at heart) and held a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She was Corporate Project Manager at G2 which she absolutely loved! Colleen had two heart transplants (one at the old Children’s Memorial Hospital at age three and one at Lurie Children’s at age 20) and her family stayed at the RMH near Lurie’s for her second transplant. While she was recovering, they were having as lovely a stay as possible.  She gave back to the organization that gave her family so much by joining the Red Shoe Society and becoming the co-chair of the Volunteer Events Committee. Aside from Red Shoe Society and work, Colleen loved eating her way through the city, reading anything she could get her hands on, and saying yes to way too many other activities across this amazing city!