Living & Giving

Driven by the diversity of the hospitality industry, CECILIA LANYON has a niche for innovative business models and business growth. With a degree in marketing and a certification from the Women’s Initiative for self-employment, she started her career working for a hedge fund, which eventually inspired her to open her first business in Lake Forest

DR. SARA DICKIE is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has practiced on the North Shore for 10 years. The owner of Surgical Aesthetics + Reconstructive Arts completed her training at the University of Chicago. With a passion for excellence, Dr. Dickie enjoys performing reconstructive procedures for skin cancer and facial cosmetic surgery. How do you

Ten years ago, STEPHANIE COOK founded The Creative Planners—an event planning company that specializes in weddings. Although Stephanie had years of experience in the industry, she never envisioned it would grow to become the business it is today. Before starting the company, she worked in catering in Miami. Upon moving to Chicago, she found herself

MARA SHAPIRO SMITH began her legal career at Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago before joining the corporate strategy team at a Fortune 500 Company. After her twins were born prematurely, Mara decided to leave the corporate world to focus on her family. She never stopped thinking about what was next. In 2020, Mara followed

As skilled family law attorneys, MEGAN E. FALSAFI, Esq. and ANN LEONE, Esq., focus their practice at Strategic Divorce on complex financial litigation and child custody matters in high-asset divorces, including business valuations, various compensation structures, and correlated tax consequences. Their goal is to passionately advocate for their clients to secure the best outcome possible.

Visionary founder & CEO of Petal, CANDICE CRANE, balances the joy of homelife with three rosy-cheeked rebel girls and her husband, with running the successful organic sparkling beverage company focused on flower-powered goodness. Although raised in Chicago, Candice’s roots take her back to her birthplace, South Africa, where she spent summers surrounded by the beautiful