REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT AN UPCOMING EVENT.

About Program

PRSA Chicago, in partnership with The Motion Agency, invites you to a lunch-and-learn panel in celebration of International Women’s Day 2026. Anchored in the global Give to Gain theme, this conversation will explore how generosity of knowledge, mentorship, advocacy and opportunity fuels both personal growth and collective progress in the public relations industry.
 
The event will feature a moderated discussion with three accomplished industry leaders who will share their career journeys, lessons learned as women in PR and how giving support to others has shaped their success. The conversation will conclude with an open Q&A, creating space for honest dialogue, shared insight and meaningful connection.

Guests will enjoy lunch courtesy of Chicago chapter partner, The Motion Agency.

When: Thursday, March 5; 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. CT
Where: The Motion Agency, 325 N. LaSalle Drive, Suite 550, Chicago 60654

Register by Wednesday, March 4 at 6 p.m. CT.

OPENING COMMENTS

Kimberly Eberl
Owner | The Motion Agency

Kimberly Eberl is the Founder and CEO of Motion, the largest women-owned agency in Chicago. Over the past 20 years, Motion has grown into a fully integrated marketing partner with more than 70 employees across three cities. A visionary leader, Eberl has guided the agency through six strategic acquisitions and is recognized as a respected thought leader and sought-after speaker. Motion has been named one of the nation’s fastest-growing agencies by Adweek, Inc. Magazine, and B2B Magazine, and Eberl has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, Adweek, PR Week, Crain’s, etc.

In 2019, she founded an Independent Agency Owners Group, fostering collaboration among agency leaders in Chicago. Her dedication to mentorship, community engagement, and industry innovation makes her a true force in both the marketing industry and larger business community. She has been recognized among Ragan’s “Top Women in Communications” and named “PR Professional of the Year” by PRSA Chicago.

Eberl leads Motion with a people-first philosophy that helped earn the agency a spot on Crain’s “Best Places to Work” list in 2025. She holds a B.A. in Public Relations from Marquette University.

SPEAKERS

SJ (Sarah Jo) Luedtke
Chief Marketing and Experience Officer | Navy Pier

SJ (Sarah Jo) Luedtke was named Chief Marketing and Experience Officer (CMEO) of Navy Pier Inc. in early February 2026. As CMEO, Luedtke leads the strategic vision for marketing, brand storytelling, and guest experience, shaping both new initiatives and beloved traditions that define Navy Pier, Chicago’s premier non-profit lakefront landmark. With Navy Pier’s ambitious plans and continued evolution, Luedtke champions the pier’s mission to inspire discovery, wonder, and fun through innovative programming, curated experiences, and compelling entertainment offerings
 
Before joining Navy Pier, Luedtke served as Chief Marketing Officer for the Houston Dash, Houston Dynamo FC, and Shell Energy Stadium. Earlier in her career, she held senior marketing leadership roles with INDYCAR and NIKE, leading large-scale brand and marketing initiatives. Luedtke’s experience also includes deep Chicago-based agency experience, having worked with Wunderman and rEvolution, where she spearheaded major partnerships and led event-driven campaigns tied to marquee Chicago events, including the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Luedtke is an active member of WISE (Women in Sports Executives).

Nora Quartoro
Global Communications Leader | PepsiCo

Nora Quartaro is a communications executive and trusted advisor to senior leadership at PepsiCo, where she leads global brand and consumer communications across 120+ markets. With deep expertise in media strategy, crisis management, and integrated campaigns, she has driven high-impact launches and cultural moments for brands including Pepsi, Gatorade, and Lay’s. Nora is known for simplifying complexity, inspiring teams, and building powerful brand narratives that drive business growth.

Bridgette Russell, APR
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications | The Field Museum

Born and raised in Chicago, Bridgette Russell, APR, was thrilled to join the Field as Public Relations Director, where she oversees the development and execution of PR initiatives and campaigns.

Russell started her career in journalism as a newspaper reporter as a freelancer for the Houston Chronicle before she finished college at Texas Southern University in Houston. She wrote for print and digital publications in Texas, Ohio, and Illinois, including The Marshall News Messenger and The Springfield News-Sun, before transitioning into public relations, marketing, and advertising. Her love of storytelling paired with a fondness for nonprofits fueled a consulting venture where she worked with dozens of organizations. That path led her to a role at Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers, Inc., where she was responsible for external communications and media relations. Before coming to the Field, Russell was Director of Marketing and Public Relations of The Columbus Museum in Columbus, GA.

Russell has a B.A. in print journalism from Texas Southern University and an MBA with a concentration in marketing from the University of Phoenix. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Public Relations Society of America, and the National Association of Black Journalists, and has served on a number of advisory boards, including Fertility for Colored Girls (FFCG) nonprofit and the Salvation Army of Columbus, GA, and as the Partners in Education and the Junior League of Columbus, GA. Russell lives in Chicago with her husband and daughter.

Susanna Wickham
President and CEO | Boys & Girls Club of Chicago

Susanna Wickham is a 25-year veteran of Chicago's civic community. She is the president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, the city’s largest and longest-serving organization dedicated to providing safe spaces for Chicago’s kids and teens, serving 15,000 youth each year.

She previously served as CEO of PAWS Chicago, one of the country’s largest animal welfare organizations, during an era of transformative growth in resources, impact and visibility. Prior to her nonprofit career, she spent 20 years in Chicago media, most recently as the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Chicago magazine; after her first year at the helm, the magazine was nominated for a National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

Known as a community-builder with entrepreneurial drive, she previously created and launched Splash magazine for the Chicago Sun-Times and Michigan Avenue magazine. In the early 2000s, she launched her media career writing “Susanna’s Night Out,” a nightlife column in the Chicago Sun-Times, and was host of a weekend talk show on WCKG-FM. She started her career working at advertising and PR agencies on national and local consumer brand campaigns.

She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and is married to Chris Wickham, a private jet pilot and corporate and family flight department manager. They live in downtown Chicago with their dogs Aviana and Gus.

MODERATOR

Rachel Chick
Senior Account Manager | Mekky Media Relations

Rachel Chick is a Senior Account Manager at Mekky Media Relations and is responsible for overseeing client accounts, managing client strategies and generating top-tier media placements. She is a board member and programming committee co-chair for PRSA Chicago and was named to Publicity Club of Chicago’s 2023 30 under 30 class.

Prior to joining the Mekky Media team, Rachel worked at Fishman Public Relations and grew her media relations and client management skills. Before graduating from Bowling Green State University with a B.S. in Public Relations, Rachel began her career in Public Relations as an intern at C-Strategies Inc., a Chicago-based Public Affairs firm. She was able to continue there after graduation and honed in her passion for Public Relations.

Originally from the Chicago-suburbs, she currently resides in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago.

Questions? Please send an email to the Programming Committee at [email protected]. 

Program Details

Refunds:
All ticket sales are final. Substitutions may be made at any time.