Family Service Center (FSC)

[FAN] The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World
2026-02-16 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Monday, February 16, 2026 | 7 PM CT – NOTE THAT THE TIME HAS CHANGED FROM 12 PM to 7 PM CT! The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World A FAN webinar featuring Brad Stulberg, in conversation with Angela Duckworth, Ph.D. (FAN ’12, ’16)
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/StulbergFANWebinar
Bonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of The Way of Excellence to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
In The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World, bestselling author and performance coach Brad Stulberg offers a practical guide to realizing our potential amid the chaos of modern life by reconnecting to ourselves through the pursuit of excellence. Combining modern science, timeless wisdom, and actionable strategies, Stulberg redefines excellence—not as a finish line to cross, but as an ongoing process of growth and becoming that allows us to reach our fullest potential while staying deeply connected to our values and what truly matters.
Inspired by research from diverse fields and grounded in real-world application, Stulberg frames excellence as the integration of mastery and mattering, providing a clear, sustainable path for pursuing meaningful goals with focus and intention. Unlike “hacks” and the hustle culture of “pseudo-excellence,” this book champions meaningful challenges that align with our values and goals and foster deep satisfaction, fulfillment, and contribution.
Stulberg explores critical principles such as defining and living in alignment with your values, cultivating focus, prioritizing consistency over intensity, building genuine confidence, and creating environments that foster our best performances. He shows how striving for genuine excellence can reconnect us to ourselves, our work, and each other, creating lives rich in meaning and purpose.
Stulberg is the bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness and Master of Change, and coauthor of Peak Performance. He regularly contributes to The New York Times, and his work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic, among other outlets. He is co-host of the podcast excellence, actually and is on faculty at the University of Michigan.
Stulberg will be in conversation with Angela Duckworth, Ph.D. (FAN ’12, ’16), the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative, and founding faculty co-director of Wharton People Analytics. She is also co-host of the podcast No Stupid Questions.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, Family Service Center, Foundation 65, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Near North Montessori School, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Santa Clara University School of Law, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, Township High School D214, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library.

[FAN] Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 7:00 PM CT, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It, a FAN webinar featuring Richard V. Reeves, Ph.D., in conversation with David Schreiber, MD.
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/ReevesFANWebinar
Bonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away paperback copies of Of Boys and Men to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
Boys and men are struggling. Profound economic and social changes of recent decades have left many losing ground in the classroom, the workplace, and the family. While the lives of women have changed, the lives of many men have remained the same—or in some cases, worsened.
In the widely praised book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It, Richard V. Reeves, Ph.D.—a father of three sons, a journalist, and the founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM)—takes on the complex and urgent crisis of boyhood and manhood. Reeves argues that our attitudes, institutions, and laws have failed to keep up, and that politicians across the ideological spectrum have offered more heat than solutions.
Reeves examines the structural challenges facing boys and men and offers fresh, evidence-based solutions that turn the page on the corrosive narratives surrounding this issue. Of Boys and Men makes the case that helping the other half of society does not require abandoning the ideal of gender equality. The book was named a “Best Book of 2022” by The New Yorker and The Economist and was a 2024 Summer Reading Selection of Barack Obama.
In addition to leading AIBM, Reeves is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he previously held the John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair in Economic Studies. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Earlier in his career, Reeves was director of the U.K.- based think tank Demos, director of futures at the Work Foundation, principal policy adviser to the U.K. minister for welfare reform, social affairs editor at The Observer, economics correspondent at The Guardian, and a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London.
Reeves will be in conversation with David Schreiber, MD, a psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult crisis care. Dr. Schreiber is the CEO and co-founder of Compass Health Center, which provides in-person and virtual Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) services across Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with additional virtual care available in Washington, DC, and Virginia.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Bennett Day School, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Psychgeist Media, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, Township High School D214, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

[FAN] Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want
2026-02-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 7:00 PM CT, Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want, a FAN webinar featuring Judd Kessler, Ph.D., in conversation with Corinne Low, Ph.D. (FAN ’25).
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/KesslerFANWebinar
Bonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Lucky by Design to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity,” Seneca, the ancient Roman philosopher, once said. For many of us, luck feels like pure chance—the result of outcomes blindly doled out by the universe. A coworker scores coveted World Series tickets; a friend finds the love of their life on Tinder; a neighbor’s child gets into the best preschool in town. But what if Seneca was right—and luck is more than chance? What if there are hidden markets all around us—ones we navigate every day in work, education, and life— that dictate who gets what? And what if it’s possible to learn how to sway the odds in our favor?
According to Wharton economist and market designer Judd Kessler, Ph.D., we do have the power to make our own luck. In Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want, Kessler pulls back the curtain on the hidden markets we routinely encounter, explaining the rules by which they operate and how to make choices that lead to better outcomes. In familiar markets—such as the stock market or your local farmer’s market—what we get depends on how much we’re willing to pay. Hidden markets don’t rely on prices; instead, they follow a different set of rules, and you can’t simply buy your way into a better position.
Kessler shows that the world doesn’t have to work this way. By revealing how hidden markets function and where we go wrong, he offers practical insight into making smarter choices when money, merit, and timing aren’t what determine the outcome.
Kessler is the inaugural Howard Marks Endowed Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. His research and writing have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Scientific American, Harvard Business Review, Politico, NPR, Hidden Brain, Freakonomics, and more.
Kessler will be in conversation with Corinne Low, Ph.D. (FAN ’25), associate professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Low is the author of the 2025 book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Bennett Day School, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Psychgeist Media, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, Township High School D214, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

[FAN] Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose
2026-01-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, January 29, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose A FAN webinar featuring Jennifer Breheny Wallace, in conversation with Kelly Corrigan
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/JWKCFANWebinar
Bonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Mattering to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
In her groundbreaking new book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jennifer Breheny Wallace (FAN ’23) argues that mattering—the feeling that we are valued and have the chance to add value—is a core human need, as essential to our well-being as food and water. Yet in today’s world, that need is increasingly unmet, with serious consequences. As mental and social health crises surge, we often point to social media, the pace of modern life, or polarizing politics. Wallace reveals a deeper, more fundamental problem: what she calls “an erosion of mattering.”
Drawing on rigorous research and deeply moving stories, Wallace explores what happens when people lose—and regain—the sense that they matter. From burned-out employees and overwhelmed caregivers to those navigating grief or major life transitions, Mattering shows how lives are transformed when we are reminded, in small but intentional ways, that we are seen, valued, and needed. Wallace identifies the essential components of what she calls a “mattering core”: recognizing your impact, being relied on (but not too much), feeling prioritized, and being truly known and invested in.
Both a diagnosis and a remedy, Mattering offers a clear call to action along with a practical blueprint for change. With accessible insights and actionable takeaways, Wallace shows how to strengthen our own sense of mattering—and how to build cultures of mattering in our homes, workplaces, and communities—at a moment when it has never been more urgent.
Wallace will be in conversation with Kelly Corrigan, author of four New York Times bestselling memoirs about family life: The Middle Place, Glitter and Glue, Lift and Tell Me More. She is the host of PBS’ Tell Me More and the top 1% podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood, The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Chiaravalle Montessori School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, The Cove School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, Foundation 65, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic HS, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Magnetar Capital, Near North Montessori School, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican HS, Resurrection College Prep HS, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Sacred Heart Schools, St. Bernard’s School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson HS D125, Township HS D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette D39, Wilmette Public Library, Winnetka D36, Wolcott College Prep, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

John Trautwein on Life Teammates
2026-01-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Kenilworth Union Church, 211 Kenilworth Avenue, Kenilworth, IL, 60043
Since losing his 15-year-old son in 2010, former MLB player John Trautwein has been sharing what he has learned as a grieving parent caught unaware of the challenges that faced his son Will—struggles that burden millions of kids today. John’s wonderful team of lifelong friends stepped up to help him and his family turn a tragedy into a message of love and hope. Come hear Trautwein’s motivational message for all of us, in the Sanctuary, in this event co-sponsored by Kenilworth Union’s Adult Education Committee and Alison Tobey Smart Memorial Fund. This event is open to all. Please register before attending.
John Trautwein is a Chicago-area native who played baseball at Northwestern University before pitching in the MLB for seven years with the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox. Following the death of Will, the oldest of his four children with wife Susie, the Trautweins founded “The Will to Live Foundation,” spreading a hopeful message, to include the importance of life teammates and teaching teens how to improve their own “will to live.” Awards received include the “George W. Bush Presidential Point of Light Award” and Northwestern University’s prestigious “A Life Touched, A Generation Changed” award.
All are welcome, please register here: https://kuc.org/event/john-trautwein-on-life-teammates/

[FAN] Parenting Anxiety: Breaking the Cycle of Worry and Raising Resilient Kid
2026-01-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, January 22, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Parenting Anxiety: Breaking the Cycle of Worry and Raising Resilient Kids A FAN webinar featuring Meredith Elkins, Ph.D., in conversation with Rebecca Jenkins
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/ElkinsFANWebinar
Bonus After-Hours Event: FAN donors are invited to attend a private After-Hours event hosted by Elkins that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
Parenting is hard—especially for families navigating anxiety. Today’s parents face an overwhelming volume of advice shaped by rigid cultural ideals of what “good” parenting looks like, particularly when it comes to managing children’s fears and worries. How do you raise resilient children in an age of uncertainty? How do you parent effectively when you yourself are anxious?
Much of the advice parents encounter, unfortunately, encourages responses that can increase the long-term risk of anxiety in children. In trying to protect kids from discomfort, well-intentioned parents may block experiences children need to build courage, confidence, and resilience.
In her new book Parenting Anxiety: Breaking the Cycle of Worry and Raising Resilient Kids, Meredith Elkins, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, brings clarity to this increasingly urgent conversation. Drawing on her clinical work with children and families—and her own experience as a parent—Dr. Elkins helps parents rethink so-called “negative” emotions such as fear, sadness, and guilt, and understand how modern parenting pressures contribute to anxiety in both children and adults. She encourages families to clarify their values and adopt a “love and limits” approach—balancing compassion with healthy boundaries while resisting the urge to shield children from every discomfort.
Dr. Elkins offers concrete, evidence-based guidance for families experiencing everyday anxiety as well as those coping with anxiety disorders. This indispensable resource provides a clear roadmap for helping both children and parents build adaptability, emotional flexibility, and resilience across all stages of development.
Dr. Elkins will be in conversation with Rebecca Jenkins, superintendent of Libertyville D70 in Libertyville, IL. Jenkins has presented about leadership at the National Conference on Education by the American Association of School Administrators, the award-winning PowerTrip conference for women in education; at the Illinois Association for Superintendents; and with Google at the ASU+GSV summit, a global meeting for leaders in education, technology, and workforce development.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood, The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Barrington D220, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Chiaravalle Montessori School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, The Cove School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, Foundation 65, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community HS D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic HS, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Near North Montessori School, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican HS, Resurrection College Prep HS, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Sacred Heart Schools, St. Bernard’s School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson HS D125, Township HS D113, Township HS D214, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette D39, Wilmette Public Library, Winnetka D36, Wolcott College Prep, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

[FAN] "Hold These Truths": A Table Reading
2026-01-21 19:00 - 20:30 | North Shore Country Day School, 310 Green Bay Rd, Winnetka, 60093, United States
Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 7:00, Hold These Truths: A Table Reading, North Shore Country Day Auditorium, 310 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, IL 60093.
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Inspired by the true story of University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi, the acclaimed play Hold These Truths follows his principled resistance to the U.S. government’s decision to forcibly remove and incarcerate people of Japanese ancestry during World War II.
Hirabayashi openly defied the relocation and internment orders, refusing to report for evacuation to an internment camp. Instead, he turned himself in to the FBI to assert his belief that these policies were racially discriminatory. He was subsequently convicted by a U.S. federal district court in Seattle of defying the exclusion order and violating curfew. Hirabayashi appealed his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled against him in 1943. Following World War II and his imprisonment, he earned a doctoral degree in sociology and became a professor. In 1987, his conviction was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Written by award-winning actor and playwright Jeanne Sakata, the celebrated solo work Hold These Truths premiered in New York in 2012 and has since been produced dozens of times nationwide, earning rave reviews from The New Yorker, The New York Times, and other AP critics.
For this event, award-winning stage and screen actor Joel de la Fuente will present a table reading of the play, reprising his role as Gordon Hirabayashi and 36 other characters. De la Fuente spent 10 years touring Hold These Truths to critical acclaim while also starring as Chief Inspector Kido in Amazon Prime’s most watched series of its era, The Man in the High Castle, and as Dr. Johann Pryce in Netflix’s Emmy Award–winning Hemlock Grove.
Following the reading, de la Fuente will be joined onstage by Sakata for a moderated Q&A with Lisa Doi, Ph.D., assistant curator and project manager at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Both de la Fuente and Doi are North Shore Country Day alums.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will not be recorded or live streamed.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Connections for the Homeless, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Woodlands Academy.

[FAN] The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports
2026-01-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Monday, January 12, 2026, 7:00 PM CT, The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports, a FAN webinar featuring Nicholas Thompson, in conversation with David Epstein (FAN ’16, ’20).
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/NTFANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of The Running Ground to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
For Nicholas Thompson, author of the new book The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports, running has always been about something more than putting one foot in front of another. He ran his first mile at age five, using it to connect with his father as his family fell apart. As a young man, it was a sport that transformed, and then shook, his sense of self-worth. In his 30s, it was a way of coping with a profound medical scare.
By his early 40s, Thompson had many accomplishments. He was the editor in chief of a major magazine; a devoted husband and father; and a passionate runner. But he was haunted by the recent death of his brilliant, complicated father and the crack-up that derailed his father’s life. Had the intensity and ambition he’d inherited made a personal crisis inevitable for him as well?
Then a chance offer gave him the opportunity to train for the Chicago Marathon with elite coaches. Giving himself over to the sport more fully than ever before, he discovered that aging didn’t necessarily put you on an unbroken trajectory of decline. For seven years after his father died, Thompson transforms his body to perform at its highest capacity, and the profound discipline and awareness he builds along the way changes every aspect of his life. Throughout the narrative, he weaves in stories of remarkable men and women who have used the sport to transcend some of the hardest moments in life.
The Running Ground is a story about fathers, sons, and the most basic and most beautiful of sports.
Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, a position he has held since 2021. He was previously the editor-in-chief of WIRED and the editor of NewYorker.com. He films a daily video on tech policy for LinkedIn and has roughly two million followers across social media platforms. He writes a monthly newsletter, The Most Interesting Reads, which currently has about 500,000 readers, about the best things he has read recently.
Thompson has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race.
Thompson will be in conversation with David Epstein (FAN ’16, ’20), a science writer and author of the New York Times bestsellers Range and The Sports Gene. His forthcoming book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, will be published in May 2026.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Psychgeist Media, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Woodlands Academy.

[FAN] Wiser Guy: Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech's Chief Evangelist
2025-12-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, December 4, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, Wiser Guy: Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech’s Chief Evangelist, a FAN webinar featuring Guy Kawasaki in conversation with Heidi Stevens.
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/KawasakiFANWebinar
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Kawasaki and Stevens that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
Wiser Guy: Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech’s Chief Evangelist is Guy Kawasaki’s dynamic update of Wise Guy, delivering a fresh collection of stories that combine humor, humility, and the wisdom gained from five more years of life―and 250 episodes of the Remarkable People podcast.
This new edition reflects Kawasaki’s continued evolution, enriched by deep conversations with luminaries such as Jane Goodall, Steve Wozniak, Stephen Wolfram, Angela Duckworth, Ph.D. (FAN ’12, ’16), and Julia Cameron. These interviews have broadened his perspective and deepened the relevance of his advice―transforming Wiser Guy into more than just a memoir; it’s a collaborative, cross-generational conversation about purpose, resilience, and leadership.
Whether you’re launching your career, building a company, navigating uncertainty, or simply striving to grow, Wiser Guy is a practical and inspiring guide. It offers candid reflections and actionable insights from Kawasaki and the remarkable minds who have influenced him―creating a roadmap for living a more meaningful, impactful life.
Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, host of the Remarkable People podcast, author of 18 books, and adjunct professor at UC Santa Cruz. He was the chief evangelist of Apple, trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation, and brand ambassador of Mercedes-Benz.
Kawasaki will be in conversation with Chicago-based writer Heidi Stevens, Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health. Prior to joining the University of Chicago, Stevens worked at the Chicago Tribune for 23 years, where she wrote a daily column called “Balancing Act.” She was awarded the Anne Keegan Award for Distinguished Journalism in 2018, and maintains a nationally syndicated column once a week. Stevens has been a FAN board member since 2021.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Psychgeist Media, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Woodlands Academy.

[FAN] Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World
2025-11-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 12:00 PM CT, Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, a FAN webinar featuring Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Ph.D., in conversation with Susan Dominus (FAN ’25).
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/LeCunffFANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Tiny Experiments to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
Most of us are taught to climb a ladder of success: set ambitious goals, work harder, follow the script. But what happens when the script no longer fits, or when life throws uncertainty in our path?
In Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Ph.D., argues that rigid goal setting is out of step with the complexity of modern life. Instead of being paralyzed by uncertainty or trapped in toxic productivity, she shows how curiosity, small tests, and playful experimentation can help us grow in ways that are more sustainable, creative, and meaningful.
Her tools for cultivating an experimental mindset are both science-backed and deeply practical—timely guidance in a world where many feel burned out, stuck, or unsure of their next steps.
Drawing on scientific evidence and her own journey from tech executive to neuroscientist and entrepreneur, Le Cunff invites us to rethink ambition itself. Can we replace fixed ladders with growth loops? And what would it mean to live a life defined not by control, but by curiosity?
Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ness Labs, where her weekly newsletter reaches more than 130,000 readers. Her research at King’s College London focuses on the evolutionary neuroscience of curiosity. She previously worked at Google on digital health projects and has received support from UK Research and Innovation, the British Neuroscience Association, and the King’s Engaged Research Network.
Le Cunff will be in conversation with Susan Dominus (FAN ’25), Pulitzer Prize-winning staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and author of the 2025 book The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood, The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Magnetar Capital, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Psychgeist Media, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Sacred Heart Schools, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Winnetka D36, Wolcott College Prep, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

[FAN] The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains
2025-11-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains, a FAN webinar featuring Pria Anand, MD, in conversation with Anupam B. Jena, MD, Ph.D. (FAN ’23).
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/AnandFANWebinar
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Anand and Jena that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
Stories are etched into the very structure of our brains, coded so deeply that the impulse for storytelling survives and even surges after the most devastating injuries. But our brains are also porous—the stories they concoct shaped by cultural narratives about bodies and illness that permeate the minds of doctors and patients alike. In the history of medicine, some stories are heard, while others—the narratives of women, of Black and brown people, of displaced people, of disempowered people—are too often dismissed.
In The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains, neurologist Pria Anand, MD, reveals—through case study, history, fable, and memoir—all that the medical establishment has overlooked: the complexity and wonder of brains in health and in extremis, and the vast gray area between sanity and insanity, doctor and patient, and illness and wellness, each separated from the next by the thin veneer of a different story.
Moving from the Boston hospital where she treats her patients, to her childhood years in India, to Isla Providencia in the Caribbean and to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, she demonstrates repeatedly the compelling paradox at the heart of neurology: that even the most peculiar symptoms can show us something universal about ourselves as humans.
Anand is a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Medical School, and she trained in neurology, neuroinfectious diseases, and neuroimmunology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. She is now an assistant professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, and she cares for patients at Boston Medical Center.
Anand will be in conversation with Anupam B. Jena, MD, Ph.D. (FAN ’23), the Joseph P. Newhouse Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and a physician in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the host of the Freakonomics, MD podcast, and co-author of Random Acts of Medicine: The Hidden Forces That Sway Doctors, Impact Patients, and Shape Our Health
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood, The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Chiaravalle Montessori School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Sacred Heart Schools, St. Bernard’s School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, UChicago Network for College Success, Wilmette Public Library, Winnetka D36, Wolcott College Prep, Woodlands Academy.

[FAN] The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America
2025-11-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Monday, November 10, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America, a FAN webinar featuring Jeffrey Rosen, in conversation with David Blight, Ph.D.
REGISTRATION: www.bit.ly/JRFANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of The Pursuit of Liberty to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
In The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America, bestselling author and president of the National Constitution Center Jeffrey Rosen explores the clashing visions of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson about how to balance liberty and power in a debate that continues to define—and divide—our country: Jefferson championed states’ rights and individual liberties, while Hamilton pushed for a strong Federal government and a powerful executive. This ongoing tug-of-war has shaped all the pivotal moments in American history, including Abraham Lincoln’s fight against slavery and southern secession, the expansion of federal power under Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, and Ronald Reagan’s and Donald Trump’s conservative push to shrink the size of the federal government.
Rosen also shows how Hamilton and Jefferson’s disagreement over how to read the Constitution has shaped landmark debates in Congress and the Supreme Court about executive power, from John Marshall’s early battles with Andrew Jackson to the current divisions among the justices on issues from presidential immunity to control over the administrative state.
More than ever, the clash between Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian ideals resonates today in our most urgent national debates over the question of whether modern presidents are consolidating power and subverting the Constitution—the very threat to American democracy that both Hamilton and Jefferson were determined to avoid. The Pursuit of Liberty is a compelling history of the opposing forces that have shaped our country since its founding, and the ongoing struggle to define the balance between liberty and power.
Rosen hosts the weekly podcast We the People and is a professor of law at The George Washington University Law School. He is the author of nine books and is a staff writer for The New Yorker.
Rosen will be in conversation with David Blight, Ph.D. (FAN ’19), Sterling Professor of History and Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition, Yale University.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Evanston Township HS D202, Family Service Center, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Magnetar Capital, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, St. Bernard’s School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, UChicago Network for College Success, Wilmette Public Library, Wintrust Financial, Woodlands Academy.

Taste of Glenview 2025 presented by the Glenview Sunrise Rotary Club
2025-11-08 18:00 - 21:00 | Glenview Park Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave., Glenview, 60026, United States
Get your tickets at https://bit.ly/tasteofglenview2025
The Glenview Sunrise Rotary Club is thrilled to present Taste of Glenview, a flavorful evening celebrating the community’s rich and diverse culinary scene. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Glenview Park Center—where local cuisine meets global inspiration.
This signature event invites food lovers and community supporters alike to enjoy an unforgettable night of international bites, live music, and community spirit. Guests will sample an exciting array of small plates prepared by some of Glenview’s favorite restaurants—offering everything from savory dishes to sweet treats that reflect the vibrant flavors of the community.
“The funds raised from this event allow the Rotary Club of Glenview Sunrise to support local organizations and perform service projects throughout the year,” said Marcia Cebula, Club President. “Having fun while helping others is what we’re all about.”
Last year’s Taste of Glenview was a sold-out success, and this year promises to be even more exciting. Proceeds from the event will directly support the Rotary Club’s ongoing efforts to uplift and serve the Glenview community.
Don’t miss your chance to eat well—and do good.
Tickets and event details are available now at: https://bit.ly/tasteofglenview2025

2025 Chrysalis Luncheon
2025-11-06 11:00 - 13:30 | Valley Lo Club, 2200 Tanglewood Dr., Glenview, IL, 60025, United States
When: November 6, 2025 11:00am – 1:30pm
Where: Valley Lo Club, 2200 Tanglewood Dr, Glenview
Registration coming soon!

[FAN] FAN Roundtable: Dealing with Feeling Marc Brackett, Ph.D.
2025-10-29 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
FAN Roundtable Workshop: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 12-1:30 PM CT, Dealing with Feeling, Glenview Public Library Community Room, 1930 Glenview Rd., Glenview, IL 60025. Free copy of Dealing with Feeling for each guest.
Space is limited to 100 attendees. REGISTRATION REQUIRED: www.bit.ly/MBFANWorkshop
In Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want, Marc Brackett, Ph.D. (FAN ’19), offers an essential guide for regulating how we respond to our emotions to transform our lives.
Success in virtually every aspect of life―career, friendship, love, and family―is determined mainly by one thing: how we deal with emotions. In your most challenging moments, how did you respond? Did you fly off the handle? Were you paralyzed by indecision? Did you engage in behaviors that undermined your best intentions? Or did you exhibit grace under pressure and flourish? How you responded likely shaped what happened next. But emotion regulation isn’t a fixed trait, as many believe. It is a set of skills and strategies that must be learned, practiced, and refined over a lifetime.
Brackett examines his own challenges dealing with emotions, explains the latest science of emotion regulation, and provides a set of practical, evidence-based strategies to help us use our feelings wisely to nurture healthy relationships, achieve ambitious goals, and experience greater well-being. At the heart of his message is acceptance: There are no bad emotions―only emotions we don’t understand or know how to direct in positive, intentional ways.
By honing our emotion regulation skills, we can increase our chances of achieving success in all facets of our lives. Dealing with Feeling will show you how to work with your and others’ emotions―not against them―so you can become the best version of yourself and lift others up, too.
Brackett is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University, and the author of the 2019 bestselling book Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success. He is the lead developer of RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by more than five thousand schools around the globe. In 2024, he launched the YouTube webcast Dealing with Feelings.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood, The Avery Coonley School, Baker Demonstration School, Barrington D220, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Chiaravalle Montessori School, Compass Health Center, Connections for the Homeless, Countryside Day School, The Cove School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, Foundation 65, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Near North Montessori School, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, Sacred Heart Schools, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, Township High School D214, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette D39, Wilmette Public Library, Winnetka D36, Wolcott College Prep, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

[FAN] Validation: How to Transform Your Relationships, Increase Your Influence, and Change Your Life Caroline Fleck, Ph.D.
2025-10-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, Validation: Transform Your Relationships, Increase Your Influence, and Change Your Life, a FAN webinar featuring Caroline Fleck, Ph.D., in conversation with Kelly Leonard.
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/FleckFANWebinar
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Fleck and Leonard that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
We all spend an absurd amount of energy trying to get people to listen to us, and despite our best efforts, we often fail. But what if the secret to changing behavior was to demonstrate acceptance?
Enter validation — communication that one is mindful, understands, and empathizes with another person’s experience, thereby accepting it as valid. When validation-based treatment, also known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), was introduced over thirty years ago, it revolutionized psychology and facilitated change even amongst those patients who were highly resistant to it. Yet, its practice has remained largely buried in treatment manuals and research articles written for psychologists — until now.
With Validation: How the Skill Set That Revolutionized Psychology Will Transform Your Relationships, Increase Your Influence, and Change Your Life, psychologist and DBT expert Caroline Fleck, Ph.D., brings these validation techniques out of therapy and into everyday life to help anyone decrease conflict, strengthen relationships, and change behaviors—in themselves and in others.
Part memoir and part practical guide, Fleck explains how and why validation is a catalyst for transformation. She draws on her two decades of experience to shows how anyone can develop the DBT skills of a therapist through the “Validation Ladder”: an actionable eight-step model that will help cultivate and communicate acceptance across relationships and unlock the potential for growth.
Fleck will be in conversation with Kelly Leonard, Vice President of Creative Strategy, Innovation, and Business Development at The Second City in Chicago. He is the author of the acclaimed book Yes, And and hosts the popular podcast Getting to Yes, And for Second City Works and WGN radio.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Sponsored by FAN, in partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood, The Avery Coonley School, Avoca D37, Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Brickton Montessori School, British International School of Chicago, Catherine Cook School, Compass Health Center, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township HS D202, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Family Service Center, Foundation 65, The Frances Xavier Warde School, Francis W. Parker School, Glencoe D35, Glenview Public Library, Gorton Center, Hyde Park Day School, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Kenilworth D38, Lake Bluff D65, Lake Forest Community High School D115, Latin School of Chicago, Leo Catholic High School, Libertyville D70, Lycée Français de Chicago, Near North Montessori School, North Shore Country Day, Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, Pope John XXIII School, Psychgeist Media, Regina Dominican High School, Resurrection College Prep High School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, St. Bernard’s School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Science & Arts Academy, The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, Stevenson High School D125, Township High School D113, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804, Wilmette Public Library, Winnetka D36, Wolcott College Prep, Woodlands Academy, Youth & Opportunity United.

[FAN] The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups Noah Giansiracusa, Ph.D.
2025-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Monday, October 20, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life, a FAN webinar featuring Noah Giansiracusa, Ph.D., in conversation with Karen Saxe, Ph.D.
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/NGFANWebinar
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Siracusa and Saxe that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
Everything we do today is recorded as data that’s sold to the highest bidder. Plugging our personal data into impersonal algorithms has made government agencies more efficient and tech companies more profitable. But all this comes at a price. It’s easy to feel like an insignificant number in a world of number crunchers who care more about their bottom line than your humanity. It’s time to flip the equation, turning math into an empowering tool for the rest of us.
In his new book Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life, award-winning mathematician Noah Giansiracusa, Ph.D., explains how the tech giants and financial institutions use formulas to get ahead—and how anyone can use these same formulas in their everyday life. Through real world events and relatable examples, Giansiracusa makes math fun and relevant, equipping readers with simple math hacks and streamlined formulas that can be applied immediately. You’ll learn how to handle risk rationally, make better investments, take control of your social media, and reclaim agency over the decisions you make each day.
Giansiracusa, an associate professor of mathematics at Bentley University and a visiting scholar at Harvard University, has spent his career studying algorithms and society. He has penned over a dozen prominent op-eds at outlets including Scientific American, TIME, WIRED, Slate and more. He excels at explaining complex math to wide audiences and has been on national television programs discussing timely topics like AI-generated misinformation and the importance of mathematical literacy.
In a society that all too often takes from the poor and gives to the rich, math can be a vital democratizing force. Robin Hood Math helps you to think for yourself, act in your own best interests, and thrive.
Siracusa will be in conversation with Karen Saxe, Ph.D., senior vice president, government relations, for the American Mathematical Society. She is Professor Emerita at Macalester College where she served as chair of the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

[FAN] The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups Colin M. Fisher, Ph.D.
2025-10-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 12:00 PM CT, The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups, a FAN webinar featuring Colin M. Fisher, Ph.D., in conversation with Amy C. Edmondson, Ph.D.
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/CFisherFANWebinar
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Fisher that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
Life is full of groups—work teams, families, friends, and communities defined by race, religion, and nationality. Yet, in our hyper-individualized society, we spend surprisingly little time thinking about what groups really are, how they work, and how to get the best out of them. It’s time to change that. The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups by Colin M. Fisher, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London’s School of Management, reveals the invisible forces that shape group dynamics and shows how understanding these forces can lead to extraordinary accomplishments. Fisher is a renowned expert in team dynamics and leadership, with years of experience in studying and advising on effective teamwork.
Drawing on decades of research across social psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, political science, neuroscience, and management, this comprehensive, approachable guide illustrates how groups and teams affect everything from complicated family dynamics and frustrating work meetings to the successes of the 2008 US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team and The Rolling Stones.
Organized into four main sections—Cooperation, Conformity, Competition, and Leadership—each part of the book is packed with action-oriented “Group Thoughts” to help apply the principles discussed. Fisher’s engaging storytelling makes complex scientific concepts accessible and relatable, offering readers practical tools to improve their leadership, relationships, decision-making, creativity, and sense of belonging.
Fisher’s research has uncovered the hidden processes of helping groups and teams in situations requiring creativity, improvisation, and complex decision-making. He has written about group dynamics for both popular science and management audiences, and his work has been profiled in prominent media outlets such as BBC, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, NPR, and The Times.
Fisher will be in conversation with Amy C. Edmondson, Ph.D., the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

[FAN] Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef Curtis Duffy
2025-10-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 12:00 PM CT, Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef, a FAN webinar featuring Curtis Duffy in conversation with Heidi Stevens.
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/CDuffyFANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Fireproof to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef charts chef Curtis Duffy’s rise, despite a childhood and adolescence rife with trauma, to being mentored by and recognized among the world’s top chefs. Amid family chaos in rural Ohio, a young Duffy found refuge first in a high school home economics class, then at one of Columbus’s best restaurants, where he honed his skills. His passion ignited, Duffy was determined to leave Ohio and break the Duffy family curse.
But the tragic deaths of Duffy’s parents when he was only 19 jeopardized his promising professional career. Summoning extraordinary fortitude and resilience, Duffy ate pain, graduated culinary school, and moved to Chicago to work in chef Charlie Trotter’s namesake restaurant, a hotbed of talent that produced prominent alumni such as Grant Achatz, Graham Elliot, and Homaro Cantu. Inspired by stellar peers and staging for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry, Duffy’s drive only grew.
Duffy’s laser-focused ambition cost him a marriage, and Grace restaurant. Grace earned three Michelin stars four years in a row, solidifying Duffy’s place as one of the world’s greatest culinary artists. But in a heartbreaking act of defiance, Duffy walked out after disputes with Grace’s owner.
Undeterred, Duffy created Ever restaurant—a launch nearly derailed by the pandemic. He persisted where many others would have resigned their craft, and Ever earned two Michelin stars from 2021-2024. Duffy was ranked one of the “50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining” in 2024 by the Robb Report.
Duffy will be in conversation with Heidi Stevens, Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, and creative director for Parent Nation, an initiative of the TMW Center. Stevens has been a FAN board member since 2021.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

Evereve at the Glen's Fashion Fundraiser
2025-10-03 10:00 - 20:00 | Evereve at the Glen, 2670 Navy Blvd,, Glenview, IL
Mark the date for Evereve at the Glen’s Fashion Fundraiser:

Shop 10am – 8pm on Friday, October 3rd, at 2670 Navy Blvd, Glenview, and 15% of purchases will benefit FSC!

You’ll be doing good and looking good! Thank you, Evereve at the Glen, for supporting mental health in our community

[FAN] Mastery: Why Deeper Learning is Essential in an Age of Distraction Ulrik Juul Christensen, MD
2025-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, September 25, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, Mastery: Why Deeper Learning is Essential in an Age of Distraction, a FAN webinar featuring Ulrik Juul Christensen, MD, and Tony Wagner, Ed.D., in conversation with Fernande Raine, Ph.D.
REGISTER: Click here to register
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Mastery to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
How much information is forgotten almost immediately after it is taught? How many students graduate from high school unprepared for careers where lifelong learning is essential to succeed? These problems stem from an educational system that uses time spent in a classroom and the results of standardized, multiple-choice tests as proxies for actual understanding. In their new book, Mastery: Why Deeper Learning is Essential in an Age of Distraction, educators Tony Wagner, Ed.D., and Ulrik Juul Christensen, MD, call for a radical new system of learning, where students progress individually when they demonstrate that they can use what they have learned—no matter how long it takes to get there. This is called mastery learning, and it is the future of education.
This book shows how mastery learning is already being used in the United States and around the world, from kindergarten to college and in the workplace. Through conversations with teachers, students, parents, policymakers, and employers, Wagner and Christensen show how mastery improves motivation and prepares students for productive work, an engaged civic life, and personal growth and well-being. They also outline the challenges of adopting mastery learning and how to overcome them. Mastery is an urgent call to action to transform education for all.
Christensen is a globally recognized authority in learning technology, and a co-founder of Area9 Group, a leader in personalized and adaptive learning. His current focus is on Area9 Lyceum, which has integrated the group’s educational investments and technologies to develop the fourth-generation adaptive learning platform and to pioneer four-dimensional education.
Wagner currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Learning Policy Institute. He was the founder and co-director, for more than a decade, of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is the author of eight books, including the international bestseller The Global Achievement Gap.
Christensen and Wagner will be in conversation with Fernande Raine, Ph.D., a historian, serial entrepreneur, and Founder and Co-Lead of History Co:Lab.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

FSC & GPL: Back-to-School Without the Meltdowns: Study Strategies That Actually Work
2025-09-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Glenview Public Library, 1930 Glenview Road, Glenview, IL, 60025
Join us! We hope to see you at the Glenview Public Library for our 90-minute workshop to ease the back-to-school transition for kids and the grownups who support them. We’ll have brain-based strategies to build focus, reduce stress, and boost confidence as you settle into back-to-school routines.
When: Monday, September 22, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Where: Glenview Public Library Community Room (1930 Glenview Road, Glenview)
Register here: https://glenviewpl.bibliocommons.com/…/68b9a076cefea328…
All caregivers welcome! Supervised activities and snacks for kids will be provided. Register today!

Topics to be covered:

Study tips that align with how brains actually learn
Simple tools for emotional regulation and motivation
How to troubleshoot tricky transitions and make routines work
Ways to support neurodivergent learners, including those with ADHD and anxiety
Parents and caregivers will leave with ready-to-use techniques, a better understanding of how learning and regulation work together, and resources to access additional support if needed.

[FAN] Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women's Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours Corinne Low, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School of
2025-09-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Thursday, September 18, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours, a FAN webinar featuring Corinne Low, Ph.D., in conversation with Jessica Calarco, Ph.D. (FAN ’24)
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/LowFANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Having It All to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
For women in America today, the promise of “having it all” is an ever-elusive carrot. Faced with unsustainable demands in every sphere, we are certainly doing it all but at a steep cost. Research shows that biologically, culturally, and economically, we are on uneven playing ground, and one that drains us of our happiness. But that same data can empower us to make choices that will reclaim our time, our energy―and even our joy.
In her new book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours, Corinne Low, Ph.D., an associate professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, unpacks the hidden factors that influence women’s decision-making, and how the unintended consequences of these choices alter the course of our lives. From when and whether to get married and (or) have children to what type of career to pursue, whether to obtain an advanced degree to where to live, Low explores questions such as 1) what if there is no optimal time to “have a family” but rather a slew of different considerations at different life stages?; 2) what if we approached decisions around marriage and partnership as rigorously as we would an employment opportunity; and 3) what if we valued our time in dollars and cents, and structured our lives around choices that give us the greatest return on our investments?
Low has spoken to and advised firms like Google, IFM Investors, Uber, Activision Blizzard, and Amazon Web Services, in addition to teaching in Wharton’s Executive Education programs. Low has given talks to top academic institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and Oxford, as well as to the New York Federal Reserve, Brookings Institution, and the US Department of Labor, among others.
Low will be in conversation with award-winning teacher Jessica Calarco, Ph.D. (FAN ’24), a sociologist and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of the 2024 book Holding it Together: How Women Became America’s Social Safety Net.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

[FAN] After the Spike: Population, Progress and the Case for People Michael Geruso, Ph.D.
2025-09-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People, a FAN webinar featuring Michael Geruso, Ph.D., in conversation with Katy Milkman, Ph.D.
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/GerusoFANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of After the Spike to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
Most people on Earth today live in a country where birth rates already are too low to stabilize the population: fewer than two children for every two adults. In After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People, economists Dean Spears, Ph.D., and Michael Geruso, Ph.D., sound a wakeup call, explaining why global depopulation is coming, why it matters, and what to do now.
It would be easy to think that fewer people would be better—better for the planet, better for the people who remain. This book invites us all to think again. Despite what we may have been told, depopulation is not the solution we urgently need for environmental challenges like climate change. Nor will it raise living standards by dividing what the world can offer across fewer of us. Spears and Geruso investigate what depopulation would mean for the climate, for living standards, for equity, for progress, for freedom, for humanity’s general welfare. And what it would mean if, instead, people came together to share the work of caregiving and of building societies where parenting fits better with everything else that people aspire to.
With new evidence and sharp insights, Spears and Geruso make a lively and compelling case for stabilizing the population—without sacrificing our dreams of a greener future or reverting to past gender inequities. They challenge us to see how depopulation threatens social equity and material progress, and how welcoming it denies the inherent value of every human life. More than an assembly of the most important facts, After the Spike asks what future we should want for our planet, for our children, and for one another.
Geruso is an economic demographer, public economist, and associate professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin. He served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, where he advised on issues of health and demography. He holds bachelor’s degrees in engineering, political science, and philosophy, and earned his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton.
Geruso will be in conversation with Katy Milkman, Ph.D., the James G. Dinan Professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the host of Charles Schwab’s popular behavioral economics podcast Choiceology. She is also the co-founder and co-director (with Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., FAN ’12, ’16) of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative at Penn.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

ROCKTEMBER⚡FEST
2025-09-13 18:00 - 23:00 | MLB Glenview, 1948-D Lehigh Road, Glenview, IL, United States
A Charity Music Event
Live Music | Food & Drinks | Raffles | Live Auction
Classic Rock Covers on stage at 6:30pm
Food & Drinks provided by Oak
Benefiting FSC & other local awesome agencies and programs!
$85/Ticket (PRESALE $65/TICKET THROUGH 8/31)
Scan the QR on the flyer to register.

Screenagers Under the Influence
2025-09-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Wilmette Theatre, 1122 Central Ave., Wilmette, IL, United States
FREE MOVIE SCREENING + Panel Discussion to Follow.
A must-see for parents, caregivers, and youth ages 12+.
Addressing vaping, drugs & alcohol in the Digital Age.
6:30pm Doors Open | 6:45pm Movie | 8pm Panelist Discussion
Popcorn & Goodie Bags for all Guests!
Scan QR code in flyer to register!

[FAN] Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You
2025-09-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 7:00 PM CT, Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You, a FAN webinar featuring Jeff Selingo (FAN ’20, ’21, ‘22), in conversation with Frank Bruni (FAN ’15).
REGISTER: www.bit.ly/Selingo25FANWebinar
BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Dream School to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens and a bedrock of the American dream. But that well-worn path has lately taken a wrong turn, denying admission even to super-achievers and putting intolerable stress on family finances. Now, in Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You, Jeff Selingo (FAN ’20, ’21, ’22) shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges.
With test-optional policies and grade inflation leveling the playing field for applicants, getting into prestigious schools has become a kind of lottery. “Plan A” may work out, but increasingly it isn’t—so Selingo urges families to ditch the “Top 25 or bust” mindset and look beyond the usual suspects. Hidden-gem schools with incredible value and rich opportunities are waiting to be discovered.
Backed by unparalleled research—and an eye-opening survey of more than 3,000 parents—Dream School reveals what really matters in a college: strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging. To help students find their perfect match, Selingo highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities.
Organized into three easy-to-digest sections, Dream School explains why elite college degrees turn out to matter less than you think, why many parents and students are choosing value over prestige, and how to make sure the degree really pays off.
Selingo is a New York Times bestselling author of three books on education and the job market. For more than twenty-five years, his in-depth reporting and storytelling have provided practical insight about the future of higher education and the workforce to university leaders, corporate executives, as well as students and parents.
Selingo will be in conversation with prominent New York Times journalist Frank Bruni (FAN ’15), author of Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be, about the college admissions mania; The Beauty of Dusk; and most recently, The Age of Grievance. He is the Eugene C. Patterson Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy at Duke University, teaching media-oriented classes in the Sanford School of Public Policy.
This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

2025 FSC Neon Golf Scramble
2025-07-09 10:00 - 17:00 | Wilmette Golf Club, 3900 Fairway Dr, Wilmette, IL, 60091
Join us for the 2025 FSC Neon Golf Scramble!
When: July 9, 2025
Where: Wilmette Golf Club, Wilmette IL (3900 Fairway Dr, Wilmette, IL 60091)
Tickets include grab-and-go lunch and one (1) beverage cart ticket per player.
Check-in starts: 10:00am
Long-Putt Contest: 10:45am
Shotgun Start: 12:00pm
Raffle Closes: 3:00pm
Grab your foursome, or register yourself and we will assign you to a team.
Participants will check-in at 10am and be ready for a shotgun start at noon, where they will enjoy a golf team scramble, plus exciting contests and games.
Get tickets for our raffle for a chance to win amazing prizes. Long-putt contest and mulligans are also available.
Together, we will drive change, promote mental wellness, and create a brighter future for those who use our services. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to swing for a cause! Neon attire encouraged!
Sponsorships available here! Or reach out to sponsors@familyservicecenter.com

No Shame on U: Cover My Mental Health: Overcoming Insurance Obstacles for Care
2025-05-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Cover My Mental Health: Overcoming Insurance Obstacles for Care
May 1, 2025
7pm CT
Via – ZOOM
Has your insurance ever denied mental health treatment deemed necessary by a professional? Been told your medication isn’t covered, even though you rely on it? If you’re tired of fighting insurance battles alone, this talk is for you. Cover My Mental Health, a nonprofit organization, provides no-cost resources to help individuals and families effectively advocate for the care they deserve. This presentation will introduce practical strategies for challenging insurance denials and overcoming obstacles to treatment. Led by Joe Feldman, founder of Cover My Mental Health and a parent who successfully fought for his children’s mental health care, this session will equip you with the tools to push back against insurer roadblocks and secure the coverage you need.
Presented by:
Joe Feldman, MBA
Founder and Director, Cover My Mental Health
FREE and VIRTUAL!
Register HERE!

Viva FSC! - 2025 Spring Benefit!
2025-04-26 19:00 - 22:30 | Fields Lexus, 2000 Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL, 60025, United States
Enjoy a night in Vegas at Viva FSC! on Saturday, April 26th 2025! Early bird pricing goes through 3/29.

Learn more and register here | See photos from last year’s event here
