ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Craig Kafura
Craig Kafura is the director of public opinion and foreign policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, where he coordinates research on public and elite opinion on a wide variety of foreign policy and international affairs issues. Since joining the Council in 2011, Kafura has authored or coauthored dozens of reports and briefs on public opinion and foreign policy and his writing has appeared in outlets such as Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, and The Diplomat. Kafura is a security fellow with the Truman National Security Project, a Pacific Forum Young Leader, and a 2021 US-Australia Next-Generation Leader.
Dr. Michele Kenfack
Dr. Michele Kenfack is a Racial Justice Fellow at the Chicago Urban League, where she leads equity‑focused research and policy initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for Black Chicagoans. She has more than a decade of experience in teaching and mixed‑methods research grounded in lived experiences. Her current work includes a storytelling project that uplifts the experiences of Chicago’s long‑time resident and immigrant populations, using narrative and data to inform policy and strengthen community power.
Beatriz Ponce de León
Beatriz Ponce de León was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to serve as deputy mayor of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights for the City of Chicago in 2023. She previously worked for the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) where she held several roles, including assistant director of the Division of Family and Community Services, chief of staff for the Division of Mental Health, and Healing Illinois Project Manager. At IDHS, Ponce de León was instrumental in developing and launching new projects, building staff capacity and leadership, leading strategic planning and organizational development, and assisting with the State’s asylum seeker support efforts.
Juliana Kerr
Juliana Kerr is the senior program director of the Migration and Immigrant Communities program at Walder Foundation. She has experience working on local responses to global migration trends with a focus on advancing welcoming societies. Prior to joining Walder Foundation, Kerr worked for 18 years at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs where she managed research projects, study groups, and an international network of fellows examining the role of cities in addressing global challenges, including migration. She is on the Illinois Advisory Committee of the US Global Leadership Coalition, and has participated in emerging leader fellowships in Brazil, France, Germany, and Mexico.
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