Let It Be Us to Host their Second Installment of the Ladies Leadership Luncheon
- Latest News
- April 2, 2025
Let It Be Us, a leading nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children in foster care through recruitment of foster and adoptive parents and innovative placement solutions, is hosting their second installment of their Ladies Leadership Luncheon on Tuesday, April 15th from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Union League of Chicago. The luncheon aims to bring together local female leaders to discuss how adoption from foster care can profoundly change the lives of girls in the system. Hosted by the Let It Be Us Board of Directors and Board Member Kaycee Coles, this daytime event will focus on “Girls in Foster Care – Their Outcomes and Their Future” and feature local experts:
Senator Sara Feigenholtz – Adoption Advocate and Illinois State Senator – a dedicated advocate for child welfare and adoption in Illinois. Serving as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate since January 2020, she represents the 6th District, which encompasses Chicago’s lakefront neighborhoods, including Lake View, Lincoln Park, Buena Park, and the Near North Side. Prior to her tenure in the Senate, Feigenholtz served thirteen terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, beginning in 1995. As an adoptee herself, Feigenholtz has a personal connection to adoption issues, which has driven her legislative efforts to reform the child welfare system. She established the first committee on Adoption & Child Welfare in the Illinois House to address systemic challenges and advocate for vulnerable children. Feigenholtz’s unwavering commitment to child welfare and adoption reform continues to impact the lives of countless children and families across Illinois.
Dr. Susan A. McConnell – Executive Director of Let It Be Us, on the Future for girls in foster care – she has held the position of Chair of the Permanency Committee for the Illinois Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council for 4 years. She recently graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with a Doctoral Degree in Social Work. Susan is the mother to four free range young adults, three of whom joined her family through adoption. She has over 30 years of experience with special needs and open adoption.
Kaycee Coles – the organizer of the Ladies Leadership Luncheon, is a Board Member of Let It Be Us and is on the Fundraising Committee – she is a former educator teaching US History and Psychology and she is a licensed reading specialist. She is a mother to three sons. She has worked in the non-profit sector in education, advocacy, and legislative areas. Kaycee was instrumental in co-leading an effort to design, build and fundraise for an inclusive playground project at Countryside Elementary School. She is also a member of the Barrington Civic Leaders Program.
Ni’Yuana Baker, Lived Experience Expert
Jocelyn Fetting, Lived Experience Expert
Attendees can look forward to an open bar, a delightful luncheon, and an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions about how adoption from foster care can transform the lives of young girls facing adversity.
Event details:
- Date & Time: April 15, 2025 from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
- Location: Union League Club of Chicago, 65 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago IL
- Tickets: Individual tickets are $100, or tables of 10 are $1,000. Proceeds from the event will support the Let It Be Us mission of supporting foster care and adoption
Let It Be Us brings over a decade of expertise in foster care and adoption recruitment, matching and placement, as well as advocacy, to this initiative. The organization is committed to ensuring every waiting child in Illinois has the opportunity to find a loving, permanent family.
For more information about Let It Be Us and the Ladies Leadership Luncheon, visit www.letitbeus.org or contact Dr. Susan McConnell at susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org or 847-528-2044.
About Let It Be Us:
Let It Be Us is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recruitment, matching and placement within foster care and adoption across the State of Illinois. Through innovative programming and strategic partnerships, Let It Be Us aims to improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system. Learn more at www.letitbeus.org.
Dr. Susan A. McConnell is the Founder and Executive Director of Let It Be Us, an Illinois licensed child welfare agency with the mission of providing collaborative, innovative solutions of effective recruitment and placement within Illinois foster care and adoption. Susan has an MBA from DePaul University and a Doctorate Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California, where her work focused on permanency within child welfare. She is the Chair of the Permanency Committee of the Illinois Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council, appointed by the Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in 2017. She is also an adoptive parent with over 30 years of open adoption experience. She can be reached at susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org.
Let It Be Us is an Illinois 501(c)3 and licensed child welfare agency. The mission of Let It Be Us is to provide collaborative, innovative solutions of effective recruitment and placement within Illinois foster care and adoption. The Let It Be Us platform manages the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois and the Heart Gallery of Illinois, engines of success for Illinois foster care adoptions. The Let It Be Us vision is for all children in the Illinois child welfare system to achieve educational equity, employment equity, and overall well being through the incorporation of Let It Be Us Programming into statewide advancements in foster care and adoption recruitment and placement. For more information about Let It Be Us, visit www.letitbeus.org.
