Two RUSH leaders have been chosen for the 2024 cohort of the Chicago Urban League’s IMPACT Leadership Development Program. Aaron D. Franklin, DNP, RN, and James Vaughan, MPH, will complete a rigorous nine-month program that supports Chicago-based Black professionals to advance their careers and improve their business networks.
Now in its 10th year, the IMPACT Leadership Development Program was created to provide African American professionals the tools to thrive in leadership roles in their careers and beyond. Its mission is to create a pipeline of talent to fill critical roles in Chicago’s business, public and nonprofit sectors.
Franklin, a senior program manager and Rush University adjunct faculty member, and Vaughan, director of practice operations at RUSH, will be a part of the Chicago Urban League’s largest cohort to date and will develop their careers alongside other Black professionals.
“As we rise through our careers, it’s really exciting to see people that look like us,” Vaughan says.
Launched in 2014, the IMPACT Leadership Development Program partners with the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business to develop a curriculum that focuses on decision-making, business ethics, negotiations and more. IMPACT Fellows receive leadership assessments, mentoring and opportunities to expand their networks.
Franklin, who has been at RUSH for over a decade, says one of the things that he is most excited about is building relationships with new colleagues. “A cool thing about this group is that it includes people in politics, law, education and many other industries,” Franklin says."
The sessions for the 2024 IMPACT class began in September. A full list of 2024 fellows are available on the Chicago Urban League website.
