With Special Guest Speaker, Mariel Hemingway

Mariel Hemingway is an accomplished actress, author, and mental health advocate whose diverse career has inspired many to embrace authenticity and well-being. Renowned for her roles in films like Manhattan and Star 80, Mariel has also made significant contributions as an author and advocate. She has written six books, including Healthy Living from the Inside Out, a guide to holistic wellness, and her powerful memoir Out Came the Sun, which openly addresses her family’s struggles with addiction and mental health.

Today, Mariel is dedicated to empowering others through her programs on self-embodiment. By helping individuals let go of limiting roles and survival habits, she guides them toward discovering their true selves and living with purpose, abundance, and love. Her work embodies a profound commitment to fostering mindfulness, kindness, and self-acceptance, inspiring others to become who they were meant to be.

EMPOWER Gala Emcee

Our emcee for the night will be former ABC7 news anchor Alan Krashesky. Alan is among Chicago’s most trusted news anchors, having reported and shared major news stories with Chicago viewers for more than 40 years. Over his extensive career, he anchored ABC 7’s 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, and 10 PM weekday newscasts. He was also the first anchor of ABC 7’s weekday morning news program. Every newscast he anchored was consistently rated “Number 1” in the Chicago market – a remarkable achievement. We are so excited for him to join our EMPOWER Gala lineup!