OUR TEAM

 
Arin studied business at DePaul University’s College of Commerce, attended law school at University of Southern California and received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University. Arin has designed and led several comprehensive research projects on inclusion in the workplace as part of her education career, an adventure she loved enough to entice her to choose a career that integrated the research aesthetics of her doctoral work with the advisory impact of her practice as an attorney.

 
Arin is the President of the newly formed consulting firm, Nextions, a new way of seeing and doing leadership and inclusion. Prior to her position at Nextions, Arin served as the President of The Athens Group, a consulting firm that specialized primarily on the inclusion aspect of talent management. At The Athens Group, Arin developed and implemented strategic plans and programming (including lectures, presentations, trainings, and dialogue facilitations) on recruitment, retention, attrition, promotion, mentoring, marketing and client development issues in these various arenas, and she has also researched and written on these issues extensively. Prior to The Athens group, Arin served as an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University for several years where she taught classes on law and society, and she also practiced law in Illinois.
 
Arin has been featured on NPR for her work on women of color in the legal profession and is cited often in online and traditional media as an expert in leadership and inclusion in workplaces. She is a Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago (class of 2003). In 2010, she was recognized as a Rising Star by the Anti-Defamation League, and her column “Diversity in Practice” was recognized by the Herman Kogan Media Awards for excellence in journalism. She also serves on the Boards of Directors of several civic and not-for-profit organizations.
 
Arin lives in Chicago with a husband who has an amazing sense of humor and two children who have unlimited energy. She is an avid amateur photographer, a closet artist, and has been “outed” in the Wall Street Journal as a professional addict of all things politics.

In Hawaii, Debbie  worked as an assistant to a financial consultant, a position that expanded her multitasking skills while honing her attention to detail.  Jumping into Nextions over a year ago, she has really gained a passion for our team and our work.  Debbie enhances the Nextions team with her multiple cultural perspectives and her Gen Y points of view!  (Ask her about her secret career as a professional Polynesian dancer when you next speak with her!)

Her life outside of Nextions is filled with a hyper toddler named Kingston (yes, in honor of Bob Marley!), a handsome husband and her extended Polynesian family.

Jess is excited to be bringing her humor, writing skills, and creative mind to the table. Jessica is certain that she is living and working in one of the best cities in the world. Outside of the office, Jessica serves as Discourse, Diction and Dramaturgical Diva for (re)discover theater in Chicago and is entertaining the idea of running away to clown school in about 5 years.

Abby is a fitness enthusiast who enjoys training for adventures like the Chicago-area Tough Mudder and the Chicago Marathon.  When she is not at Nextions or in training, Abby uses her “people person with amazing attention to detail” skills to plan weddings.