After a busy spring for its Nominating Committee, Y.O.U.’s Board of Directors voted to elect 3 new members to 3-year terms at the beginning of its fiscal year in July. These new members will be critical advocates and leaders for the expanding mission of Y.O.U and have deep roots in the Evanston community and beyond.
Andy Baker
Andy is currently head of asset allocation and manager selection at RMB Capital, an $11 billion Registered Investment Advisor headquartered in Chicago. He leads a team of analysts investing across asset classes including equities, fixed income, hedge funds, private equity, and real estate. He also has experience at Northern Trust in institutional investments. He has an MBA from Kellogg in Finance and Accounting and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Andy, as Founder Don Baker’s son, in his words, “grew up with Y.O.U.” As a child he was around the programs and knew many of the participants. Andy went to ETHS with current or former board members Laura-Min Proctor, Abby Butkus, and Kevin Mack, and in his 20’s, he was on YOU’s Junior Board. Andy brings a passion for youth services, leadership experiences in finance and investments, and a deep understanding of the Evanston community.
Paula Jacobi
Paula, a recently retired attorney, was a partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP law firm. After five years of general litigation, she concentrated on insolvency law, practicing in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout the country. Over the years, Paula reorganized over 50 privately held companies and represented financial institutions and real estate entities in over 50 Chapter 11 cases. In addition to other business litigation, much of the balance of her work was litigating financial fraud matters. Paula graduated from the University of Michigan certified in elementary education. After a year in graduate school at Smith College for Psychiatric Social Work and a year working, she went to law school. Paula and her husband Todd are longtime residents of Evanston.
Paula and Todd in concert with Northwestern University tennis coaches created a tennis program, Sam Says: Let’s Play Tennis, to honor their son who died in 2020. Their son had been a tennis coach at Northwestern University Community Tennis program for six years and was working there when he passed away. Craig Lynch has worked closely with Paula to give Y.O.U. kids an opportunity to be in the program and currently 22 Y.O.U kids are registered to participate in the summer session.
Neda Nozari
Neda is an Evanston based attorney whose practice focuses on business, employment, real estate and fair housing law and education. She graduated from Northwestern University in Political Science and attended John Marshall law school. She is currently on the Board of Directors for Care for Real, a food pantry in the Edgewater/Rogers Park area. Neda and her husband reside in Morton Grove and have a middle school son.
