30th Annual Awards Luncheon
Chicago Hilton International Ballroom, 720 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 | Registration and Reception: 11:00 AM | Luncheon Program: Noon
Featuring keynote speaker Governor Gretchen Whitmer and honoring Terry Cosgrove, Rabbi Harold Kudan, and Benita Ulisano
**online ticket sales are now closed. if you would still like to attend, please join us at the chicago hilton on tuesday, october 17th after 11 AM and proceed directly to solutions seating to purchase a ticket.**
Michigan Governor Gretchen (keynote speaker) is a lifelong Michigander who is focused on getting things done that will make a real difference in people’s lives. Many in the party labeled her an alarmist for her messaging well before the Dobbs decision. But now, thanks to her unwavering commitment to reproductive freedom, she’s considered a leader in the fight to protect abortion rights. Most recently, she made history by signing into law bills to repeal Michigan’s 92-year-old total ban on abortion. Her commitment to reproductive rights will be a vital part of the legacy she will leave for young women, including her daughters, as they face the precarious reality of abortion access in the Dobbs era. Governor Whitmer and her husband Dr. Marc Mallory live in Lansing with their two daughters and three stepsons. Governor Whitmer earned a bachelor’s degree and law degree from Michigan State University.
Terry Cosgrove (Irving B. Harris Spirit of Choice Award) was the President and CEO of Personal PAC for 33 years (1989-2022), and was responsible for developing Personal PAC’s strategy for electing pro-choice candidates which transformed Illinois from one of the most anti-choice states to a sanctuary for abortion access. Terry spearheaded the passage of HB40, legislation that ensures women’s health care will be protected in Illinois, regardless of what happens in the Supreme Court. Terry also played pivotal roles in the 1992 restoration of abortion services for low-income women at Stroger Cook County Hospital, as well as the 2019 passing of the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) and the 2021 repeal of the dangerous Parental Notice of Abortion (PNA) law. Terry has also managed many political campaigns and has lent assistance to numerous pro-choice organizations both nationally and locally. He was appointed to the Illinois Human Rights Commission in 2011 and inducted into the Chicago LGBTQ Hall of Fame in 2014.
Benita Ulisano (Pro-Choice Leadership Award) is the founder of The Clinic Vest Project, whose mission is to provide free clinic escort vests to groups that support service facilities offering the full range of reproductive healthcare options including safe and legal abortions. The Clinic Vest Project started in 2013 with one box of vests and now serves escort teams in 43 states, the United Kingdom and Canada. Benita is also a co-founder of Illinois Choice Action Team (ICAT) where she serves as Clinic Escort Organizer. ICAT has been on the ground in Illinois protesting, lobbying, organizing, and clinic escorting since 2005.