Alison Zehr is a nonprofit management consultant and director of a new project called "Advancing Chicagos Civic Agenda through the Arts." Julie Burros is the project's co-director and Director of Cultural Planning for the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Together, they are exploring ways Chicago can use the arts to revitalize neighborhoods and create jobs.

Margie Zeidler is a Toronto real estate developer. She specializes in converting old buildings into unique creative spaces. Margie is a featured speaker at the Creative Places + Spaces conference, October 17 and 18 in Toronto, produced by Toronto Artscape in association with the Canadian Urban Institute and Artspace Projects based in Minneapolis.