Jennifer W. Steans, Rush trustee and philanthropic donor, is among Crain’s Chicago Business’ Notable Leaders in Philanthropy for 2025. The honor was announced online June 2.
“From executives overseeing major health systems to grassroots organizers driving community change, each honoree plays a critical role in strengthening civic life,” the publication noted in characterizing the recipients. “They're advancing equity, building cross-sector partnerships, securing vital resources and delivering services that improve lives. Their work spans education, housing, public health, the arts and more. Together, they shape a more resilient and inclusive Chicago.”
Steans’ leadership and philanthropic partnership align with that description, according to Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center.
“Jennifer Steans and her family ― starting with her late father, Harrison I. Steans — have shown unparalleled commitment to Chicago’s West Side and specifically the North Lawndale community,” Lateef said. “Through volunteerism and philanthropic support, Jennifer and her family champion the impact private foundations, businesses and health care organizations can make when we work together to promote equity. Her involvement at Rush is the model for what philanthropic investment in our Chicago communities should look like: proactive, innovative and in close partnership with the neighbors served.”
To be recognized, Crain’s wrote that nominees “must serve in a senior leadership role at their nonprofit and live and work in the Chicago area.”
About Steans, Crain’s wrote: “Steans chairs Rush’s Health Equity Advisory Council and has played a central role in shaping the system’s strategy to eliminate health disparities. She helped raise over $100 million toward Rush’s health equity initiatives. The Steans Family Foundation served as a catalyst for Fillmore Linen Service, which counted Rush as its first partner and created up to 175 new jobs on the West Side.”
Steans is president and CEO of Financial Investments Corp. She is also a trustee of the Steans Family Foundation and DePaul University.
