Suzanne Jakstavich, MA

Suzanne leads with what matters most: people. When people thrive, the business follows. In her role, she ensures leadership, talent and culture align with business objectives. Her approach blends strategic focus with intention, building systems that lift leaders, unify teams and deliver results. From a personal perspective, Suzanne brings a mix of optimism, curiosity, humor and warmth that energizes teams and fosters genuine connections — making colleagues feel seen, valued and included.

As Chief People Officer, Suzanne provides strategic guidance across all areas of talent, culture and leadership development. She partners with the executive team to align people strategies with the firm’s goals, strengthen team performance and drive results. Through this work, Suzanne positions People & Culture as a driver of performance and growth. As a certified leadership coach through the International Coaching Federation, she also works with professionals throughout the firm to deepen self-awareness, navigate complexity and lead with intention — helping them grow in ways that elevate performance and organizational impact.

• Aspire Chicago (Board of Directors)
• Misericordia Women’s Board
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• International Coaching Federation
• University of Illinois Latina/Latino Alumni Association
• The People Collective (Founding Member)

Outside of work, Suzanne finds purpose in community and advocacy. As a parent to a child with disabilities, she is a passionate advocate for inclusion and neurodiversity. Suzanne, her husband and their son live in the Chicagoland area — where she also proudly serves as the family’s unofficial Uber driver. Additionally, she maintains a staunch and unapologetic allegiance to the Chicago Bears, a commitment that builds character and tests loyalty every football season.