Dads, Listen Up: Session 2: Women Community Leaders

Join us September 7th at 6pm on the Fathering Together Facebook Page for another conversation on the ways fathers can empower and encourage their daughters to be community leaders! We have 3 amazing panelists doing great things in their community to forge a more equitable future.

Barbara Barreno-Paschall is a Commissioner with the State of Illinois Human Rights Commission following her appointment by Governor JB Pritzker in 2019. Prior to her appointment, Barbara was a Senior Staff Attorney with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. She also was an Associate at Sidley Austin LLP. At Sidley, Barbara twice received the firm’s Thomas H. Morsch Award for Pro Bono Achievement for her successful representation of immigrants seeking asylum. Barbara is a Board member of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference and Harvard Alumni for Global Women’s Empowerment and is a member of the Harris Alumni Council. In 2018, Barbara was elected as a Community Representative on the Kenwood Academy High School Local School Council and is an Emerging Leader with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Barbara is a graduate of Harvard College, Vanderbilt Law School, and the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

Ruth Lopez-McCarthy is a managing attorney with the Legal Protection Fund Project. Ruth holds over 17 years of experience in the immigration movement both locally and nationally. After working as an organizer in Chicago, Ruth obtained her J.D. from Chicago- Kent College of Law. Ruth served as the deputy field director with the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign, the coalition coordinator for the Northern Borders Coalition, and as the deputy legislative associate/legislative liaison for Field for the Alliance for Citizenship campaign in Washington, D.C. She joined the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights as the comprehensive immigration reform implementation director in 2013 where she built the IL is READY Campaign in preparation for administrative relief. Ruth worked as a consultant for immigration advocacy organizations coordinating immigrant focused programs across the United States and Mexico. At NIJC, Ruth leads the City of Chicago funded initiative, the Legal Protection Fund, aimed at educating community and providing immediate legal information, screenings, consultations, and representation to individuals who may be at risk for deportation or in need of trustworthy immigration representation. Ruth speaks Spanish and is licensed to practice law in Illinois.

Kady McFadden is Deputy Director of the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter. In this role, Kady manages organizing and conservation staff in order to build strong advocacy campaigns for clean energy, clean water, and open space protection. Kady also runs the Sierra Club Illinois PAC to elect environmental champions to state, local and federal office. She is an alumna of Washington University in St Louis and University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.