Manager of the Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP)

msugai@chicagobarfoundation.org

312.556.9970

Merci Sugai joined the CBF staff in September 2025 as the Manager of the Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP). In this role, Merci serves as the primary point of contact for the JEP community, external partners, and other stakeholders; oversees the shared JEP office and resource portal; and supports the program’s continued growth, improvement, and impact.

Before joining the CBF, Merci was the Assistant Director for Leadership Development and New Student Programs at the Office of Student Transition Experiences (OSTE) at Northwestern University, where she planned OSTE’s new student orientation programming and managed the hiring and training of orientation staff.

Merci earned her M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Syracuse University, where she served in a variety of on-campus roles. She received her B.A. in Human Development & Family Studies from Colorado State University.

When she’s not at the CBF, Merci loves to try new bars and restaurants and take walks along the lake.