JENNIFER THURSWELL

Jeni is an estate planning attorney in Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP’s Private Client Services group in Chicago. She represents high-net-worth individuals, including equity fund principals and business owners, in wealth transfer and estate planning matters. Jeni is experienced in designing and implementing sophisticated and personalized estate plans. However, Jeni’s career path was not traditional. Jeni initially decided to stay home and raise her three children, Harrison, Phoebe, and Ruby, leaving a career in marketing to raise her kids full time. When Jeni’s children were all in middle school, she decided to go back to school and enrolled at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, earning her law degree magna cum laude alongside classmates 20 years her junior. This life changing accomplishment made Jeni a true believer that you can do anything you set your mind to and that nothing is out of your reach with some hard work and dedication.

This same ideal is why Jeni is such a strong supporter of Giordano Dance Chicago’s curriculum-based science and health programs integrating dance classes with the Chicago Public School’s health and science curriculum. From the more than 300 dance classes GDC dancers lead for underserved 3-5th grade CPS students between April and June to the 800 performance tickets donated each year to area students and families, GDS engages, encourages and inspires Chicago’s youth to reach beyond their grasp.

While not a dancer or performer herself, Jeni jumped at the opportunity to once again step out of her comfort zone to support an important charity making a difference in the lives of thousands of young Chicagoans each year. While the spotlight is not the most comfortable place to be, Jeni is willing to put herself out there to support GDC’s children’s charities. Please support Jeni’s efforts today by making a donation and please get your tickets right away to watch Jeni and her partner take on the spotlight on October 3  at the Park West Theatre!