Kristian Aloma, Director of the March for Science Chicago, can’t stop smiling. This may be why so many people feel at ease around him. Kristian was drawn to Chicago by an undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and 15 years later considers himself a true Chicagoan. During that time, he has honed his expertise in branding and consumer emotion while also working to complete his doctoral dissertation in Narrative Psychology. Kristian was inspired to organize the March for Science Chicago because he believes science needs guardians and without them science, and our way of understanding the world, will be at risk. Kristian thinks Picasso only got it half right when he said that every child is an artist. With two young children of his own, Kristian has seen first hand that every child is also a scientist. At home with his wife and kids, Kristian is figuring out parenthood just as slowly as he’s figuring out adulthood. But he knows one thing for sure, it all makes for a pretty good story.

There aren’t many engineers that become marketers but there aren’t many people who compare to Adam Arcus, Director of the March for Science Chicago. Adam’s engineering precision leads to organizational perfection. It also helps he has a natural talent for visual storytelling. He sees nearly every detail of the beautiful chaos of organizing a volunteer-driven movement. Adam was inspired to organize the March for Science Chicago by his love for science, his sense of justice, and his desire to see Chicago recognized for the science city it is. He believes “a scientific heart beats in the chest of the city of broad shoulders.” At home, Adam loves good coffee, high quality scotch, his playful chocolate lab and his perfect wife. He hates business socks.

Whether you’re a family member, friend or stranger, Monica Zabinski, Director of the March for Science Chicago, will talk to you. She is on a mission to connect with, cheer up, and comfort the people around her. This may be why she began her career in event planning and transitioned into one of clinical psychology. These experiences mean she is as capable dealing with difficulty and as she is celebrating success: important skills when working on one of the largest science marches in the world. Monica’s inspiration to organize the March for Science Chicago is rooted in those very strengths. She celebrates science - her own in the social sciences and all science - but also recognized the need to protect it from the heightened threats it has faced in society. At home, Monica, in a turn of events, is comforted by her boyfriend and can recognize most rap music within the first few notes of the beat.