Meet Our People

Jennifer has worked for WorldChicago for five years and serves as the Executive Director.

In this role, Dixon works to continue to elevate the profile of WorldChicago, increase its role in promoting citizen diplomacy in the Chicago region, and develop the next generation of global citizens.

Dixon’s career in the nonprofit sector spans 30 years. Prior to joining the WorldChicago team in 2021, she served in civic leadership roles for over 25 years for organizations such as Urban Alliance, Umoja (now New Root Learning), Girls on the Run – Chicago, and UCAN. She has also been an entrepreneur, having founded and successfully run her own business for 10 years and served as a consultant in the not-for-profit sector.

Julia is a public diplomacy professional with expertise in managing international exchange programs. She holds a B.A. in Global and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago and currently serves as a Program Officer at WorldChicago. Julia is passionate about building bridges between cultures, a commitment reflected in her leadership roles with local and national nonprofits. Her citizen diplomacy travels, including studying abroad in Italy and participating in youth exchanges in France and Taiwan, have further shaped her dedication to fostering global connections and mutual understanding.

Ben Braun is a Political Science and Global Studies major at Loyola University Chicago. In his work as a student, he has been a research assistant for the Workshop on Research for International Affairs at Loyola, where he worked on projects related to International Relations. Also, leadership and community building are passions for him, and he has been able to hold many leadership positions. He has served as the president of Loyola’s Residence Hall Association and the chair of a Student Government Committee, working to help build community on campus. He has a commitment to helping others, being honored to volunteer and support those at a refugee center. Ben is a passionate person who is always willing to meet new people and enjoys helping whoever, however they need it.