Welcome to Advance Chicago

The Chicago chapter of Advance recognizes that it is not easy to leave Australia and start a new life in an unfamiliar City. We are a volunteer committee, dedicated to welcoming Aussie expatriates to the US Midwest, and offering them low-key networking opportunities to feel more at home here.

Our membership boasts over 450 talented people from across Australia whose professional and personal lives have brought them to Chicago and other major Midwestern cities like Detroit, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.

The 2007 calendar year was a busy one for Advance Chicago. Our most successful events included the launch of an Aboriginal art exhibition, an informative E3 visa seminar, and a Melbourne Cup celebration.

Advance Chicago is also willing to work with other groups in the City to support our Australians and in 2007, we helped the Chicago AFL team at their end-of-season BBQ; we promoted the Australian companies and products featured at Austrade’s second annual “AusFest”; and our website advertised the Australia Day Ball hosted by the Consulate.

The Advance Chicago Committee is looking forward to a dynamic year in 2008. Our membership has grown and so has the enthusiasm for more diverse networking events.

If you have any suggestions for how Advance Chicago might work more effectively for Australian expatriate professionals in the US Midwest, please
email us

 
Chicago Committee
Gabi Krasowski (chair)
Stefania Fatone
Katie Logie-Smith
Louisa Jordan
Mark Mullen
Natalie Tronson
Mary Maher
 
Sub-committee
Jessica Reynolds
Chris Reynolds 
 
 

 
ARCHIVED ARTICLES
 

 

 
Invest Victoria requires Investment Manager, Chicago
The Victorian Government Business Offices (VGBOs) form part of the network for the attraction of business investment into Victoria, the facilitation of exports and more generally, the international promotion of Victoria. The position of Investment Manager, Chicago reports to the Commissioner to the Americas who is located in San Francisco. [More...]
 

RECENT ADVANCE EVENTS

Beyond Black & White exhibition
April 11 to April 26, 2008
Aboriginal Art Collection invites you to the opening of their new River North gallery featuring spectacular new works by Queensland’s biggest selling artists Sally Gabori and the highly acclaimed Lockhart River Art Gang. [More...]

William Yang: Shadows
March 15 & 16, 2008
Advance Chicago members are invited to attend an exhibition by William Yang, a famed Australian storyteller and photographer who will make his Chicago debut at the Museum of Contemporary Art next month, with his latest exhibition, Shadows. The show will be accompanied by Colin Offord's lyrical music performed live. [More...]



OTHER PAST EVENTS

CAFA Australia Day Party
Saturday January 19, 2008

The Chicago Australian Football Association invited all Aussies and friends to come along to its Australia Day Party on Saturday January 19, 2008 from 9pm to 1am at Mix Bar.
Purchase tickets today!

Advance Chicago Celebrates the Season
Members of Advance gathered together at BB's in Downtown Chicago on Wednesday December 12, 2007 to celebrate the holiday season and a year of successful Advance events.  [More...]
 


ARTICLES

Diplomatic Appointment: Consul-General in Chicago
Media Release on February 11, 2008 from The Hon Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I have confirmed the appointment of Ms Libby Schick as Australia’s new Consul-General of Australia in Chicago, USA. Ms Schick will succeed Mr Bob Charles who has been Consul-General since March 2005. [More...]

Global Aussie Thinks the World of Chicago
Published in The Australian on December 7, 2007
David Malliband is the very model of global lawyer.  Brisbane-born Malliband is a partner at Baker & McKenzie's head office in Chicago. He is admitted to practice law in the US, Australia, England and Wales, and has worked in Brisbane, Sydney and London[More...]

Australian Specialties Spice Up Dishes in Chicago
A number of Australian products have made their way to Chicago--and they're showing up in everywhere from cooking schools, to grocery stores and restaurants. When thinking of Australian food, you might not imagine a wealth of cheeses, wines, oils and spices. Finally those exotic ingredients are becoming available in Chicago. [More...]

Craving For a Taste of Australia?
The Austrade Team in Chicago has been working closely with a number of prominent local importers to promote Australian speciality food products in the Chicago region, including European Imports Ltd. [More...]
 


ARCHIVED EVENTS
 
 
Nov 15, 2007 - Property & Tax Seminar 
Nov 6, 2007 - Melbourne Cup 2007
Aug 8, 2007 - Great Aussie BBQ!
May 30, 2007 - Hamlet Stooged!
Jul 26, 2007 - Colin Hay in Chicago
Jul 11, 2007 -  Wine and Grilling in Chicago
Jul 10, 2007 - Cat Empire
 

 



Steven Saunders

Steven Saunders moved to the United States to study at Purdue University as part of an exchange program. He discovered that he enjoyed playing around with computers and developing computer applications, so he started a computer science degree to further develop his interests. He is now employed as a database administrator for a downtown Chicago company. The overseas experience has been very valuable and Steven enjoys life in Chicago, despite the bitter cold winters and traffic.

Where did you grow up in Australia?
 
I moved around a lot as a kid, mainly Eden, NSW until I was in my teens; Albury/Wodonga until I joined the Army when I was 20.

What brought you to the United States of America? How long have you been here? How long do you plan to stay? 

I came over to Purdue University on exchange and met a young lady that watched sports and enjoyed a lager while doing so…I had to give her a chance and as it turns out we ended up getting married. [More...]