NICHELLE NICHOLS|

Nichelle Nichols began her professional singing and dancing career in her hometown, Chicago, at the tender age of 14. As a teen, she was discovered by the great Duke Ellington who hired her to choreograph and perform a ballet for one of his musical suites. Nichelle was cast by Gene Roddenberry to create Lt. Uhura in the legendary TV series, STAR TREK, and went on to co-star in the subsequent six Star Trek motion pictures.

Among her other TV and film credits are SNOW DOGS (co-starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Colburn), CAPTAIN ZOOM IN OUTER SPACE (co- starring Ron Perlman and Daniel Riordan), THE SUPERNATURALS  (co-starring Maxwell Caufield and Lavar Burton), PORGY & BESS  (with Sammy Davis, Jr.) and HEROES.

Both Whoopi Goldberg and Dr. Mae Jemison (the first African-American female astronaut) publicly give Nichelle credit for inspiring them in their beginning careers.

JANE ALDERMAN|

Jane has been casting theatre, feature films and television for 28 years with over 62 films, 70 television shows and 36 plays to her credit. British-born and New York raised, she has made Chicago her home for 41 years. Prior to casting, Ms. Alderman was an actress – her most notable performance with John Malkovich and Glenne Headly in the Goodman Theatre’s groundbreaking production of Sam Shepard’s CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS. In her recent return to acting she spent the summer with Steppenwolf Theatre in Tracy Letts’ newest play SUPERIOR DONUTS. A few films to her credit – her most recent is THE BREAK UP, playing Vince Vaughn’s Mom. Jane also appears in the films DUST CLOUDS and THE MAN IN THE SILO co-starring with Ernie Hudson.

Jane taught at DePaul’s Theatre School for 20 years and is currently teaching at Roosevelt University’s Chicago Center For The Performing Arts, and at Act One Studios. The winner of Casting Society of America’s Artios Award for Excellence in Casting for both Dramatic Pilot (EZ STREETS) and Movie of The Week (NORMAL) she has also been nominated for UNTOUCHABLES, TURKS and ER.

A member of SAG, AFTRA, AEA, NATAS, and CSA, she is very proud of her involvement with a new program she co-created for the Chicago branch of SAG/AFTRA – CASTING ACCESS – making casting directors accessible to professional actors. Jane was a founding member of Women In Film Chicago.  She shares her talent at workshops throughout the country including, Stateville Correctional Center, Duke University, U. of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Purdue, Western Michigan U., Kent State, Illinois State U., University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre, and Indiana U.  Jane continues as a Visiting Lecturer at Northwestern University.
She is currently writing a short novel.

2007 Recipients

Betty began her career as an art teacher in Chicago, but felt restricted and sought out an open forum for self-expression at the Second City Improv. She went on to act in movies and gained widespread recognition with her role in the hit police series Hill Street Blues. Betty was nominated for six Emmys and won Best Supporting Actress in 1985. Betty is also an award-wining director and accomplished producer.

Carol started her career at Leo Burnett Company in Chicago, and quickly earned a position as the first female and first African American Creative Director and Vice-President. After 13 years at Leo Burnett, she served two years as Senior Vice President, Creative Director at Foote, Cone & Belding in San Francisco. Now, as the leader of Carol H. Williams Advertising (CHWA), with offices in California, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and New York, Carol continues to develop captivating advertising for Fortune 500 clients such as the Clorox Company, Genera Motors, Pfizer and the Walt Disney Company. Carol is also passionate about using her talent and resources to help dozens of philanthropic endeavors, including the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, US Dream Academy, the National Newspaper Publishers Association and several local community organizations in Oakland and Chicago

Joyce’s career has spanned actress, director and teacher-mentor. She and her late husband, Byrne Piven, were actors in the Compass Players. She currently still teaches at the Piven Theatre Workshop and serves as its artistic director.

In 1954, Joyce Hiller met Byrne Piven at the University of Chicago. They were married a short time later. In the 1950s, the Pivens were two of the founding members of the Playwrights Theatre Club, along with Paul Sills and David Shepard. Playwrights featured such budding stars as Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Ed Asner and Barbara Harris. They later formed the Compass Players, a forerunner to The Second City.
Later she and her husband founded the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston, Illinois and became a teacher to a generation of stars such as John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Aidan Quinn, Adam McKay, and their son Jeremy Piven.