Rae Ali
A proud Chicago native and 1989 graduate of Mundelein College, Rae joined the board in January 2025.
With over 25 years as a People & Culture executive, Rae has built a reputation for driving transformation, talent strategy, and leadership development across industries such as Technology, Healthcare, Education, Hospitality, and Retail. She is known for her ability to simplify complexity, foster leadership confidence, and help organizations navigate change. Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in shaping cultures and strengthening leadership during explosive organic growth, turnaround, and start-up phases.
As the Founder & Principal Advisor of RaeAlity Check, LLC, Rae partners with C-suite executives, people leaders, and emerging talent to optimize performance, culture, and leadership impact. Previously, she was Chief People Officer at Legacy.com, where she led strategic change, acquisitions, and employee engagement initiatives. She also served as VP of HR at Round the Table Hospitality and R1 RCM, playing a key role in talent integration and business expansion. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at Learning Care Group and Blockbuster, Inc., helping to scale operations, strengthen leadership pipelines, and shape corporate culture during major industry shifts.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Rae is dedicated to fostering executive growth and professional communities. She serves as a board member and past president of ELITE Chicago, a working group that supports senior leaders in career transitions and executive advancement. She is also a People Advisor for Raise The Bar and a founding member of The People Collective—both of which focus on leadership development, talent innovation, and strengthening professional networks in Chicago.
A proud Chicago native and 1989 graduate of Mundelein College, Rae joined the board in January 2025.
With over 25 years as a People & Culture executive, Rae has built a reputation for driving transformation, talent strategy, and leadership development across industries such as Technology, Healthcare, Education, Hospitality, and Retail. She is known for her ability to simplify complexity, foster leadership confidence, and help organizations navigate change. Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in shaping cultures and strengthening leadership during explosive organic growth, turnaround, and start-up phases.
As the Founder & Principal Advisor of RaeAlity Check, LLC, Rae partners with C-suite executives, people leaders, and emerging talent to optimize performance, culture, and leadership impact. Previously, she was Chief People Officer at Legacy.com, where she led strategic change, acquisitions, and employee engagement initiatives. She also served as VP of HR at Round the Table Hospitality and R1 RCM, playing a key role in talent integration and business expansion. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at Learning Care Group and Blockbuster, Inc., helping to scale operations, strengthen leadership pipelines, and shape corporate culture during major industry shifts.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Rae is dedicated to fostering executive growth and professional communities. She serves as a board member and past president of ELITE Chicago, a working group that supports senior leaders in career transitions and executive advancement. She is also a People Advisor for Raise The Bar and a founding member of The People Collective—both of which focus on leadership development, talent innovation, and strengthening professional networks in Chicago.