Joffrey Ballet Welcomes Rahm Emanuel and Jason Kalajainen to Board of Directors

Anne L. Kaplan, Joffrey Board Chair, and Greg Cameron, President and CEO, have announced the appointment of Rahm Emanuel and Jason Kalajainen to the Joffrey Board of Directors for the 2025–2028 term.

Rahm Emanuel served as the 31st United States Ambassador to Japan and was previously the 55th Mayor of the City of Chicago. During his mayoral campaign, he made the critical decisions necessary to secure Chicago’s future as a global capital. From 2011 to 2019, he served as Honorary Chairman of The Joffrey Board of Directors, playing a key role in the creation of Christopher Wheeldon’s Chicago-set reimagining of The Nutcracker (2016).

Ambassador Emanuel has served in various governmental positions, including Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama, a four-term Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois’s 5th Congressional District, and a key member of President Bill Clinton’s administration. Ambassador Emanuel is a former Senior Counselor at Centerview Partners and former Managing Director at Wasserstein Perella & Co.

A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Ambassador Emanuel earned a master’s degree in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University. He studied ballet at the Evanston School of Ballet, trained at the Joe Hall Dance Center, and received a scholarship to the Joffrey School in New York.

Jason Kalajainen is a dedicated cultural advocate and expert relationship builder, currently serving as a Co-Trustee at the Holly Palmer Foundation (HPF). He is also a Production Sponsor for several Joffrey productions, including Midsummer Night’s Dream (2024), Atonement (2024), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (2025), Carmen (2025), and Eugene Onegin (2026).

Kalajainen formerly served as the Executive Director of organizations such as the Luminarts Cultural Foundation at the Union League Club of Chicago, which supports the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet’s annual fellowship program, and the Ox-Bow School of Arts and Artists’ Residency, as well as the Holland Area Arts Council.

A seasoned leader in the nonprofit, educational, and philanthropic sectors, Kalajainen is a trustee at the Ragdale Foundation, Vice Chair of the Arts Club of Chicago’s Membership Committee, and a member of the Fashion Council at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Kalajainen formerly served as a member of the Learning and Public Programming Committee at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, as the Secretary of the Board of Directors at The Chicago Academy for the Arts, as Board Chair at the Alliance of Artists Communities, and as a board member on the Holland Michigan Downtown Development Authority.

About The Joffrey Ballet  

The Joffrey Ballet is one of the premier dance companies in the world today, with a reputation for boundary-breaking performances for 70 years. The Joffrey repertoire is an extensive collection of all-time classics, modern masterpieces, and original works.  

Founded in 1956 by pioneers Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, the Joffrey remains dedicated to artistic expression, innovation, and first-rate education and engagement programming. The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE and President and CEO Greg Cameron.

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of its 2024-2025 Season Sponsors: Abbott Fund, Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, The Florian Fund, Gallagher, Anne L. Kaplan, and Live Music Sponsors: Sandy and Roger Deromedi, Sage Foundation, Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, and The Marina and Arnold Tatar Fund for Live Music. The Joffrey also acknowledges Season Partners: Chicago Athletic Clubs, and Athletico Physical Therapy, official provider of physical therapy for The Joffrey Ballet.