From Support to Success: Creating Opportunities That Last
Serena Alaily – CEO – Aspire Chicago
Available Everywhere You Want to Listen
Featured Guest
Serena Alaily
CEO
Serena Alaily is the CEO of Aspire, where she is leading a bold movement to build an inclusive future for everyone. Guided by a deep belief that anything is possible, she is advancing Aspire’s mission to connect people with disabilities to ever-greater possibilities in learning, jobs, and safe places to call home.
Under her direction, Aspire is expanding partnerships, reimagining community homes through universal design, and laying the groundwork to double its impact by 2032. Serena has championed major milestones, including securing a $9.2M federal grant to launch Aspire’s Employment Training Program, a first-of-its-kind workforce model that opens new career pathways for young adults with disabilities while helping companies address turnover and talent shortages.
Her leadership is shaped by strategic expertise and her lived experience as a parent of a child with a disability. That lens fuels her commitment to building communities where everyone belongs and can thrive. Today, she leads Aspire with a blend of heart and discipline—grounded in lived experience, powered by possibility, and driven by the belief that we build a better world when we build it together.
Podcast Host
Kimberly Sullivan
Executive Vice President
Kimberly brings over two decades of experience leading workplace strategy and delivering client-focused solutions across a wide range of industries. As Executive Vice President at BOS, she draws on her deep knowledge of contract furniture and commercial interiors to guide complex projects from vision to completion. Kimberly has a strong track record of building lasting client relationships, mentoring sales teams, and driving organizational growth through thoughtful leadership and strategic planning. She is passionate about creating environments that not only support business goals but also elevate the experience of those who use them every day. Now, as the new host of Work Inspired, Kimberly is excited to lead the conversation on the future of work, spotlighting the ideas, people, and spaces shaping the way we work today and tomorrow
Podcast Guest Host
Jerry DiCola
Founder, Certified Instructor, Consultant
Jerry DiCola is the founder of Inspiring Consultant Services, LLC and a subject matter expert in IFMA training program development. With more than 20 years of experience leading global projects and building high-performing FM teams, he also delivers IFMA and BOMI certification courses. Jerry previously served as President of the IFMA Chicago Chapter (2013–2015) and remains dedicated to mentoring the next generation of facility management professionals.
