Full Name
Nadia M. Quarles, Esq.
Job Title
AVP
Company Name
Business Opportunity at University of Chicago
Speaker Bio
Nadia is a recognized thought leader and forward-thinking strategist, driven by a bold mission to connect highly qualified yet underutilized local and national businesses, particularly in goods, services, and professional sectors, with opportunities to competitively pursue contracts within the University of Chicago. As the Assistant Vice President for Business Opportunity at the University of Chicago, Nadia advises University leadership on strategies to cultivate impactful partnerships with business executives, civic leaders and elected officials, ensuring that the University has access to the most innovative and competitive business talent in the marketplace.
Nadia has pioneered an innovative approach to broaden the University’s engagement with businesses, moving beyond traditional general services to high-margin, professional service opportunities that drive wealth creation and foster significant economic development. In 2009, Nadia launched a groundbreaking Professional Services Symposium designed to connect local and national underutilized businesses within the communications, legal, human resources, money management, financial services, information technology and architecture/engineering industries to senior decision-makers at the University. As a result of the Symposium, over the past 16 years, the professional services spend has increased from $7M to over $275M paid to more than 100 MWBE’s. Nadia’s efforts influenced the historical hiring of first African American asset management firms to invest Endowment funds. Her laser focus on diversifying UChicago’s Endowment managers has led to the hiring of more than 28 minority and women-owned asset management firms currently investing funds. The Symposium is viewed as a national model for which other seek to emulate. In 2023, Nadia created the University of Chicago Institute for Strategic Business Opportunities, designed to educate procurement and supplier professionals on strategies to expand their supplier pipeline and build a more resilient and results oriented supply chain ecosystem.
Nadia serves on the Obama Foundation Inclusion Council, PAWS Chicago Development Board, and the City of Chicago Casino Advisory Council. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Nadia is a former member of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago Board, and she also served on former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Business, Neighborhood, and Economic Development Transition Committee. Nadia is a 2023 National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP Chicago) Trailblazing Women Honoree. In 2022, Nadia was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Black Executives in HR and DEI, and in 2021, as a Crain’s Notable Black Leader and Executive. Nadia is also a 2021 Chicago United Business Leader of Color. In 2019 Nadia received the Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Award. Nadia has also been featured in Who’s Who in Black Chicago and was named to Diversity MBA Magazine’s top 100 Under 50 Diverse Executives & Emerging Leaders.
Previously, Nadia worked for Chicago Public Schools, as manager of supplier diversity, and the City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services, where she managed the target market and professional service contracts. She was also an adjunct professor at Northeastern Illinois University, where she taught courses in Criminal Justice Studies, and Race and the Law. Nadia holds a Juris Doctorate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and has several years of legal experience. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Public Policy from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Nadia has pioneered an innovative approach to broaden the University’s engagement with businesses, moving beyond traditional general services to high-margin, professional service opportunities that drive wealth creation and foster significant economic development. In 2009, Nadia launched a groundbreaking Professional Services Symposium designed to connect local and national underutilized businesses within the communications, legal, human resources, money management, financial services, information technology and architecture/engineering industries to senior decision-makers at the University. As a result of the Symposium, over the past 16 years, the professional services spend has increased from $7M to over $275M paid to more than 100 MWBE’s. Nadia’s efforts influenced the historical hiring of first African American asset management firms to invest Endowment funds. Her laser focus on diversifying UChicago’s Endowment managers has led to the hiring of more than 28 minority and women-owned asset management firms currently investing funds. The Symposium is viewed as a national model for which other seek to emulate. In 2023, Nadia created the University of Chicago Institute for Strategic Business Opportunities, designed to educate procurement and supplier professionals on strategies to expand their supplier pipeline and build a more resilient and results oriented supply chain ecosystem.
Nadia serves on the Obama Foundation Inclusion Council, PAWS Chicago Development Board, and the City of Chicago Casino Advisory Council. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Nadia is a former member of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago Board, and she also served on former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Business, Neighborhood, and Economic Development Transition Committee. Nadia is a 2023 National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP Chicago) Trailblazing Women Honoree. In 2022, Nadia was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Black Executives in HR and DEI, and in 2021, as a Crain’s Notable Black Leader and Executive. Nadia is also a 2021 Chicago United Business Leader of Color. In 2019 Nadia received the Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Award. Nadia has also been featured in Who’s Who in Black Chicago and was named to Diversity MBA Magazine’s top 100 Under 50 Diverse Executives & Emerging Leaders.
Previously, Nadia worked for Chicago Public Schools, as manager of supplier diversity, and the City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services, where she managed the target market and professional service contracts. She was also an adjunct professor at Northeastern Illinois University, where she taught courses in Criminal Justice Studies, and Race and the Law. Nadia holds a Juris Doctorate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and has several years of legal experience. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Public Policy from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Speaking At
