The 2025 Chicago Family Office Conference

But the Crime Lab is not simply hoping for a safer America—they have a data-driven plan. Their research demonstrates that strategic investments in policing management, community violence intervention, and cognitive behavioral therapy programs can significantly reduce violent crime. This event will feature a conversation between Jens Ludwig, world-renowned economist and UChicago Harris School professor, and Jeff Shapack, prominent Chicago business leader. The discussion will be facilitated by Roseanna Ander, Executive Director of the Crime Lab. Solving gun violence isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s an economic necessity.

When families choose silence over discomfort, they often believe they’re preserving harmony—but in truth, they may be placing the very foundation of their legacy at risk. Beneath the surface of unspoken assumptions lie critical issues: succession, identity, entitlement, fairness, and purpose. These are not technical problems with clear-cut solutions—they are adaptive challenges that require honest dialogue, vulnerability, courage and ultimately behavioral change.

Family offices are increasingly finding themselves in the emotional crossfire of generational mental health struggles—silently acting as confidants, mediators, and, at times, untrained therapists. This panel brings together renowned faculty experts in mental health, addiction, and suicide prevention to address the unique position of family offices in supporting families through these sensitive issues. We’ll explore how to recognize when professional intervention is needed, how to responsibly introduce external support, and how to shift the burden away from the office and back to appropriate experts—without compromising trust. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for managing boundaries, facilitating difficult conversations, and building a network of expert partners to support family well-being without overstepping their role.