Katie Thiede
As Executive Director, Katie brings two decades of experience at the helm of influential social change organizations to her role at ICAN! where she oversees strategy development, fundraising, policy advocacy, and partnership development. Prior to ICAN!, Katie served as the CEO of Bright Pink—a national breast and ovarian cancer prevention organization—where she led the organization’s strategic growth and programmatic initiatives. In her capacity as VP of development and external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Katie supported some of the organization’s most significant policy efforts: removing Medicaid abortion coverage restrictions, increasing Medicaid coverage for LARCs, protecting patients’ right to reproductive health information under the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act, and requiring insurance coverage of up to 12 months of birth control without cost-sharing. As the Executive Director of the Chinook Fund, she worked to support grassroots social and economic justice organizations. Katie has also held leadership roles at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Rape Assistance and Awareness Program and Clean Water Action. Katie was selected to participate in the 2024 cohort of the Civic Leadership Academy and in the 2025-2026 Leadership Greater Chicago Signature Fellows Program. Katie earned her BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
