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Andee Harris
Chief Executive Officer
Andee Harris is the CEO of Challenger Inc., a sales training and enablement platform company based in Arlington, Virginia.24 She took on this role in January 2021.4 Harris is a seasoned business leader with over two decades of experience in growing and scaling service and technology businesses.13
Key points about Andee Harris:
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Leadership Experience: Prior to Challenger, Harris led multiple companies as CEO and Senior Vice President, including HighGround and Kazoo, through periods of rapid revenue growth, critical fundraising, and successful acquisitions.13
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Educational Background: She holds a BA in Organizational Studies from the University of Michigan and an Advanced Certification in Executive Coaching and Leadership from Columbia University.4
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Academic Role: Harris is an Adjunct Faculty Member at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, teaching "Launching and Leading Startups" in the MBA Entrepreneurship program.4
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Board Memberships: She serves on several boards, including Pavion, Bonfire, Chicago Ideas Week, Lyft Community Board, and The Lurie Children's Hospital Strategic Founders.13
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Professional Affiliations: Harris is a member of YPO Chicago and serves on its Membership Committee.4
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Expertise: She is known for her skills in market share growth, business development, multi-channel marketing, and revenue management.35
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Personal: Harris lives in Chicago with her family and enjoys traveling, cooking, and outdoor activities.35
Highlights
Today, I sent the following message to my team at Challenger. As leaders, we have a responsibility to help our teams navigate the crises we face in the world, particularly those as complex and personally painful as the one currently raging in the Middle East.
Good afternoon, team.
I’ve been struggling to find the right words to say today following the violence in Israel this weekend. I know I am not alone. For those of you who have friends or family affected by these tragic events, my thoughts are with you.
Due to the sensitivity of this situation, Challenger will not be making a public statement about this conflict. However, I wanted to be vulnerable and transparent and open up space for all of us to reflect on something that deeply impacts myself and many Challengers, families, and friends.
It is impossible to think and write about how I feel right now without thinking about all of the nuance, the wrongs and atrocities visited by both sides in the Middle East for thousands of years. But I’m going to do my best, and I want you all to know that this is how I feel as an individual, not a CEO.
Like many American Jews, I am gutted by the terror attacks that Hamas carried out against civilians in Israel this weekend. And I’m gutted by how many innocent people will die in Gaza. I have deeply complex feelings about the State of Israel, but I have no complicated feelings about innocent people dying because of where they live and what they believe.
I have had the privilege to visit Israel five times, sometimes for days and sometimes for months. I fell in love with the country and its people. And I am heartbroken for them — all of them.
Most Israelis and Palestinians just want to be able to take their kids to school, shop for dinner, and have coffee with friends without having to worry about being killed or kidnapped or harassed. Without being stopped by security or needing to have security.
I want peace. I want peace so badly. And so many Israelis and Palestinians want the same.
Please support peace. Embody it. I pray that the hostages find their way home safely. I pray for no more civilian deaths. I pray for a safe homeland for my people, the Jews. I pray for a safe homeland for our neighbors, the Palestinians. I pray to manifest the best that is within us.
I ask you to join me in this hope.
I also wanted to highlight organizations who can help Americans understand what's happening or are currently working to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Israel and Gaza: Solutions Not Sides, Direct Relief, International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC, Alliance for Middle East Peace - ALLMEP, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières - USA, Save the Children International, and Mercy Corps.
