Myla
-BELL HOOKS
Skinner
"Love is an action, never simply a feeling."
Myla Skinner is the founder and managing partner of Quarter Five. After working in and across non-profits in Chicago for more than 15 years, Myla saw a gap in how businesses and organizations were (or were not) managing complex change. She often witnessed amazing organizations, productive teams, and talented people become overwhelmed and fatigued by the amount of change around them. When asking business leaders what they need to better navigate this change and care for their people the consistent answer was always “time”. Businesses and leaders would tell Myla, “I don’t have enough time to do this work and definitely not to do it well.” Thus was born Quarter Five (Q5) - an opportunity to build on the time you have in order to build the businesses the world needs.
Myla does this work and leads with a constant, consistent, and unwavering belief in the power of love and how it can transform how we live, work and do business. She grounds her work in "calling people in and not out" and she unapologetically uses love as a lens and filter for engaging with the partners she is honored to do work alongside. Myla has an unfaltering commitment to respect, equity, thoughtfulness, and intentionality.
Of Myla's most important roles, she is a mom to a young Black man who reminds her that life is both incredibly complex and simple at the same time. She is a daughter to an "older-ish" Black man, daughter to a deceased Black woman who was the epitome of love, and Myla is a friend, sister, and niece to game-changers across the globe.
Some career stuff, if you are interested:
Myla began her career in Chicago at Cara Chicago where she led community workforce development efforts. After five amazing years at Cara, Myla left to lead business and workforce development and civic engagement strategic initiatives at the University of Chicago in the Office of Civic Engagement. Having had the opportunity to launch impactful initiatives at UChicago on the South and West sides of the city, Myla moved to OneGoal where she presently holds the role of Chief of Staff to the CEO.
And finally, some of the educational information that may matter to you:
Myla has her undergraduate degree in business from Robert Morris University (an excellent program for working mothers).
She attended the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is
currently pursuing her MBA at Loyola University of Chicago as a Baumhart Scholar.