Ugonnah Chilmaza joined FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute, in August 2021, as a senior associate focusing on planning and executing events that promote and connect people with the work of FasterCures. She started her event planning career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the volunteer events manager for the United Way of Allegheny County (now the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania). She planned volunteer opportunities, connecting local nonprofits with area businesses and city-wide events like “Pittsburgh’s Day of Caring,” “Be My Neighbor Day” in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions, and the annual “Hi5! Day,” which encouraged kindergarten registration. She moved to Washington, DC, and, prior to FasterCures, was the conference coordinator for the Cato Institute. There she planned in-house policy forums and conferences, including Constitution Day: The Supreme Court Review, and Capitol Hill briefings. She’s originally from Western Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a BS in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.