An investor who worked in the travel industry for 25 years before retiring, Uta Staley engages in a diverse array of cultural pursuits, including supporting a variety of charities and cultural organizations. Staley lends special support to organizations that serve communities in the Chicago metropolitan area. Through her giving, Uta Staley helps to sustain a number of Chicago institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Science and Industry.
Uta Staley also travels extensively with favorite destinations taking her to locales throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. Her journeys to Ethiopia in particular have given her a special love for the Ethiopian people. She offers both financial and educational support to children and families who live in Ethiopia and has sponsored several Ethiopian students during their studies at American universities. In addition, Staley provides support to the Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago (ECAC) which helps immigrants and refugees from Ethiopia and other nations resettle in the Chicago area. As a member of the organization, Staley makes a substantial contribution to the non-profit’s efforts to provide language, career, education, counseling, and community services. Her efforts have helped ECAC serve thousands of clients since its founding.
In her spare time, Uta Staley avidly supports Chicago sports teams and maintains membership in the Midtown Tennis Club and the Women’s Athletic Club of Chicago, an organization that has given women access to exercise facilities, classes, lectures, and discussions since 1898. Staley also remains active in local politics, and frequents several well-known research libraries.
