Tom Tuohy

Title: President and Founder

Childhood Dream: To be President of the United States.

Tom Tuohy is the founder and president of the international youth organization Dreams for Kids and author of the critically acclaimed book, Dreams for Kids.

Tom is an attorney and an accomplished children’s advocate. He left his law practice in 2008 to direct the national and global expansion of Dreams for Kids and to establish strategic partnerships with academic and corporate leaders from Kellogg and IBM to the United Nations and the World Bank. Together, they are creating innovative solutions for the empowerment and freedom of youth living in poverty and those with disabilities.

Tom received his Bachelors Degree from DePaul University and Juris Doctorate from DePaul Law School. He attended the University of Cambridge to study International Law and is currently enrolled in the Kellogg Executive Scholars program of Northwestern University.

Early in his legal career, Tom began working in theatre and in local television and film productions. Tom produced and acted in the local adaptation of the Broadway play, the Boy’s Next Door, an insightful view of the lives of four physical and developmentally challenged roommates. Shortly thereafter, Tom’s desire to make a difference met with his mother’s inspiration and he founded Dreams for Kids.

At the peak of his law career, after determining he could make the most significant difference through the global expansion of Dreams for Kids, Tom assumed full time responsibility with the youth organization he founded.

Beginning on December 24th 1989 with a visit to a small homeless shelter in Chicago, Dreams for Kids is now one of the most innovative non-profit children’s charitable organizations in the world. That first visit has become Holiday for Hope, the largest international holiday celebration for homeless and underprivileged kids. A chance encounter with a young boy who was paralyzed inspired the creation of the life changing Extreme Recess sports and activities program for kids with disabilities.

Today, Dreams for Kids is uniting an entire generation of diverse youth of all abilities through its global Dream Leaders program, empowering them to be active members of their own communities and citizens of the world. Dreams for Kids was honored as the Innovative Non-Profit of 2010 by Northwestern Kellogg Innovation Network, KIN Global.

Tom serves on several non-profit boards and has been honored by a number of organizations for his work on behalf of children. He is a founding member of the DePaul University Mentor Advisory Board and a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Tom speaks extensively to business organizations, labor unions, student groups and educators.

Tom’s message speaks to the principle that every person can make an extraordinary difference, every child deserves the opportunity to fearlessly pursue their dreams, and we all can compassionately change the world.
Tom is a resident of Park Ridge, Illinois.

Read Tom’s Blog.

Request Tom to speak at your event: shellyg@dreamsforkids.org

Click here to download a PDF of Tom’s Biography.

Tom Tuohy is a fan of

Dreams for Kids