Judi (Judith Ann) Ketcik
March 7, 1963 – June 2, 2026
Held close and surrounded by her LA family, Judi (Judith Ann) Ketcik died June 2, 2026. She was 63 years old. She is survived by her beloved nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, siblings, an extensive community of friends and colleagues, and her rescue dog and constant companion, Kaia.
For the last three years, Judi navigated life with Breast Cancer. About her cancer, she was dogged, private, stubborn, and optimistic to the very end. In no way would cancer be the chapter defining her life, at least not in the way many might think.
Growing Up
Proudly born and raised in Kankakee, Illinois, Judi was the youngest of Thomas and Alpha Ketcik’s four children. She thrived as a student at Bishop McNamara High School, where she loved playing basketball and tennis, running track and being a cheerleader, established a deep love of learning on the speech team, and discovered her appreciation for good stories in every form. Most importantly, Judi built many friendships that would last a lifetime.
Judi studied Communications at Purdue University, graduating with honors. Judi was forever a loyal Boilermaker. That Judi’s nieces and nephews followed in her footsteps to Purdue, she felt, was the continuation of a burgeoning family legacy. Her time at Purdue ignited Judi’s curiosity about the world around her, inspiring her to not only dream about future adventures near and far, but put those dreams into immediate action. First up, a move to Sweet Home Chicago.
Chicago to LA: Work & Life
Judi started her adult life filled with laughter, friendships, exploration, and really hard work – taking advantage of all Chicago offers a young and eager professional. She loved playing co-ed soccer in Lincoln Park, riding her bike along the lakefront, going to happy hours with colleagues, taking in Chicago’s culture, arts, music, and theater scene, starting her book club, shopping along Armitage Ave., frequenting new restaurants, and beginning her reign as the very best dinner party host, ever.
Judi got her start managing a research department at the Martec Group consulting firm located on Fulton Ave. Then, what started as a volunteer role at Chicago’s Ronald McDonald House Charities, Judi soon launched into a full-blown career at two of the world’s leading PR & Communications agencies, Golin Harris and Edelman. This altered the trajectory of her professional life.
Ultimately, Judi built a 30-year-plus professional career as a communications strategist and social responsibility expert, creating some of the most successful national cause-driven campaigns for major corporations, the entertainment industry, and leading nonprofits to impact the pressing issues of our time – global health, cancer detection and research, disability inclusion, veterans housing, climate action, early education, social justice and so much more.
She was a pioneer and highly sought-after expert in social responsibility and cause-related marketing, honing those skills in Chicago and then, for the last 25 years, in Los Angeles. It’s difficult to succinctly capture Judi’s steady, behind-the-scenes yet tremendously creative and real impact on our world. When asked what she was most proud of in her career, she often would say one of two things:
First, her awareness and educational campaigns for organizations, including Katie Couric’s National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and American Heart Association, led to hundreds of millions of people getting screened for colon cancer and acting fast at the first signs of a heart attack.
And second, when speaking about her current company, Change for Balance (C4B), she always said our “special sauce” was that we were a team of lifelong friends. She knew that’s what made C4B unique: this friendship, care and respect for one another, our ability to have fun, laugh, and create together, our shared purpose to change people’s lives, simply made the company work better.
In 2001, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (“EIF”), the leading charity in Hollywood, offered Judi a position in Los Angeles. While it was a difficult decision to leave Chicago and move away from family and friends, she was up for the challenge.
Here, as EIF’s VP Communications, Judi was part of a trailblazing, inaugural team creating Stand Up To Cancer, the first-ever, all-network fundraising campaign to accelerate groundbreaking research through an unprecedented collaboration uniting the major television networks, entertainment industry executives, celebrities and prominent leaders in cancer research and patient advocacy. That first year, ABC, CBS and NBC donated one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for a nationally televised fundraising event aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death. To date, Stand Up to Cancer has raised hundreds of millions of dollars globally, including supporting the exact doctors, researchers and nurses at UCLA who cared for Judi these last few years, facing her own cancer diagnosis.
Building upon her success at EIF, Judi launched her own successful business in 2010 and evolved it into Change for Balance (C4B). Now, an award-winning strategic communications and production agency specializing in mission-driven storytelling to advance social good and drive tangible results, C4B teams alongside today’s most important causes and nonprofits.
Much like her early days with Ronald McDonald House Charities, a similar story of chance inspired this next act of her professional life. In 1998, while in leadership at Edelman, Judi successfully pitched and secured the Easterseals account alongside her now business partner and dear friend.
Nearly 30 years later, Judi and C4B are still working to advance Easterseals cause of disability inclusion and belonging, championing the organization’s services and mission, especially in Southern California and within the entertainment industry. In fact, over the last year, Judi helped conceive and champion a feature documentary film and social impact campaign produced by Change for Balance for Easterseals and INDYCAR about Aaron Likens,’ an autism advocate's unlikely rise to be the Official Chief Starter and Flagman during the historic 2026 racing series. Production is nearly finished and the film is set to premiere in early 2027. Judi’s creativity, voice, vision, passion and love will radiate throughout this bold new story and final piece of her work. A story of belonging and triumph on a grand scale, the film serves as an enduring tribute to Judi, undoubtedly reaching and moving millions of viewers.
Judi knew her ability to “storytell” at the highest level, broadcasting it as widely as possible, would drive real action. To do so, Judi developed strategic partnerships, celebrity integrations, and entertainment collaborations with a cool, savvy approach rooted in her approachable people skills and natural strength to bring like-minded people together. She creatively engineered some of the most compelling and entertaining PSAs, news features, and grateful patient stories. Judi was an extraordinary translator, writer and communicator, a master practitioner and artist able to clearly, directly and urgently affect so many people. As a result, Judi reached people’s hearts and minds, changed people’s behaviors, and saved countless lives.
Judi absolutely loved her work, and it was a central part of her very full, fun, meaningful and expansive life. In part, because she built an incredibly successful career around her life’s passions and values – the causes she deeply believed in and fought tirelessly for, the stories she knew (if told well) had the power to change the world for the better,and the people she trusted, inspired, and loved most, who teamed creatively alongside her and those friends and family she worked hard to support, keep close and connected. That was her winning combo - passion plus people. Or perhaps, more simply put, her life’s work was driven by her unwavering, genuine passion forpeople.
Family & Friends
One of Judi’s proudest life statistics was that she had rescued 10 dogs, each in a rather dramatic and humorous fashion. Her care for dogs and compassion for all animals were a part of her daily life. From her safaris in Africa and rescuing Asian elephants in Thailand, to working alongside the aquatic animals at the Shedd Aquarium and authoring her own children’s books about birds, Judi exuded love for all creatures great and small. Of course, most notably, her rescue dogs Cupid, Katrina and Kaia were the great loves of her life.
For a time, Judi’s 90-year-old father, Tom, moved from Kankakee to live with her in Los Angeles for the winter. Judi and her LA family cherished those years, building deeper bonds and experiences with Tom (quickly known as Mr. Hollywood) as he worked with Judi to move into and remodel her Spanish-style home.
Aunti Judi held an extra-special place in the hearts and lives of her nieces and nephews. For them, she was a dedicated, steadfast presence and safe place to land. Upon high school graduation, Judi proposed an important question to each of her nieces and nephews: “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?” And then, she promptly followed it up by gifting each of them that very trip to experience with her, an adventure of a lifetime. Together, they journeyed through Italy, France, Norway and England, and even visited Cooperstown, NY and the great baseball stadiums up and down the East Coast.
Then, as adults, she inspired their wanderlust, promoted their education, fostered their careers, encouraged their dog adoptions, celebrated their wins, counseled their challenges, and most recently, held their newborn babies - and refused to let go. Judi devoted her time, her appreciation and her love to her family. They were her center, her whole heart.
Judi took her role as Aunti Judi very seriously. So much so, that she extended Aunti Judi to every one of her friends’ children, her friends' friends' children, and her friends’ parents, too. To be considered one of “Judi’s Kids” was a privilege; to be loved and cared for by Judi was simply the best feeling on earth. A generation of young people, and those young at heart, credit Aunti Judi with giving them their career start, for rescuing them when they landed in Chicago or LA, unsure of how to launch an adult life, for being their mentor, their confidant, their surrogate mother, their life-long friend, their forever protector, their tenacious advocate and their home away from home.
Judi saw, and actively encouraged, the very best in people. She relished and excelled at match-making in every form, putting great people together and foreseeing the opportunities soon to be made possible by their meeting. Judi cultivated long-lasting, meaningful relationships of consequence through her vast network of colleagues, friends and acquaintances. She never met a stranger. The sheer number of people who credit Judi with “giving them their start” is immeasurable. She was a fierce friend; she means so much to so many.
Sharing her Home & the World with Others
California, while Judi’s home, remained a place of wonder, awe and exploration. She made the very most of living in this beautiful state, savoring every opportunity to visit Santa Barbara, Pebble Beach, Napa, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and every charming location in between.
Together with her closest friends, family and Kaia, her downtime was filled with cycling, incredible food, wine tastings, great books, time near the coast, and uncovering hidden gems - often local artists and pottery, bespoke boutiques, fresh honey and farmstands, lavender fields, and the most scenic climb or breath-taking vista. Judi’s favorite LA “must-do” was the Hollywood Bowl, spending several nights alongside her friends for the LA Phil and popular artists. Every weekend morning, Judi and her cycling crew hit the paths by Griffith Park, Pasadena, or the coastal Pacific, adventuring up Gibraltar in Santa Barbara for some good, healthy competition and leg burn. They’d always finish with a well-deserved brunch, and Judi would have a perfect latte.
Travel was always a priority for Judi, whether across California, back home in Chicago, visiting family in Indy, up at the cabin in Trego, Wisconsin, or around the world. She fondly recalled far-flung trips with dear friends to Central America (where, yes, she did contract Malaria and confounded doctors back home at Northwestern Memorial Hospital), Morocco, South Africa, Vietnam, Australia, all over Europe and Japan (where she experienced an extraordinary drum festival that rocked her world). More recently, Judi and her friends journeyed annually for cycling trips across France and Denmark, and spent quality spa time at Miraval in Arizona. Priceless moments and experiences with those she loved most, in places that warmed and fueled her heart. Last December, after an especially tough time in her cancer treatment, Judi spent two weeks relaxing on the Big Island of Hawaii. It was a special week alongside some of her closest friends, together, savoring time, connection and laughter.
Books and reading, films, television, and theater factored greatly in Judi’s life, sharing her own stories and encountering those of others. Early in her career, she combined her loves of travel and writing to publish travel articles, including stories on Belize and Spain for the New York Times Magazine and others chronicling her journeys through Europe. She also authored several children’s books that she hoped one day to see published. She’d envisioned revisiting both of these passions in retirement.
Judi will forever be remembered by the home she made and shared so graciously with others. It was the epicenter of countless, nearly weekly dinner parties and gatherings of Judi’s most favorite humans. She joked that her home was a revolving door of visitors from Chicago and beyond, at one point boasting a bowl with 30+ keys to her house to make it easy on all of her wayward travelers who found their way, too often, to nights in her second bedroom.
The quintessential host, Judi, would effortlessly whip together gourmet feasts to the delight and amazement of her many guests. Gathered around her dining room table on chilly nights, surrounded by amber candlelight, vibrant flowers, Judi’s colorfully curated placemats and napkins, and topped off with another glass of red wine… There was no better place to be. Except outside in her courtyard, under twinkling lights and a hot pink canopy of bougainvillea, warm California evenings scented by jasmine and citronella candles, music playing softly through her speakers to set the perfect mood (and divert from the regular racket of LA helicopters scanning overhead), charcuterie nibbles to fend off hunger and tempt poor Kaia, and enough conversation, stories, connection, laughter and joy to fill your soul forever.
This is the world Judi created for us all to share, together. And for that, we are ever so grateful and honored to be a small part of Judi’s bold, amazing life, love, and generosity.
Judi was truly one of a kind. She will be remembered for her engaging and dynamic personality, wit and intelligence, quirkiness and kindness, creativity and appreciation of beauty, curiosity and life-long learning, adventurous spirit and humor, gracious hospitality, and a deep love and gratitude for family and friends. Her impact on those who knew her – and even those who did not – was immeasurable, and her memory will continue to live on in the countless lives she impacted.
To the very end, Judi lived her life in the service of others. She wouldn’t allow being fussed over, even though there was no one more deserving of care, to be taken care of as she did for everyone else her entire life. What a giving, big and beautiful life, however short the years. The greatest gift is to be loved, and to love in return. Judi was that in spades.
Judi was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Alpha Ketcik, her brother, Bill Ketcik, and her beloved family dogs, Katrina and Cupid. She is survived by her siblings Jimmy (Sascha) Ketcik and Linda (Glen) Woodall; her nieces and nephews Bridget Woodall, Jen (Lou) Woodall, Matt (Becky) Ketcik, Lizzy (Kevin) Mroz, Joe (Allie) Ketcik, Carrie (Sam) Rogers, and Margaret Ketcik; and her six great-nieces and great-nephews. Her little love, Miss Kaia, will start a new chapter of her life with Lizzy’s family in Chicago and be missed desperately by her LA family.
Her LA family will be hosting a private celebration of life on July 19, 2026. Should you wish to donate in memory of Judi, please consider one of these nonprofits that were most important to Judi:
The Cancer Vaccine Coalition is dedicated to fast-tracking the most innovative research in cancer care and innovative cancer vaccines for an ultimate cure.
Easterseals Southern California is changing the way the world defines, views and experiences disability, making profound differences in people’s lives through critical disability services.
Condolences for Judi’s family can be shared here: hello@changeforbalance.com.
