Our People

  • Lesia Barnes Program Coordinator, IDHS Initiatives

    Lesia Barnes

    Program Coordinator, IDHS Initiatives

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  • Lisa Bly Jones, Ed.D. CEO

    Lisa Bly Jones, Ed.D.

    CEO

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  • Diana Clegg Director of Administration & Operations

    Diana Clegg

    Director of Administration & Operations

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  • Annika Cole Advocacy Manager

    Annika Cole

    Advocacy Manager

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  • Rachel Austin-DeBruin Development Manager

    Rachel Austin-DeBruin

    Development Manager

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  • Shterna Goldbloom IDHS Program Manager

    Shterna Goldbloom

    IDHS Program Manager

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  • Ivana Grant Marketing & Communications Manager

    Ivana Grant

    Marketing & Communications Manager

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  • Juevel Hutton Data & Administrative Specialist

    Juevel Hutton

    Data & Administrative Specialist

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  • Esther Kim Policy Research Coordinator

    Esther Kim

    CEJA Policy Program Manager

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  • Angela Morrison Policy Engagement Manager

    Angela Morrison

    Policy Engagement Manager

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  • Ciera Smith Program Manager

    Ciera Smith

    Program Manager

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  • Kyra Young Operations Coordinator

    Kyra Young

    Operations Coordinator

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Board of Directors

Officers

  • President - Mollie Dowling

    IFF (CDFI)

  • Vice President - Manny Rodriguez

    Revolution Workshop

  • Sectretary - Rebecca Estrada

    Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

  • Treasurer - Loren Dineen

    BMO

Directors

  • Amanda Allen

    Independent Consultant

  • Cheryl Freeman Smith

    Olive Harvey College

  • Lisa Hampton

    Chicago Department of Family & Support Services

  • Mike Holmes

    Black Community Provider Network

  • Yolaine Jean

    Independent Consultant

  • Sheryl Morris

    UNITE HERE Chicago Hospitality Institute

  • Joe Mutuc

    Independent Consultant

  • Becky Raymond

    scaleLIT

  • Mark Sanders

    Chicago Department of Family & Support Services

  • Ayom Siengo

    Chicago Community Trust


  • Philip Dalmage, Esq.

    Philip Dalmage, Esq.

    Consultant
    New Jersey Ciphers

  • Isaac Smoak

    Isaac Smoak

    Director of Community Development United Way of Metro Chicago

Emeritus

  • Edith Crigler

    Illinois Prisoner Review Board

  • Mimi Gilpin

    (deceased)

  • Anne Ladky

  • Betty J. Willhoite

    (deceased)

Member Organizations

Breakthrough Urban Ministries
Logo of Community Assistance Programs with the abbreviation CAPS in large text.
Chinese American Service League logo with Chinese characters
Chicago Commons logo with text "Since 1894" and "helping families go further."
Career Transitions Center logo with tagline "A Career Resource Built Around You" and a stacked square graphic.
Chicago Women in Trades Logo
Erie Neighborhood House logo with two figures forming a roof, "est. 1870."
Silhouette of people and industrial buildings inside a gear wheel
Inspiration Corporation Logo
Logo with stylized cross, flame, and text 'commitment to excellence'
Logo of Metropolitan Family Services with stylized family figures on an orange background.
Moraine Valley Community College logo with stylized 'MV' graphic on left
Black abstract logo with semicircle and circles
Logo with text 'OFI' and slogan 'Building Careers. Changing Lives.'
Origami Works Foundation logo with stylized paper wing.
Heartland Alliance logo with "Human Care" tagline.
"Redf" in distressed red letters on black background.
Art of Flight Workshop logo with stylized "AFW" letters inside a circle on the left, followed by the words "Art of Flight Workshop" in modern font.
Stylized mountain and blue water logo
Salvation Army red shield logo with white text.
SER Central States Jobs for Progress, Inc. logo with text on white background.
Colorful overlapping hands raised in the air.
Troop Contracting logo with star emblem and text "Service Disabled Veteran Owned"
Logo of The Workforce Connection, an Illinois workNet Center, featuring blue, red, and orange connected shapes, with text "A proud partner of the American Job Center network."
Upwardly Global logo with an orange triangle
Logo featuring the letters 'WRD' and the phrase 'Sustainable Results' with a stylized plant icon above.
Youth Guidance Logo
Youth Job Center 40th anniversary logo, 1983-2023
Logo of United Here Chicago Hospitality Institute with the abbreviation 'UHCHI'
CIMC logo with flying bird silhouette
Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance logo celebrating ten years of impact.
CHICAT logo with intertwined green and purple shapes
Haymarket Center logo with tree graphic and text 'HOPE STARTS HERE'
Logo for Jane Addams Resource Corporation featuring the text 'JARC' in bold letters next to the full name of the organization.
Inner Voice logo with blue sunburst and tagline "A Voice for Self-Reliance."
"Poder English Works" logo with colorful geometric symbols.
Per Scholas logo with mortarboard icon and text