黑料吃瓜

Ellen Alberding, President and Board Member, The Joyce Foundation

As president and board member of the Joyce Foundation, Ellen oversees the charitable distribution of $50 million annually from assets of $1 billion. Under her leadership, Joyce has gained national prominence with a grant portfolio rooted in the core belief that communities are stronger when they share benefits broadly. The Joyce Foundation funds the development and advancement of policy reforms to address racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation. It invests heavily in research to gather facts and data so that proposed policy solutions are based on solid evidence.

As chief executive of Joyce, Ellen is active in the regional and national policy arena. She is one of the founders of the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities (PSPC), a funder collaborative investing in community-based strategies to reduce gun violence in Chicago. Ellen is a founding board member of Advance Illinois, which advocates for public education reform. She was also a founding board member of Skills for America鈥檚 Future, which works to meet the needs of business and improve employment opportunities for community college students. She served as Vice Chair of City Colleges of Chicago and is a former member of the National Park Foundation board. From 2010 to 2016, Ellen was a board member of the Economic Club of Chicago.

Ellen holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in English with honors from Brown University, and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Greg DiDomenico, President & CEO, Community Memorial Foundation

Greg serves as president and CEO of Community Memorial Foundation. Established in 1995, Community Memorial Foundation is a private foundation focused on measurably improving the health of people who live and work in the western suburbs of Chicago. During Greg鈥檚 tenure the Foundation has become a regional leader in philanthropy launching new initiatives that include a Leadership Institute focused on strengthening grantee capacity and a Regional Health and Human Services Agenda rooted in a collective impact strategy that improves positive local health outcomes.

Greg joined the Foundation team as vice president in 2009 after serving as executive director for a number of years at local nonprofits. He also held leadership roles in his native Pennsylvania where he coordinated community mental health services in Montgomery County.

Greg serves on several community boards and advisory committees, including Forefront, the Chicago Zoological Society, Village of La Grange Community & Economic Commission, DuPage County Continuum of Care Grants Funding Committee and a past board president of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 听In 2012, the Young Nonprofit Professional Network of Chicago honored Greg as its inaugural Nonprofit Mentor of the Year. Currently, Greg is co-leading Forefront鈥檚 Mission Sustainability Initiative Grants Committee- a funding collaborative aimed at strengthening the nonprofit sector through strategic partnerships.

Helene D. Gayle, President & CEO, The Chicago Community Trust

Helene D. Gayle is President and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation鈥檚 leading community foundations. Previously, Helene was CEO of McKinsey Social Initiative (now McKinsey.org), a nonprofit that builds partnerships for social impact. For almost a decade, she was President and CEO of CARE, a leading international humanitarian organization. An expert on global development, humanitarian and health issues, Helene spent 20 years with the Centers for Disease Control, working primarily on HIV/AIDS. She also worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, directing programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues.

Helene serves on public company and nonprofit boards including The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company, the Rockefeller Foundation, Brookings Institution, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, New America and the ONE Campaign. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Public Health Association, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Named one of Forbes鈥� 鈥�100 Most Powerful Women,鈥� and one of NonProfit Times鈥� 鈥淧ower and Influence Top 50,” she has authored numerous articles on global and domestic public health issues, poverty alleviation, gender equality and social justice.

Helene earned a bachelor’s in psychology at Barnard College, an MD at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPH at Johns Hopkins University. She has received 15 honorary degrees and holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Emory University.

Judith Gethner, Executive Director, Illinois Partners for Human Service

Judith is the founding executive director of Illinois Partners for Human Service. Since 2009, she has built Partners from a start-up to over 800+ human services provider partners located in every legislative district across Illinois. As a leading voice within the sector, Judith has led a successful campaign to educate service providers on the budget impasse and other fiscal issues; has informed the political discourse on human services through collaborative advocacy efforts with community organizations, state agencies, elected officials, and the private sector; and has been appointed to lend her expertise to numerous government councils and agencies. She has been appointed to the State Health Improvement Plan Council, Illinois Single Audit Commission and the Social Service Advisory Council.

Judith brings a strong combination of private and nonprofit sector experience to her work. Judith was trained by the Industrial Areas Foundation in organizing and was campaign manager for Vote YES on the ConCon. She served as executive director of College Living Experience, which helps special needs students attend universities, was Access Living鈥檚 2014 Advocate of the Year, and has done consulting on organizational development.

Mae Hong, Vice President, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Mae opened the Chicago office of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) in 2009 and is responsible for serving individual donors, families, foundations and corporations throughout the Midwest. In addition to providing high-touch, custom services to help clients manage their charitable giving, develop effective strategies, and discover joy in their philanthropic journey, she is also a frequent speaker and writer about issues, trends, and ideas in philanthropy.听

With nearly 20 years of nonprofit and philanthropy experience, Mae previously served as program director at the Field Foundation of Illinois. Her funding expertise includes children, youth and families; poverty alleviation; women and girls鈥� issues; and advocacy. She has also been actively involved in RPA鈥檚 leadership on the issue of diversity in philanthropy. Prior to entering the nonprofit sector, she worked in the publishing industry for several years.

Mae currently serves as the board chair of Illinois Humanities. She completed her graduate work in social service administration at The University of Chicago, and is a graduate of Northwestern University鈥檚 Medill School of Journalism.

Mark Ishaug, Chief Executive Officer, Thresholds

Mark has dedicated his entire career to advocating for the rights of stigmatized and vulnerable people. For the past seven years, he has led Thresholds, an innovative community-based organization that provides behavioral healthcare and supportive housing to more than 10,000 people each year in Illinois. During his tenure at Thresholds, he has overseen explosive growth, but also a culture shift that embraces change, innovation, transparency, and yes 鈥� love. Thresholds has been recognized for five consecutive years as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and a Chicago鈥檚 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Prior to his work at Thresholds, Mark spent decades as a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS as CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Mark holds an MA in political science from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Michelle Larson, President and CEO, Adler Planetarium

Michelle Larson discovered astronomy in her 20s, when she pointed a pair of binoculars at the moon. The stunning details visible on its craggy surface were a complete surprise, and the experience left her eager to find out what other secrets the sky had to offer. Now, as the president and CEO of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Michelle leads a talented team that helps people of all ages discover their own infinite possibilities through exploration.

Before joining the Adler in 2013, Michelle held positions in science engagement and administration at Utah State University, The Pennsylvania State University, the Montana Space Grant Consortium, the California Institute of Technology, and the University of California鈥揃erkeley. At each of these institutions, she served as a bridge between scientists and broader audiences. She earned a PhD in physics from Montana State University, where she studied neutron stars and realized her passion for sharing science with the public through a NASA project about our star, the sun. Michelle is a member of the American Astronomical Society, the American Physical Society and serves on several national and Chicago-area advisory boards.

Jimmy Lee, President and CEO, Goodcity

Jimmy serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President for Goodcity.听 He is also the managing director and a member of the board of directors for Mission Create. Jimmy came to Goodcity with vast experience in the government and nonprofit industries both locally and globally. In 2009, he was named one of Crain鈥檚 40 Under 40 following his bid for the United States Congress in the 11th Congressional District of Illinois. Jimmy was the former executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the former special assistant to the Governor of the State of Illinois, and also the former executive director of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. He helped start Create Possible, Resource Global, the Global Executive Leadership Forum, US Asia Business Council, the National Center for Community Development, and serves on the board of directors for 1MISSION, Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Renew Chicago, and Resource Global.

Dorri McWhorter, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

As the CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Dorri McWhorter has embarked upon a journey to transform the 140-year-old social service agency to a 21st-century social enterprise. Dorri is moving the agency into the digital age by re-launching the TechGYRLS program and introducing 3D: Developing Digital Diversity, which provides web and mobile application development training to adult women. Dorri has also led the YWCA鈥檚 expansion of digital services with the launch of YShop.org, womenshealthexchange.org and the MPWR mobile app. Dorri was included in the inaugural list of 鈥淭he Blue Network,鈥� comprised of the top 100 innovators in Chicago, by Chicago Tribune鈥檚 Blue Sky Innovation and recognized by Good City Chicago receiving its Innovative Leader Award. Dorri led the process for the YWCA to develop an exchange traded fund (ETF) for women鈥檚 empowerment ($WOMN) in partnership with Impact Shares, which is the first nonprofit investment advisor to develop an ETF product.

A proven leader in the corporate and social change sectors, Dorri prides herself on being a socially-conscious business leader throughout her career. Most recently Dorri was a partner at Crowe Horwath LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the US. She has also held senior positions with Snap-on Incorporated and Booz Allen Hamilton. Dorri is also active in the accounting profession having served as a member of the board of directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and for the Illinois CPA Society. Dorri serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including The Metropolitan Club, Chicago Finance Exchange, and Chicago Child Care Society. Dorri received a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Northwestern University鈥檚 Kellogg School of Management.

Mary Morten, President, Morten Group LLC

Mary F. Morten has over 20 years of executive leadership at nonprofits and a past mayoral appointment in city government that provides clients with a unique skill set and access to decision makers. The firm鈥檚 scope of work includes organizational development (focused on board accountability and resources acquisition), strategic alliances, succession planning and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Morten Group works with national organizations, foundations and for-profit entities. In 2018, Morten Group began its 17th year of work supporting organizations, strategic alliances and social justice movements.

Mary has served as board chair, associate director and interim executive director for the Chicago Foundation for Women, one of the world鈥檚 largest women鈥檚 foundations. She is a past director of the Office of Violence Prevention for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Prior to this position, Mary was an appointee for Mayor Richard M. Daley and served as a director/liaison for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. An award-winning filmmaker, Mary is currently in production on a sequel to听Woke Up Black, a documentary chronicling the lives of five black youth. Mary has received numerous awards for her work, most recently the 2017 Women in Film Focus award, and the 2014 YLeadership Award from the YWCA Evanston/Northshore for her work her work on racial justice and women鈥檚 empowerment. Mary holds a BA from Loyola University of Chicago, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Association of Consultants to Nonprofits.

Maria Pesqueira, President, Healthy Communities Foundation

Maria del Socorro Pesqueira was appointed president of the Healthy Communities Foundation (formerly The Arthur Foundation) in May 2017. The Foundation鈥檚 mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities in over 20 communities in western Cook County by promoting health equity, quality and access.

Prior to joining the Healthy Communities Foundation, Maria served as President to Mujeres Latinas en Accion. Preceding her time at Mujeres, Maria led The National Museum of Mexican Art’s Development and Marketing Team. Her civic and community involvement include appointments to the United States Congressional Commission for a National Women’s History Museum, Illinois Children and Family Services Advisory Commission, Illinois Partners for Human Services, Community Memorial Foundation, Aetna Medical Advisory Board and The Chicago Network.

Maria’s awards consist of being named a Chicago Community Trust Fellow in 2015, 1 of 50 Women of Influence by Chicago Business Journal in 2016, the Excellence in Community Service award by MALDEF in 2015, the Making a Difference Award by Chicago Women in Philanthropy in 2013, selected to AJC Project Israel Interchange for National Latino Opinion and Policy Leaders in 2016, and named one of 鈥淔orty under Forty鈥� by Crain鈥檚 Chicago Business.

Maria is a graduate of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Program, St. Thomas University, Mini-MBA in Nonprofit Management and DePaul University.

Denise Williams, Associate Professor, Metropolitan State University, College of Management–Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Dr. Denise E. Williams, serves as an associate professor, researcher, and community alliance builder with Metropolitan State University-Minnesota in entrepreneurship and organizational Behavior. Denise delivers engaging and culturally sensitive curriculum with special commitment to developing the innovative mindset, career readiness, and positive psychology. Her corporate leadership experience includes United Airlines, General Mills, Foote Cone & Belding Advertising, Robert Half International and Africare. Students have benefited from her integration of these real world experiences into the classroom at Metropolitan State University, Butler University, Golden Gate University, Indiana University and Loyola University in New Orleans. Her research examines factors influencing entrepreneurship success; relationships between the entrepreneurial mindset and well-being, coaching, and diversity.

Denise was honored as the state of Minnesota鈥檚 Veteran Champion by the United States Small Business Association Minnesota (2017). Williams receives the Women Business Development Center Public Sector award in 2019.

Denise earned her PhD and master’s degree in business from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business concentrating in organizational behavior and entrepreneurship; an MBA from the Wharton School of Business; a bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College; and ordination from One Spirit Learning Alliance-NY. Denise has served on the NAWBO Minnesota Board of Directors; Women Business Development Center Regional Advisory Committee; MEDA鈥檚 African American Women CEO Brain Trust; and as a business competition judge for universities and Junior Achievement.

Kirstin Chernawsky, Executive Director

Kirstin Chernawsky is the ninth individual鈥攁nd fourth woman鈥攖o serve as the executive director of Erie Neighborhood House. Kirstin shares her leadership expertise by volunteering with numerous organizations across the city of Chicago. She is a board member of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Susan G. Komen Chicago and the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force. Kirstin was appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to serve on the 2017-2019 Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC), is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and is a member of Leadership Greater Chicago, Class of 2019. She holds a Master of Science in Public Service Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, both from DePaul University.

Esther Franco-Payne, Executive Director

Esther Franco-Payne is the executive director of Cabrini Green Legal Aid where she leads the strategy, fundraising and overall management of the organization. With a long career in violence prevention and criminal justice advocacy, Esther鈥檚 personal commitment has been to serve as a voice for underserved communities of color. Esther is a member of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, the federally mandated State Advisory Group to the Governor, the General Assembly and the Illinois Department of Human Services and Chairperson of the DMC Committee, focused on eliminating racial disparities in the juvenile justice system. She is an alumnus of the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.

Malik Gillani, Founding Executive Director

Malik Gillani is the founding executive director of Silk Road Rising (SRR), a position to which he brings extensive experience in producing, management, and business development. Malik is a recognized leader in the creation of innovative arts programming that expands artistic access. Most notably, he conceived of and developed SRR鈥檚 model for creating online video plays which are now being accessed across the globe. Malik has been a volunteer grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, and the City of Chicago鈥檚 CityArts Program. He earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland and a master鈥檚 degree in nonprofit administration from 黑料吃瓜.

Mark Ishaug, Chief Executive Officer

Mark Ishaug has dedicated his career to advocating for the rights of stigmatized and vulnerable people. As the CEO of Thresholds, Mark has overseen explosive growth, but also a culture shift that embraces change, innovation, transparency, and yes 鈥� love. Thresholds has been recognized for five consecutive years as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and a Chicago鈥檚 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Prior to Thresholds, Mark worked as a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS as CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Mark holds a master鈥檚 degree in political science from Northwestern University and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Jim Kales, President and CEO

Jim Kales is CEO of Aspire, a nonprofit recognized throughout the Midwest as a leader in providing bold, pioneering and uncompromising services to kids and adults with developmental disabilities. Jim is an evangelist on building a winning, performance-based culture among Aspire鈥檚 team of 200 employees. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Aspire was named one of the 101 Best and Brightest Places to Work in the United States. Prior to joining Aspire, Jim served as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lake County, and as the director of communications for the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. He graduated summa cum laude from Bucknell University and received his master鈥檚 degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Sandee Kastrul, Co-Founder and President

Sandee Kastrul is president and co-founder of i.c.stars. i.c.stars provides opportunities to break the cycle of poverty that limits inner city youth. Through training in technology, leadership and business skills, i.c.stars prepares future leaders for careers in information technology and community leadership. As the founder of a nonprofit and social enterprise, Sandee discusses the powerful result of optimism and raising standards for our communities with a unique perspective on capitalism and civil rights. She has been working in education and transformation for over two decades. She worked as a teacher and consultant from early childhood classrooms through adult education affording her a wide perspective in project-based learning, leadership development, reverse mentoring and asset-based pedagogy.

Maria Kim, President and CEO

Maria Kim is president and CEO of Cara 鈥� a suite of bootcamps and businesses that uplift people and communities through the power of employment. Cara produces hundreds of jobs each year at retention rates over 20 points higher than national norms, and with over 80% of employed participants pivoting from homelessness to permanent housing. Maria serves on the boards of EPIC Academy, a charter high school in South Chicago and Rebuilding Exchange (a social enterprise in the circular economy). She was a fellow for Leadership Greater Chicago鈥檚 Class of 2008, a 2012 American Marshall Memorial Fellow, a 2013 TEDxMidwest Emerging Leader and a 2018 Bank of America Vital Voices Global Ambassador. Maria holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Dan Kotowski, President & CEO

Dan Kotowski is president and CEO of ChildServ, a nonprofit dedicated to building better lives for children and families, so they can reach their full potential. In just over three years, Dan has led the effort to turn a struggling organization into a fiscally sound, social impact enterprise with a surplus. Before joining ChildServ, Dan served as vice president of development and public affairs for UCAN, and as executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence (ICHV). He brought his passion for improving people鈥檚 lives with him when he decided to run for the Illinois State Senate in 2006. He serves on the boards of the Danny Did Foundation, Horsefeathers Therapeutic Riding, Inc. and the Gun Violence Prevention Education Center (GPEC). Dan received graduate and undergraduate degrees from DePaul University and the University of Illinois.

Michelle Larson, PhD, President and CEO

Growing up in Alaska, Michelle Larson enjoyed the beauty of the northern lights. She became further captivated by astronomy in her 20s when she pointed a pair of binoculars at the moon. Now, as the president and CEO of the Adler Planetarium, Michelle leads a talented team that connects people to the

universe and each other under the sky we all share. Since Michelle joined the Adler Planetarium in 2013, that team has found new and innovative ways to meet people wherever they are and welcome them into the scientific community. Michelle earned her doctorate in physics from Montana State University and serves on several national and Chicago-area advisory boards.

Yesenia Maldonado, Executive Director

Yesenia Maldonado, LCSW, is a socially thoughtful leader focused on inspiring and empowering collective action and change. She is the executive director at Between Friends, an organization that works to end domestic abuse by being responsive to the needs of those impacted by abuse and engaging communities on ways to build safe and healthy relationships. Yesenia is responsible for the vision, strategy, and fundraising efforts at Between Friends. Prior to joining Between Friends, Yesenia served as the clinical director at Alternatives Inc.听 She received her Master of Social Work with a Type 73 certification from the University of Illinois Jane Addams College of Social Work.

Dorri McWhorter, Chief Executive Officer

Dorri McWhorter is the CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. She is moving the agency into the digital age by re-launching the TechGYRLS program, STEM awareness for girls, and introducing 3D: Developing Digital Diversity, which provides web and mobile application development training to women. Dorri was included in the inaugural list of 鈥淭he Blue Network,鈥� comprised of the top 100 innovators in Chicago, by Chicago Tribune鈥檚 Blue Sky Innovation and recognized by Good City Chicago receiving its Innovative Leader Award. Dorri lead the process for the YWCA to develop an exchange traded fund (ETF) for women鈥檚 empowerment in partnership with Impact Shares. McWhorter received a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University鈥檚 Kellogg School of Management.

Michelle Morales, Chief Executive Officer

Michelle Morales is the CEO of Mikva Challenge Chicago.听Prior to Mikva Challenge, Michelle worked as a teacher at an alternative high school and as associate director at the Alternative Schools Network. At Mikva Challenge, Michelle leads a staff that provides professional development to Chicagoland teachers in action civics and student-centered teaching, as well as facilitating youth councils that inform major city institutions. Michelle is passionate about the wisdom that youth possess. She has committed her career to reminding others of the power of youth voice and ensuring that there are spaces throughout Chicago that empower youth.听She received a bachelor鈥檚 degree from DePaul University, a master’s degree in special education from UIC and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. Michelle is also a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago.

Masequa Myers, Executive Director

Mas茅qua Myers is the executive director of the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC). Mas茅qua has shared her diverse talents with arts centers and theaters throughout the United States. She is an award-winning producer, recognized with honors from the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Awards as Best Producer and AV Multimedia Producer Magazine鈥檚 Top 100 Producers. She was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award from the African American Arts Alliance in 2008. Most recently, Mas茅qua was awarded the Black Excellence Award by the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago as curator of the fine arts exhibition, History Thru Art: A Woman鈥檚 Palette. She was awarded the Dr. Margaret Burroughs Legacy Award presented by the Women鈥檚 Board of the DuSable Museum and Deloris Jordan Excellence in Community Leadership award at the Black Harvest Film Festival.

Stacy Ratner, Founder, Open Books and Co-Founder

Stacy Ratner established Open Books, an organization that provides literacy programs to K-12 students and gives away 150,000+ books each year, and the Chicago Literacy Alliance, whose 130+ members serve more than 18 million people of all ages and literacy levels annually. Both organizations make their homes at the Literacenter, America鈥檚 first shared workspace dedicated to literacy. Stacy received a Chicagoan of the Year award from Chicago Magazine, an Emerging Leader Fellowship at the Chicago Community Trust, the Social Enterprise Alliance鈥檚 Innovation prize, and selection as a Kellogg Young Impact Scholar. She holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in comparative literature from Brandeis University, a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School, and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Darnell Shields, Executive Director

Darnell Shields is the executive director of Austin Coming Together (ACT). Throughout his time at ACT, Darnell has been able to galvanize hundreds of organizations and community leaders to take on Austin鈥檚 challenges with passion and commitment. Darnell was named a 2015 Fellow of the Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago. He received the 2017 United Way of Metro Chicago Community Leadership Award and is a recipient of the 2019 Martin Luther King – Keepers Of The Dream Award from the Leaders Network. He currently serves on the boards of the Jane Addams Resource Corporation and Friends of the Children Chicago chapter. Darnell holds associate degrees in applied sciences and liberal arts from Wilbur Wright College and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Zack Schrantz, President/CEO

Zack Schrantz has served the youth and families of UCAN for the past 28 years. He currently serves as the organization鈥檚 executive director. Highlights of Zack鈥檚 tenure at UCAN include leading significant revenue growth, creation and implementation of programmatic dashboards in order to effectively measure service delivery impact, development of UCAN鈥檚 highly respected, and the development of programming and curricula focused on youth leadership to help UCAN鈥檚 vision of 鈥淵outh who have suffered trauma become our future leaders鈥� become a reality. He听has served on multiple boards and advisory committees and is co-chair of the Child Welfare Advisory Committee (CWAC), and a Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago.

Sheldon Smith, Founder and Executive Director

Sheldon Smith, founder and executive director of the Dovetail Project, began working as a youth organizer in Woodlawn as a teen. His community work focused on issues such as youth and gang violence, juvenile justice, sexual health education, and promoting community activism. When Sheldon became a father at the age of 20, he was determined to be the best father he could be. He knew he wanted to help other young fathers have a positive impact and build strong relationships with their children. He created the Dovetail Project to bring together resources that were lacking in his own life and the lives of others. Since then, his organization has graduated over 400 young men.听Sheldon was selected as a 2018 Muhammad Ali Humanitarian, 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur, 2017 Steve Harvey Hero and 2016 CNN Hero. He serves as a board member for the International Youth Foundation.

Jackie Taylor, Founder and CEO

Jackie Taylor is the founder and executive director of the award-winning Black Ensemble Theater, which owns and operates the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center. Jackie is a distinguished director, producer, actress, singer and playwright and has written and produced more than 100 plays and musical biographies. She has had featured roles in several major films. Jackie has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in theater, a master鈥檚 degree in education and an honorary doctorate from DePaul University. An outstanding teacher, Jackie has worked for the Chicago Board of Education, the Illinois Arts Council and Urban Gateways. She is the president of the African American Arts Alliance and a board member of the Betty Shabazz International Schools. Jackie is a recent recipient of the Sarah Siddons Award.

Jennifer Tscherney, Executive Director

Jennifer Tscherney is the executive director of Swedish Covenant Hospital Foundation. Jennifer has experience in nonprofit health care and higher education development including Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation, University of Illinois at Chicago, DePaul University, University of Chicago Medicine and Sherman Health Foundation where she led a campaign that raised over $12 million to build a new hospital. After successfully leading a campaign to build a new women鈥檚 health center at Swedish, she initiated a violence prevention program that is the only program of its kind addressing domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in Chicago. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Science from DePaul University. She is a member of the women鈥檚 board of the Joffrey Ballet.

Laura Zumdahl, President & CEO

Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D, is the president and CEO of New Moms, a social impact organization that interrupts generational poverty by focusing on young moms and their children. She also serves as CEO of New Moms鈥� social enterprise, Bright Endeavors, a soy candle company that provides paid transitional jobs to young women in New Moms鈥� job training program. Laura鈥檚 career has been focused on growing and developing effective nonprofit organizations. She鈥檚 served in a variety of leadership roles in the nonprofit sector in capacity building, legal aid, higher education, and child welfare. Laura earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in sociology from Trinity Christian College;听a master鈥檚 degree in social work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration; and a doctorate degree in leadership from Cardinal Stritch University. She serves as a board member of Chicago Jobs Council and Trinity Christian College.

Donny Acosta, Associate Director, About Face Youth Theatre

Donny Acosta is a queer performance artist from Orange County, California. He started working with About Face as a youth ensemble member and a member of the Youth Task Force. He has devised and performed his work all over the city including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Stage 773, the Abbie Hoffman Died for your Sins Theatre Festival, and Salonathon. He is a proud ensemble member of the Drinking and Writing Theatre and artistic associate of the Wild Atlas Theatre Company.

Megan Carney, MFA, Artistic Director, About Face Theatre

Megan Carney is the artistic director of About Face Theatre. Formerly, she directed the Gender and Sexuality Center, one of the Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). At UIC she developed programming to investigate and reveal diverse LGBTQ+ identities and histories through oral history collection, participatory workshops and a variety of public programs. She has served on the LBTQ Giving Council of the Chicago Foundation for Women and with the Chicago Restroom Access Project of Pride Action Tank. Carney鈥檚 work has been recognized with multiple After Dark Awards, the GLSEN Pathfinder Award, an APA Presidential Citation, induction in Chicago鈥檚 Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, a Rockefeller Foundation MAP Grant and a GLAAD Media Award nomination. She has a MFA in theatre arts from Virginia Tech with a focus on directing and public dialogue and a BA from Kalamazoo College where her ideas about art as a tool for social justice and activism began to take shape.

Rebecca Clark, CEO & President, Anixter Center

Rebecca Clark is CEO & President of Anixter Center, one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area serving people of all ages with disabilities. Rebecca first joined Anixter Center in 2015 as the vice president of program development, innovation and accountability.

Rebecca is particularly focused on preparing Anixter Center for continued success in the future with an emphasis on financial stability, program excellence and accountability so that every person served is able to soar to their highest potential. As the organization streamlines its operations to ensure efficiency, her strategic and analytical leadership will make sure that Anixter Center is well-positioned to celebrate its first 100 years of helping others in 2019 and begin its next 100 years of service.

Early in her career, Rebecca served as the director of school support for Chicago Public Schools for more than 10 years. During that time she directed a team of 45 staff to provide services to CPS students. More recently she was the partner success engineer for TeachMatch, a startup in Chicago. There she consulted with K-12 school districts across the country to increase efficiency and quality in hiring practices.

Rebecca has a Master of Arts in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and a bachelors degree from Northwestern University.

Jim Dower, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Urban Initiatives

Jim Dower grew up on Chicago鈥檚 near north side. As a product of Chicago Public Schools, working to build capacity in CPS has always been a personal passion. After attending the University of Iowa and graduating with a BA in political science, he started his professional career as a substitute teacher at Cabrini-Green鈥檚 Byrd Academy.

This experience heightened his awareness in regards to the gaps that existed in urban education. In order to address the needs of the youth at Byrd Academy, Jim and co-founder Dan Isherwood (who was also teaching at Byrd) began providing a before and after school soccer program. As professional soccer coaches, they recognized the power of sports programming to address youth issues. They began the program in 2003 with donated equipment and nutritious snacks purchased out-of-pocket. This grassroots program, called Work to Play, was comprised of only two coaches, one school and twelve students and thus, founded the beginning of Urban Initiatives. Today, Urban Initiatives is serving over 17,000 children in 55 schools from 40 different Chicago communities.

Jim currently oversees the day-to-day external operations for Urban Initiatives. He is a member of Leadership Greater Chicago 2014 and a part of the Chicago Ideas Co-Op.

Matt Fitzgerald, Senior Pastor, Saint Pauls United Church of Christ

Matt Fitzgerald is the senior pastor of Saint Pauls United Church of Christ (UCC) in Chicago. Matt is an award-winning preacher, essayist and podcast host. He is a frequent contributor to the Christian Century and has written essays and criticism for Poetry Magazine, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune and elsewhere. A lifelong member of the UCC, Matt has taught preaching and literature at the U of C and his alma mater, Yale Divinity School. Matt and his wife Kelli live with their 3 teenagers and a pit-bull mix named Zeus. He loves local church ministry.

Erik Elias Glenn, Executive Director, Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus

Like many human service professionals, Erik Glenn began his career with a calling to address the daily injustices faced by racial, sexual, and gender minorities. With more than a decade in LGBT community development and HIV prevention, he is now executive director of Chicago Black Gay Men鈥檚 Caucus. There, Erik manages a portfolio that works to reduce structural barriers to health equity among Black gay, bisexual, and same gender loving men. Erik earned his masters in social work at University of Chicago鈥檚 School of Social Service Administration and his bachelors in narrative writing and LGBT studies from University of Michigan.

Tracie D. Hall, Director, Culture Program, The Joyce Foundation

Prior to her appointment as director of the Joyce Foundation鈥檚 Culture Program, Tracie D. Hall served as deputy commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) for the City of Chicago where she oversaw the Arts and Creative Industries Division. She has also served as vice president of strategy and organizational development at Queens Library in New York City; at Boeing Company鈥檚 Global Corporate Citizenship Division where she worked as community investment strategist and later as Chicago community investor; as assistant dean of Dominican University鈥檚 Graduate School of Library and Information Science; as director of the Office for Diversity at the American Library Association; and as visiting professor at Catholic, Southern Connecticut State, and Wesleyan Universities.

Deeply invested in the intersection of arts access, literacy, youth and economic development, Tracie led the organization of the NYC Early Learning Network; developed the Seattle-based SCRIBES program, conceived and curated the NEH-funded Festival of Caribbean Literature with the Connecticut Center for the Book; served as author and principal investigator on three milestone Institute of Museum and Library Science (IMLS) initiatives; and in Chicago, has worked on several initiatives connecting art to community and workforce development.

Tracie is a Cave Canem fellow and the recipient of various awards for her writing, creative and community work. She holds degrees from the University of California, Yale University and the University of Washington.

Kris Hermanns, Special Advisor, Pride Foundation

Kris Hermanns has been working for more than 25 years as a nonprofit executive, strategist, grantmaker, and fundraiser. Currently, Kris is serving as a special advisor to Pride Foundation, following her seven-year tenure as the CEO. As CEO and now as an advisor, this work enables Kris to bridge two of her passions鈥攁dvocating for equity and justice, and the field of philanthropy. As the CEO of Pride Foundation, Kris mobilized individual and institutional resources to affect real change in the lives of people and communities who are most impacted by injustices, including through centering and embedding racial equity into the foundation鈥檚 mission, programs, and practices.

Before joining Pride Foundation, Kris was the deputy director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, supporting the creation of the national vision and strategy. Prior to that, she was a program officer at The Rhode Island Foundation, where she helped lead the restructuring of the community grants program to facilitate more strategic investments across sectors and issue areas. She began her career at Brown University鈥檚 Center for Public Service.

She has an EdM in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University and a BA in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Grace Hou, President, Woods Fund Chicago

Grace Hou is the president of Woods Fund Chicago. Grace鈥檚 career has been devoted to social justice, equity, and systems change as a community-informed leader working in government, social services, organizing, advocacy, and philanthropy.

From 2003 to 2012, Grace served as the Assistant Secretary at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). During her time with the state, she was a key leader in the creation and implementation of the state鈥檚 nationally acclaimed Immigrant Integration New American鈥檚 Executive Order. Prior to her time with the state, Grace was the executive director of Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) and a vocal advocate for immigrant rights.

Grace is the board chair of The Healthy Communities Foundation and Forefront.听 She also serves on the boards of Adler University, Chicago Public Media, Greater Chicago Food Depository, The Chicago Network, and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.听 She was a 2001 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow and a 2002 German Marshall Fellow.

Monique B. Jones, President & CEO, Evanston Community Foundation

Monique B. Jones is a visionary leader with an extensive background in mental health, youth violence prevention, philanthropy and systems change. Monique was appointed president & CEO of Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) in 2015, making her the second president since its founding in 1986 and the first African American. ECF supports local organizations in pursuing their missions through grant making, civic engagement and capacity building. Locally, Monique serves on the board of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, See Chicago Dance and Beacon Academy. Regionally, she serves on the Alliance for Illinois Community Foundations board, leading efforts to support the advocacy work of foundations. Nationally, she serves on the Community Foundations National Standards Board, assuring best practice accreditation for community foundations. Monique is a lecturer at Northwestern University, teaching Lessons in Nonprofit Management in the Kapnick School of Business Institutions. She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Texas at Austin.

Jane Kimondo, Program Director, Crossroads Fund

Jane Kimondo, program director of听Crossroads Fund, holds two master’s degrees in organizational development and human resources and a certificate in advanced study in philanthropy & nonprofit sector from Loyola University Chicago. Jane has extensive international and nonprofit experience in both Chicago and her native country, Kenya. During her 13 years at Crossroads Fund she has overseen growth in both programs and grants which have included developing and implementation of an evaluation tool specific to social change organizations, capacity building programs, and the creation of funding streams that support Chicago’s organizing community.

Frances Kunreuther, Co-director, Building Moving Project

Frances co-directs the Building Movement Project, which works to strengthen U.S. nonprofits as sites of civic engagement and social change. She is co-author of From the Ground Up: Grassroots Organizations Making Social Change (Cornell, 2006) and Working Across Generations: Defining the Future of Nonprofit Leadership听(Jossey Bass, 2009).听 Frances spent five years at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University. She headed the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LBGT youth, and was awarded a year-long Annie E. Casey Foundation fellowship in 1997 for this and her previous work. Over the years, Frances has worked with homeless youth and families, undocumented immigrants, crime victims, battered women, and substance users. She writes and presents frequently on issues related to nonprofits, leadership and social change.

Dorri C. McWhorter, CPA, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

As the CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Dorri McWhorter has embarked upon a journey to transform the 140-year-old social service agency to a 21st-century social enterprise. Dorri is moving the agency into the digital age by re-launching the TechGYRLS program and introducing 3D: Developing Digital Diversity, which provides web and mobile application development training to adult women. Dorri has also led the YWCA鈥檚 expansion of digital services with the launch of YShop.org, womenshealthexchange.org and the MPWR mobile app. Dorri was included in the inaugural list of 鈥淭he Blue Network,” comprised of the top 100 innovators in Chicago, by Chicago Tribune鈥檚 Blue Sky Innovation and recognized by Good City Chicago receiving its Innovative Leader Award. Dorri led the process for the YWCA to develop an exchange traded fund (ETF) for women鈥檚 empowerment ($WOMN) in partnership with Impact Shares, which is the first nonprofit investment advisor to develop an ETF product.

A proven leader in the corporate and social change sectors, Dorri prides herself on being a socially-conscious business leader throughout her career. Most recently Dorri was a partner at Crowe Horwath LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the US. She has also held senior positions with Snap-on Incorporated and Booz Allen Hamilton. Dorri is also active in the accounting profession having served as a member of the board of directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and for the Illinois CPA Society. Dorri serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including The Metropolitan Club, Chicago Finance Exchange, and Chicago Child Care Society. Dorri received a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Northwestern University鈥檚 Kellogg School of Management.

Mary F. Morten, President, Morten Group, LLC

Mary F. Morten has over 20 years of executive leadership at nonprofits and a past mayoral appointment in city government that provides clients with a unique skill set and access to decision makers. The firm鈥檚 scope of work includes organizational development (focused on board accountability and resources acquisition), strategic alliances, succession planning and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Morten Group works with national organizations, foundations and for-profit entities. In 2018, Morten Group began its 17th year of work supporting organizations, strategic alliances and social justice movements.

Mary has served as board chair, associate director and interim executive director for the Chicago Foundation for Women, one of the world鈥檚 largest women鈥檚 foundations. She is a past director of the Office of Violence Prevention for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Prior to this position, Mary was an appointee for Mayor Richard M. Daley and served as a director/liaison for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. An award-winning filmmaker, Mary is currently in production on a sequel to Woke Up Black, a documentary chronicling the lives of five black youth. Mary has received numerous awards for her work, most recently the 2017 Women in Film Focus award, and the 2014 YLeadership Award from the YWCA Evanston/Northshore for her work her work on racial justice and women鈥檚 empowerment. Mary holds a BA from Loyola University of Chicago, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Association of Consultants to Nonprofits.

Marianne Philbin, Executive Director,听Pierce Family Foundation

Marianne Philbin has more than 25 years of experience working with foundations and nonprofit organizations on issues related to grantmaking, evaluation and strategic planning. She is co-author with Marcia Festen of the book Level Best: How Grassroots Organizations Can Tackle Evaluation and Talk Results听(Wiley Publishing, 2006) and co-author of How Effective Nonprofits Work: A Guide for Donors, Board Members and Foundation Officers听(Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, 2002). In addition to Marianne’s work with foundation and nonprofit clients, she is an instructor and curriculum developer for Forefront of Chicago, where she developed and annually leads the Institute for New Grantmakers. Previously, Marianne听served as听development director for the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which was part of Walter Annenberg’s legacy to improve public education; executive director of the Chicago Foundation for Women during its critical start-up years; and executive director of The Peace Museum.听She has served on nonprofit boards ranging from Amnesty International USA to Chicago Women in Philanthropy, the Chicago Global Donors Network, and Project Exploration. She has also served for many years as a member of the Governance Committee for the Center for Victims of Torture, located in Minneapolis, MN.

Tiffany Pryor, Executive Director, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH)

Tiffany Pryor, executive director of the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH), received a BA in human services from Villanova University. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her experiences in youth development work, a trip to Cambodia, and two years in Americorps. These experiences proved fundamental to her work with under-resourced youth and resulted in the pursuit of her master鈥檚 in social work from DePaul University. During her first year at DePaul, Tiffany serviced as an intern at Alternatives, Inc. where she engaged young women in weekly social justice workshops. In the second year of her MSW program, she was introduced to ICAH as a community organizing intern. Formerly, she served as the lead organizer for healthcare and school networks in Chicago.

Claude A. Robinson Jr., Executive Vice President, External Affairs & Diversity, UCAN

Claude A. Robinson, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To beat the negative ills of the inner city, he attended St. Johns Northwestern Military & Naval Academy (SJNMNA) in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for most of his high school years. At SJNMNA, Claude excelled as a student athlete and leader. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater where he successfully earned a BA in psychology. Claude went on to earn a master鈥檚 in counseling at Chicago State University. His interest in sports education turned into a passion for serving youth. He currently serves as an AAU basketball coach for The Athlete Within and Kenwood Academy High School.

Claude specializes in the personal development, education and motivation of youth and children. Claude serves as the executive vice president of external affairs & diversity at UCAN. Claude鈥檚 work has yielded numerous accolades, including awards from former city of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Miss Illinois Leadership Award 2001, and WGN-TV Channel 9鈥檚 2000 鈥淯nsung Hero鈥� award. In 2008 Claude led a US delegation on a four city 鈥渂est practice鈥� exchange to the United Kingdom to assist policy makers and community leaders on positive youth development.

In addition to his work with UCAN, Claude also sits on the board of directors for the Illinois Collaboration on Youth, as well as the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission. Claude has affiliations with the Chicago Community Development Advisory Council, United Church of Christ Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity, Trinity United Church of Christ, and Leadership Greater Chicago.

Zack Schrantz, President and CEO, UCAN

Since joining UCAN in 1990 as a caseworker in Relative听Foster Care, President/CEO Zack Schrantz has successfully managed increasingly responsible management and policymaking roles at UCAN which have spanned across broad areas of the agency including youth and family programming, administrative and operational functions, and fiscal management.

Highlights of Zack鈥檚 tenure at UCAN include: leading significant revenue growth and enhancement of accounting systems and internal controls; creation and implementation of programmatic dashboards to effectively measure service delivery, outcomes and impact; creation and implementation of agency client information software and quality improvement systems; development of the agency鈥檚 highly respected Teen Parenting Service Network, the largest child welfare managed care contract in Illinois, serving all pregnant and parenting teen and young adult parents in foster care throughout the state and their children; as well as development of programming and curricula focused on youth leadership to assure that the agency鈥檚 vision is achieved.

In addition, Zack听is a staunch advocate of UCAN鈥檚 comprehensive diversity and inclusion efforts, striving to set a standard for the nonprofit industry around diversity, while concurrently ensuring that diversity and inclusion remains a cornerstone of agency operations. This includes implementation of UCAN鈥檚 minority supplier diversity initiative as well as ensuring that leadership development opportunities are available for the agency鈥檚 diverse employee base through its nine staff-led employee resource groups.

Rusty Stahl, President & CEO, Fund the People

Fund the People, a national campaign to maximize investment in the nonprofit workforce, works to address a chronic problem that many funders and nonprofits barely recognize as an issue — the system-wide deficit of investment in the nonprofit workforce. Through his leadership, Fund the People has established the 鈥淭alent-Investing Framework,鈥� an approach to fundraising and grantmaking that acknowledges nonprofit professionals as the essential assets of nonprofit capacity, performance, impact, and sustainability. To bring this framework to life, Fund the People offers case-making resources, how-to tools, educational programs, and organizing in the field to maximize investment in the nonprofit workforce. Visit FundThePeople.org for information and resources or follow twitter.com/FundThePeople.

Rusty founded Fund the People in 2014. Previously, he spent several years as a visiting fellow in residence at New York University鈥檚 Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, where he studied the challenges facing the nonprofit workforce. Prior to that, Rusty served for 10 years as founding executive director of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), the association of young and new grantmakers. In that role, he provided leadership and professional development to thousands of diverse young people in the field. Rusty began his career as a program associate at the Ford Foundation where he focused on strengthening philanthropy and the nonprofit sector as a crucial part of our democracy. He holds an MA in philanthropic studies from Indiana University鈥檚 Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, Co-director, Building Movement Project

Sean co-directs the Building Movement Project (BMP) with a special focus on BMP鈥檚 work on service and social change. Prior to joining the BMP staff, Sean spent a decade working in various roles at the Center for Community Change. At CCC, he developed training programs for grassroots leaders, worked in CCC鈥檚 communications and policy departments where he coordinated online and grassroots advocacy efforts, and lobbied on a range of issues, including immigration reform, transportation equity and anti-poverty programs. Before joining the Center, Sean worked as a policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza, where he focused on employment and income security issues. Sean holds a master鈥檚 degree in public administration from NYU鈥檚 Wagner School of Public Service and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work and multicultural studies from St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Mia Vivens, Associate Director of Outreach and Engagement, About Face Theatre

Mia Vivens听is a multidisciplinary artist and educator; a听queer poetess/ mover/ maker originally from Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumna of Valparaiso University, having studied theater and dance. Her work centers around diversity and inclusion and the intersections of queerness and blackness. In her work for About Face Theatre as the associate director of outreach and engagement, she tours a show about gender and听sexuality听to local Chicagoland middle and high schools. She has also worked with many theatres in Chicago as both an actor and a director.

Young Chicago Authors

Through creative writing, Young Chicago Authors helps young people from all backgrounds to understand the importance of their own stories and those of others, so that they can pursue the path they choose and work to make their communities more just and equitable.

YCA exposes young people to hip-hop realist portraiture and teaches them how to create their own authentic narratives through a variety of arts education programs both in and out of the classroom. These programs include free Education Partnerships for qualifying Chicago schools, free weekly writing workshops and open mics for young poets, journalists, and emcees, and Louder Than A Bomb, the largest youth poetry slam in the country.

In Chicago鈥檚 contemporary landscape, there is a desperate need for a space dedicated to the voices of young people who face violence and segregation on a daily basis, a safe place that provides a platform for youth expression and celebrates the narratives of teens from every corner of the city. Young creative people need mentors to guide their writing to a level that sparks real change in themselves and their communities. YCA鈥檚 programs serve as an introduction to and immersion in a vibrant literary community that transcends cultural and socio-economic boundaries.