Read About Dr. Paviella Foster

A native of Chicago’s southside, Dr. Foster began her post-secondary matriculation at Western Illinois University earning a B.A. in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration. She continued her educational pursuit by earning a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University and recently earned a Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership from National Louis University.

Dr. Foster’s work experience directly parallels to her dissertation title, “An Examination of Community Members’ Reactions to Violent Viral Media and their Perceptions of its Impact on Black Communities.” She has dedicated 10 years to diligently working in the social justice/youth mental health field. Dr. Foster is currently the Director of Community Program for Ignite—an organization serving young people ages 14-26 who experience homelessness in the city of Chicago and surrounding areas while overseeing the Drop-In resource center, outreach program, and aftercare program.

Passionate about working with young people and helping them transition from trauma to triumph, she likewise currently sits on the Board of Directors for One Roof Chicago—a new and innovative program incorporating intergenerational supportive housing that focuses on workforce training for youth ages 18 and older and seniors identifying as LGBTQ.

A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc, Dr. Foster has willingly dedicated her time to community outreach through community cleanups and giveaways, team trainings through her own agency, providing non-violent crisis intervention trainings, and has even committed her time to speaking up against racism through anti-racist protests in her community. She is too the curator of the GRIT podcast (God. Resilience. Integrity. & Tenacity) which focuses on the lives and stories of black men and women and their journeys of healing.

She is also the proud mother of 2-year old Sincere who continues to motivate her work.

Read About Mireya Fouche

Mireya is an educator, creative and innovative thinker with a passion for building platforms that serve under resourced communities. She is a mother to a toddler Haitian-Mexican boy, which motivates her to keep fighting against social injustice. After experiencing homelessness as a college student in Los Angeles, Mireya moved back to Chicago and at 27yrs old launched One Heart One One Soul. Celebrating their 10th year of using the power of arts, community, & innovation to connect, empower and encourage youth experiencing homelessness. Her passion has led her to help start Monarch Thrift Shop, the award winning social enterprise thrift store in Avondale. Serving youth and young adults as an Art & Business teacher and bringing their creativity into this world is a full circle for her.

Read About Lucia Gonzalez

Lucia Gonzalez is a Chicago Native who has been an educator and program coordinator for 7 years. She serves the diverse learner community and enjoys her work tremendously. She believes in transforming lives through education and is herself a life learner who is currently obtaining her Doctorate Degree from DePaul University.

Read About Teiara Grant

Teiara Grant is a recent graduate of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Teiara received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Teiara is trained in Trauma Informed Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health First Aid for Youth and Adults. Teiara has worked with youth in care, families of youth in care and military families. Teiara has a love for trauma and wants to share her insight with members of her Englewood community. Teiara has a passion for trainings and plan to soon conduct her trainings on trauma throughout the Chicago land area.

Read About Kasey White

Angeline "Kasey" White was born in Chicago and raised on the south side of the city. They are a public speaker, artist, and current AmeriCorps member at Chicago HOPES for Kids. They are just trying their best to be a decent human being.

Read About Michelle Layser

Michelle Layser is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois College of Law. Professor Layser researches how tax incentives are used to subsidize private investment in affordable housing and community development. She is also the lead author of a working paper entitled Mitigating Housing Instability During a Pandemic, which analyzes how policymakers can reduce housing instability and risk of homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research has been featured in a leading poverty law casebook, by Crain’s Chicago Business, and by Law360. She is regularly quoted by news outlets for her expertise in place- based tax incentives, including in The New York Times and the Trump Inc. podcast (jointly produced by NPR and ProPublica). Before coming to Illinois, Professor Layser spent two years at the Georgetown University Law Center as a Law Research Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Law. Previously, she worked as a transactional associate at Latham & Watkins LLP (Los Angeles, Washington D.C.) and as a managing editor at Bloomberg BNA. Professor Layser earned her LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. She received her JD from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where she graduated order of the coif. While in law school, she served on the board of the Southern California Law Review. She earned her BA with honors from the University of Pennsylvania.

Read About Tenisha Jones

Tenisha Jones is a civic leader, a results-driven Education and Community Development Expert with 15+ years of experience in developing proposals, grant-writing, and program strategy management. Tenisha has a track record of leading highly successful cross-sector collaborations to level the playing field for underserved families across Chicago.

Read About Alyssa Phillips

Ms. Phillips is an Education Attorney at the Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. She was admitted to the Illinois Bar in November 2017. Ms. Phillips joined the Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless in September 2017 as an Equal Justice Works fellow, focusing on education rights for homeless children in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Prior, she was a PILI (Public Interest Law Initiative) intern at The Law Project and an intern at the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. She received her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College and her juris doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2017.

Read About Patricia Rivera

Patricia Rivera is the former Executive Director of Chicago HOPES for Kids, from its founding in 2010 until 2019. She retired from Chicago Public Schools in June 2010 after 33 years of service as a School Social Worker. The last 7 years at CPS, she was the Manager of the CPS Homeless Education Program (now Students in Temporary Living Situations [STLS]). In November 2010, she worked to found HOPES with a group of dedicated volunteers after CPS cut funding for the shelter tutoring program.