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2 0 2 3 C U E F E L L O W S
We are excited to introduce the 2023 CUE Fellows! These 15 individuals bring their own unique perspectives and expertise to the work that must be done to build an equitable Chicago for everybody. Whether working in partnership with civic institutions or building community as neighborhood residents, the 2023 CUE Fellowship cohort is prepared to target inequity in our systems and promote change.
Lucy Brennan
P33 Chicago
Director, Founder's Team
Hi, I'm Lucy, I'm passionate about developing community-based solutions and sustainable operational structures to address complex challenges. I work at P33, an organization working to equitably accelerate Chicago's technology economy. Before this I worked at an organization called Spark, developing equity-centered partnerships to provide workplace-based mentorship to 7th & 8th grade students. I love to be outside (aside from winter), start (sometimes finish) ambitious crafts, and cook in my spare time.
Director, Founder's Team
Hi, I'm Lucy, I'm passionate about developing community-based solutions and sustainable operational structures to address complex challenges. I work at P33, an organization working to equitably accelerate Chicago's technology economy. Before this I worked at an organization called Spark, developing equity-centered partnerships to provide workplace-based mentorship to 7th & 8th grade students. I love to be outside (aside from winter), start (sometimes finish) ambitious crafts, and cook in my spare time.
Chris Bridges
It Takes a Village Nation
Founder
Chris is currently Program Counsel with the Education Equity Team at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee continuing his longstanding work on disparate school discipline and discrimination issues. Prior to joining CLC, he worked for the Equal Justice Society, focusing on similar issues and serving as their lead implicit bias trainer, presenting more than 60 implicit bias trainings across the country to a variety of audiences including, lawyers, state and federal judges, parents, teachers, community organizations, medical professionals, and more. Chris began his legal career in 2012 with the ACLU of Northern California as the Racial Justice Project Fellow, where he also worked on school-to-prison pipeline issues. Chris is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. He also holds an MS in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and a BS in Political Science and BA in Criminal Justice, both from North Carolina Central.
Founder
Chris is currently Program Counsel with the Education Equity Team at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee continuing his longstanding work on disparate school discipline and discrimination issues. Prior to joining CLC, he worked for the Equal Justice Society, focusing on similar issues and serving as their lead implicit bias trainer, presenting more than 60 implicit bias trainings across the country to a variety of audiences including, lawyers, state and federal judges, parents, teachers, community organizations, medical professionals, and more. Chris began his legal career in 2012 with the ACLU of Northern California as the Racial Justice Project Fellow, where he also worked on school-to-prison pipeline issues. Chris is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. He also holds an MS in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and a BS in Political Science and BA in Criminal Justice, both from North Carolina Central.
Liú Méi-Zhì Huì Chen
National Public Housing Museum
Oral History Archive & Corps Manager
Liú is a queer, trans non-binary, disabled, Abolitionist nerd and cultural organizer. They are currently the Oral History Manager at the National Public Housing Museum (NPHM). Liú views storytelling and narrative history as key strategies for cultivating more holistic understandings of our pasts, presents, and futures; thawing trauma, and nurturing authentic connection. At NPHM, they focus on building capacity among misrepresented communities and empowering them with the agency and skills to document, preserve, and share histories from their perspectives. Liú’s personal work also centers community self-determination, as well as chosen family, Blasian coalition movements, and the textures of silence.
Oral History Archive & Corps Manager
Liú is a queer, trans non-binary, disabled, Abolitionist nerd and cultural organizer. They are currently the Oral History Manager at the National Public Housing Museum (NPHM). Liú views storytelling and narrative history as key strategies for cultivating more holistic understandings of our pasts, presents, and futures; thawing trauma, and nurturing authentic connection. At NPHM, they focus on building capacity among misrepresented communities and empowering them with the agency and skills to document, preserve, and share histories from their perspectives. Liú’s personal work also centers community self-determination, as well as chosen family, Blasian coalition movements, and the textures of silence.
Chandra Christmas-Rouse
Metropolitan Planning Council
Senior Manager
A background in urban planning and environmental justice informs Chandra’s design approach of working with community stakeholders in a participatory process to support capacity building, achieve place-based solutions, and reimagine systems. At MPC, she leads initiatives that equip local partners with the skills and tools to coordinate between culture, policy and process change. These initiatives include the Change Team program with the Chicago Department of Housing and Advancing Equity: Closing the Homeownership Gap series with Chicago Community Trust. Chandra is also an interdisciplinary creative, educator, and author of a graphic novel based in Bronzeville entitled Where the Sidewalk Grows.
Senior Manager
A background in urban planning and environmental justice informs Chandra’s design approach of working with community stakeholders in a participatory process to support capacity building, achieve place-based solutions, and reimagine systems. At MPC, she leads initiatives that equip local partners with the skills and tools to coordinate between culture, policy and process change. These initiatives include the Change Team program with the Chicago Department of Housing and Advancing Equity: Closing the Homeownership Gap series with Chicago Community Trust. Chandra is also an interdisciplinary creative, educator, and author of a graphic novel based in Bronzeville entitled Where the Sidewalk Grows.
Davon Clark
The Movement of Movement
Photojournalist
Davon Clark is a Philadelphia-raised artist based in Chicago that uses investigative journalism practices in his camerawork and poetry. His work looks to fill in the gaps left behind in coverage of the worlds that he lives in. He's currently serving as a Fellow at Chicago United for Equity (CUE), where he's studying the changing movement and commutes of residents on Chicago's southeast side. He likes flowers and the little things in life. You can find out what he does and how he does it at www.daybydavon.com.
Photojournalist
Davon Clark is a Philadelphia-raised artist based in Chicago that uses investigative journalism practices in his camerawork and poetry. His work looks to fill in the gaps left behind in coverage of the worlds that he lives in. He's currently serving as a Fellow at Chicago United for Equity (CUE), where he's studying the changing movement and commutes of residents on Chicago's southeast side. He likes flowers and the little things in life. You can find out what he does and how he does it at www.daybydavon.com.
Kristen Garcia
Illinois Action for Children
Project Manager
Kristen currently serves as the Project Manager for the Community Systems Statewide Supports (CS3) department at Illinois Action for Children. The CS3 team provides technical assistance and training to early childhood collaborations across Illinois. She manages the department’s project deliverables, major events, budget, and is a liaison to its growing number of community members. Kristen has a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in psychology from Dominican University. On her free time, Kristen likes to play with her dog, Sigmund, spend quality time with her partner and family, read books of any genre, and catch a play or a sports game.
Project Manager
Kristen currently serves as the Project Manager for the Community Systems Statewide Supports (CS3) department at Illinois Action for Children. The CS3 team provides technical assistance and training to early childhood collaborations across Illinois. She manages the department’s project deliverables, major events, budget, and is a liaison to its growing number of community members. Kristen has a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in psychology from Dominican University. On her free time, Kristen likes to play with her dog, Sigmund, spend quality time with her partner and family, read books of any genre, and catch a play or a sports game.
Jeni Hebert Beirne
University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
Associate Professor
Jeni Hebert-Beirne is an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health. Jeni is a community-based participatory researcher (CBPR) who uses qualitative, community-engaged research approaches to promote health equity at the neighborhood level focusing on the lived experience of those most impacted by structural drivers of health inequities and identifying community-led and/or system-level solution. Through her research, practice and teaching, she is invested in sustaining long-term academic-community partnerships to advance health equity research. She, her husband, their three amazing daughters, and a troublemaking puppy call the wonderful east Rogers Park home.
Associate Professor
Jeni Hebert-Beirne is an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health. Jeni is a community-based participatory researcher (CBPR) who uses qualitative, community-engaged research approaches to promote health equity at the neighborhood level focusing on the lived experience of those most impacted by structural drivers of health inequities and identifying community-led and/or system-level solution. Through her research, practice and teaching, she is invested in sustaining long-term academic-community partnerships to advance health equity research. She, her husband, their three amazing daughters, and a troublemaking puppy call the wonderful east Rogers Park home.
Adria Husband
Shifting Hearts and Minds LLC
Founder & CEO
Adria Husband has nearly 20 years experience in educational leadership,
operations management, and organizational development. Adria has served as an advocate for racial and social justice throughout her professional career, from orchestrating systemic social-emotional development in students grades K-12 across twenty large urban school districts to creating and implementing policy and practices around the equitable distribution of educational resources to historically underserved communities in Chicago.
Adria excels in facilitating organizational culture shifts, problem identification, and creative process design. Adria’s most recent work has included a participatory grantmaking strategy redesign project centering the voices and experiences of leaders of color, and coaching/consulting around culturally-responsive practices in program delivery and workplace practices.
Adria is passionate about bringing healing and restoration into equity and
justice work. Adria is a coach, facilitator, mediator, gift cultivator, and lifelong
learner of the human experience. Adria is the founder of D.I.V.A.s Middle
School Mentoring Program which focuses on creating space to explore and
develop the identity, voice, self-confidence, and unique gifts of young women
of color in Chicago. Adria is mother to a daughter in college and a boisterous
Lhasa Apso puppy. She is a writer and poet in her downtime.
Founder & CEO
Adria Husband has nearly 20 years experience in educational leadership,
operations management, and organizational development. Adria has served as an advocate for racial and social justice throughout her professional career, from orchestrating systemic social-emotional development in students grades K-12 across twenty large urban school districts to creating and implementing policy and practices around the equitable distribution of educational resources to historically underserved communities in Chicago.
Adria excels in facilitating organizational culture shifts, problem identification, and creative process design. Adria’s most recent work has included a participatory grantmaking strategy redesign project centering the voices and experiences of leaders of color, and coaching/consulting around culturally-responsive practices in program delivery and workplace practices.
Adria is passionate about bringing healing and restoration into equity and
justice work. Adria is a coach, facilitator, mediator, gift cultivator, and lifelong
learner of the human experience. Adria is the founder of D.I.V.A.s Middle
School Mentoring Program which focuses on creating space to explore and
develop the identity, voice, self-confidence, and unique gifts of young women
of color in Chicago. Adria is mother to a daughter in college and a boisterous
Lhasa Apso puppy. She is a writer and poet in her downtime.
Edna Navarro-Vidaurre
Birth to Five Illinois
Regional Council Manager
Edna Navarro Vidaurre (she/her/ella) is the Regional Council Manager for the Region 1-A (City of Chicago). Edna has over 30 years in the field of early childhood education and care and has served in a variety of roles, including Family and Community Engagement Manager for the Office of Early Childhood Education at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Assistant Director of Community Systems Development at Illinois Action for Children, Preschool Teacher in CPS and at a Community Early Learning Center, and Illinois Early Childhood Fellow. She serves on a volunteer basis on the Collaboration on Child Homelessness Illinois (COCHI) Leadership Team, Erikson Institute Early Childhood Leadership Alumni Advisory Board, Healthcare transformation collaborative (St. Anthony Hospital) and others.
Edna believes that communities that engage residents in building a place they want to live are imperative to the well-being of children and their families. She is an activist in her Portage Park neighborhood, where she founded a local park advisory council and was instrumental in the allocation of $1.3 million dollars in capital improvements to her local Chicago Park District. Edna is married, has four children and two fur babies named Luna & Coco.
Regional Council Manager
Edna Navarro Vidaurre (she/her/ella) is the Regional Council Manager for the Region 1-A (City of Chicago). Edna has over 30 years in the field of early childhood education and care and has served in a variety of roles, including Family and Community Engagement Manager for the Office of Early Childhood Education at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Assistant Director of Community Systems Development at Illinois Action for Children, Preschool Teacher in CPS and at a Community Early Learning Center, and Illinois Early Childhood Fellow. She serves on a volunteer basis on the Collaboration on Child Homelessness Illinois (COCHI) Leadership Team, Erikson Institute Early Childhood Leadership Alumni Advisory Board, Healthcare transformation collaborative (St. Anthony Hospital) and others.
Edna believes that communities that engage residents in building a place they want to live are imperative to the well-being of children and their families. She is an activist in her Portage Park neighborhood, where she founded a local park advisory council and was instrumental in the allocation of $1.3 million dollars in capital improvements to her local Chicago Park District. Edna is married, has four children and two fur babies named Luna & Coco.
Gabriella Nelson
City of Chicago - Department of Housing
Senior Policy Analyst
Gabriella Nelson serves as a Public Policy Analyst at the Chicago Department of Housing. She manages strategic investments for vulnerable populations and crafts policy to make affordable housing accessible across all of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Her portfolio includes increasing the participation of BIPOC developers in the LIHTC program, managing the department’s housing stabilization funds including the execution of a Right to Counsel Pilot Program, setting the department’s housing strategy for returning residents, and designing economic recovery initiatives such as permanent supportive housing that have led to a more expansive definition of homelessness.
Prior to joining DOH, she served as a Public Policy Analyst at Safer Foundation, one of the nation’s largest organizations helping people with arrest and conviction records reenter society. In her role, she advanced policies and legislation that eliminate barriers and create opportunities for people with records. She managed Safer Foundation’s Access to Justice program, an effort that provides critical holistic community-based legal services and Know Your Rights information to thousands of people with records on an annual basis. Gabriella played an instrumental role in the 2019 passage of the Just Housing Amendment - an ordinance that prevents housing discrimination against millions of people with records in Cook County, Illinois. She also led Safer’s efforts to pass Illinois Public Act 101-176, which amended the Healthcare Worker Waiver Background Act and made it possible for people with records to work in the healthcare industry.
She is a 2022-2023 Chicago United for Equity Fellow and is an alumnus of the Fulbright Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in Brazil. Previously she worked in international trade policy as a Trade Officer for the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She earned her bachelor's degree in international studies and Spanish from DePaul University.
Senior Policy Analyst
Gabriella Nelson serves as a Public Policy Analyst at the Chicago Department of Housing. She manages strategic investments for vulnerable populations and crafts policy to make affordable housing accessible across all of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Her portfolio includes increasing the participation of BIPOC developers in the LIHTC program, managing the department’s housing stabilization funds including the execution of a Right to Counsel Pilot Program, setting the department’s housing strategy for returning residents, and designing economic recovery initiatives such as permanent supportive housing that have led to a more expansive definition of homelessness.
Prior to joining DOH, she served as a Public Policy Analyst at Safer Foundation, one of the nation’s largest organizations helping people with arrest and conviction records reenter society. In her role, she advanced policies and legislation that eliminate barriers and create opportunities for people with records. She managed Safer Foundation’s Access to Justice program, an effort that provides critical holistic community-based legal services and Know Your Rights information to thousands of people with records on an annual basis. Gabriella played an instrumental role in the 2019 passage of the Just Housing Amendment - an ordinance that prevents housing discrimination against millions of people with records in Cook County, Illinois. She also led Safer’s efforts to pass Illinois Public Act 101-176, which amended the Healthcare Worker Waiver Background Act and made it possible for people with records to work in the healthcare industry.
She is a 2022-2023 Chicago United for Equity Fellow and is an alumnus of the Fulbright Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in Brazil. Previously she worked in international trade policy as a Trade Officer for the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She earned her bachelor's degree in international studies and Spanish from DePaul University.
Marly Schott
Elevated Chicago
Manager
Marly Schott is Manager of Elevated Chicago, a collaboration of public, private and civic organizations promoting racially equitable development in Chicago neighborhoods, with a focus on equitable Transit Oriented Development (eTOD). In this capacity, she supports leadership, communications and project coordination of the initiative, including relationship management with Steering Committee members and 100+ partners, including funders, grantees and government agencies. Under Marly’s supervision, Elevated Chicago has awarded $2M+ to organizations promoting racial equity, community development, health, arts and culture, and environmental issues in communities of color. Marly began her career in philanthropy in 2015 as a member of the Program Department of The Chicago Community Trust, where she supported grantmaking, project management, and operations. Prior to joining the Trust, Marly worked as Project Manager in market research, and as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. Marly received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University of Chicago and her Masters of Nonprofit Management from the Spertus Institute. She serves on the Advisory Board for l’Ecole de Choix, a tri-lingual primary school in Mirebalais, Haiti, and is an avid volunteer for local organizations.
Manager
Marly Schott is Manager of Elevated Chicago, a collaboration of public, private and civic organizations promoting racially equitable development in Chicago neighborhoods, with a focus on equitable Transit Oriented Development (eTOD). In this capacity, she supports leadership, communications and project coordination of the initiative, including relationship management with Steering Committee members and 100+ partners, including funders, grantees and government agencies. Under Marly’s supervision, Elevated Chicago has awarded $2M+ to organizations promoting racial equity, community development, health, arts and culture, and environmental issues in communities of color. Marly began her career in philanthropy in 2015 as a member of the Program Department of The Chicago Community Trust, where she supported grantmaking, project management, and operations. Prior to joining the Trust, Marly worked as Project Manager in market research, and as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. Marly received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University of Chicago and her Masters of Nonprofit Management from the Spertus Institute. She serves on the Advisory Board for l’Ecole de Choix, a tri-lingual primary school in Mirebalais, Haiti, and is an avid volunteer for local organizations.
Elizabeth Schuh
Cook County Bureau of Economic Development
Director of Policy
Elizabeth Schuh works in policy and practice with experience in transportation and economic development. Her work has ranged from individual redevelopment sites up to regional policy and brings together community goals, practical analysis, and best practices. Elizabeth is currently Director of Policy for the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, where she leads Bureau strategic planning and legislative efforts as well as developing infrastructure and resources to help Bureau programs meet equity, economic, and related goals. Previously, she was a Project Manager at SB Friedman and a Principal Policy Analyst at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Director of Policy
Elizabeth Schuh works in policy and practice with experience in transportation and economic development. Her work has ranged from individual redevelopment sites up to regional policy and brings together community goals, practical analysis, and best practices. Elizabeth is currently Director of Policy for the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, where she leads Bureau strategic planning and legislative efforts as well as developing infrastructure and resources to help Bureau programs meet equity, economic, and related goals. Previously, she was a Project Manager at SB Friedman and a Principal Policy Analyst at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Nneka Onwuzurike
City of Chicago - Office of Equity and Racial Justice
Program Manager
Nneka Onwuzurike is a writer, donor organizer, and economic development practitioner. She is a Chicago Recovery Plan Program Manager for the City of Chicago, Mayor's Office. She manages over $60M of recovery dollars and has designed programs including Community Wealth Building, Together We Heal, and Nonprofit Capacity Building.
Nneka is the former Campaign Director and current Board Member for The Fields at Rootsprings, a cooperative-nonprofit partnership that provides healing and retreat space for BIPOC artists, organizers, and healers in Minnesota. She is also working on a collection of essays and short stories on the topic of belonging, displacement, and grief.
Program Manager
Nneka Onwuzurike is a writer, donor organizer, and economic development practitioner. She is a Chicago Recovery Plan Program Manager for the City of Chicago, Mayor's Office. She manages over $60M of recovery dollars and has designed programs including Community Wealth Building, Together We Heal, and Nonprofit Capacity Building.
Nneka is the former Campaign Director and current Board Member for The Fields at Rootsprings, a cooperative-nonprofit partnership that provides healing and retreat space for BIPOC artists, organizers, and healers in Minnesota. She is also working on a collection of essays and short stories on the topic of belonging, displacement, and grief.
Alana Warren
The Civic Federation
Senior Research Associate
My name is Alana Warren and I am originally from St. Louis, MO. I have been living in Chicago for a total of five years and have seven years of work experience in education, government affairs and at non-profit organizations. I am an advocate for equity, inclusivity and diversity and have actively practiced being so through my professional and personal experiences—which includes qualitative and quantitative research, community organizing and volunteering within St. Louis, Nashville, TN and Chicago, IL. In my spare time, I enjoying spending time with family and friends, attending various cultural events and being physically active.
Senior Research Associate
My name is Alana Warren and I am originally from St. Louis, MO. I have been living in Chicago for a total of five years and have seven years of work experience in education, government affairs and at non-profit organizations. I am an advocate for equity, inclusivity and diversity and have actively practiced being so through my professional and personal experiences—which includes qualitative and quantitative research, community organizing and volunteering within St. Louis, Nashville, TN and Chicago, IL. In my spare time, I enjoying spending time with family and friends, attending various cultural events and being physically active.
Sonseriya Williams
Teamwork Englewood
Project Manager
Born and raised on the south-side of Chicago, my professional experience include working both in the not-for-profit sector and at Chicago Public Schools. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Missouri- Columbia and a Master’s of Public Administration in Public Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Currently I work to improve the Quality of Life for residents through direct services and community building efforts.
Project Manager
Born and raised on the south-side of Chicago, my professional experience include working both in the not-for-profit sector and at Chicago Public Schools. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Missouri- Columbia and a Master’s of Public Administration in Public Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Currently I work to improve the Quality of Life for residents through direct services and community building efforts.
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