WORKSHOP PRESENTERS
THESE LEADERS VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AS SPEAKERS FOR WORKSHOPS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AT THE MAY 17 AND 18, 2004 TUTOR/MENTOR LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND HELPING TUTOR/MENTOR PROGRAMS GROW WHERE EVER THEY ARE NEEDED.
One goal of the T/MC Conference is to create a community of people who learn from each other, network, and collaborate to help volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs grow in all places where they are needed. We encourage all workshop presenters, conference participants and interested supporters, including business and foundation leaders, to visit the DISCUSSION Section at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/Partner/CC/egroups/egroups.htm where you can join one or more groups in this community.
Workshops and presenters are subject to change without notice. If you would like to do a workshop at this or future conferences, email the T/MC at tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Deborah Baker
Ms. Baker is Vice President of The Chicago Mentoring Institute of Big
Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago. The Mentoring Institute develops
partnerships with corporations and organizations to recruit, train and provide
site support to employees who spend one hour per week mentoring a child in a
school or work site setting. Additionally, the Institute provides training,
technical assistance and consulting for other non-profit organizations, as well
as an annual workshop series. Deborah has a BA in English Literature from
Swarthmore College and a MS from the School of Education and Social Policy at
Northwestern University.
Karina Ayala-Bermejo
Ms. Ayala-Bermejo is Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Lend A
Hand Program of the Chicago Bar
Association (CBA). She is also Director of Community Services, for the
Chicago Bar Association (CBA). Prior to joining The CBA, Ms. Ayala-Bermejo was
an assistant attorney with the Chicago Board of Education (CBOE). She has been
active in a variety of community service activities in Chicago for over 10 years
and received the Mayor's Leadership 2000 Award. She was selected to participate
in the Leadership Greater Chicago Fellows Program in 2001-2002. In September of
2002, she was awarded the DePaul University College of Law Outstanding Service
as Young Alumnus. In March 2003, she was awarded the Latino Law Student
Association Distinguished Alumnus Award. Ms. Ayala-Bermejo is the President of
the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois and serves as secretary for the Our
Children in the Courts Foundation. http://www.lend-a-hand.net
Daniel F. Bassill
Dr. Daniel F. Bassill is President of Cabrini Connections and the
Tutor/Mentor Connection, organizer of the Leadership Conference series. Dr.
Bassill. has spent more than 30 years, mostly as a volunteer, reaching out
to children and youth living in Chicago's Cabrini-Green neighborhood. Bassill
first became a tutor in 1973, then became the volunteer leader of the Montgomery
Ward/Cabrini Green Tutoring program in 1975. More than 3,500 volunteers and
3,300 children have participated in programs Bassill has led. Some
volunteers have participated for more than 10 consecutive years and some
students from first grade through high school. With six other
volunteers, Bassill formed Cabrini Connections in 1992. Learn
more. Visit the About Cabrini Connections section of http://www.tutormentorconnection.org
and read "The Tutor/Mentor Business" by Sara Caldwell. Contact
Dan at tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Sandra Beauford
Ms. Beauford is the Public Relations Officer for Chicagoland District 30
Toastmasters. Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to
making effective oral communication a worldwide reality. Through its member
clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of
speaking, listening and thinking -- vital skills that prommote
self-actualization, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment
of mankind. www.toastofchicago.org
Contact Sandra at sjbeauf@aol.com
Minister Lorraine Bogan
Dr. Lorraine Bogan began her ministry in 1978 implementing and directing a
youth outreach ministry at Chatham Fields Lutheran Church. In the fall of 1992,
The SAFE – SPORTS AFFECTING FUTURE EDUCATION – Haven was formed. Lorraine
began to work in the “trenches” through sports, tutoring, mentoring, and
counseling specifically for young people who display disruptive behaviors and or
participated in gangs and selling of illegal drugs. Lorraine has endured many
life threaten events, including eluding shootings from rebel gangs, single
handling breaking up gang fights, rescuing youth and parents from stabbings and
other domestic and community violence. For the past 25 years, Lorraine has
personally worked and mentored over 500 “at-risk” children and youth.
Tom Brainsford
VP, The National Urban Technology Center, Inc.
Tom Bransford is a founding member of The National Urban Technology Center
(Urban Tech). Urban Tech is a non-profit corporation that provides consulting
services in the use of technology and telecommunications for education,
employment and business development in underserved communities. For the past 9
years, Urban Tech has provided turn-key solutions for technology and Life Skills
training to over 200 sites under contract with organizations such as the US
Dept. Of Justice, the US Dept.of Education, The New York City Housing Authority,
HUD, The Ford Foundation and the Kellog Foundation. Currently, Urban Tech is
partnering with the Social Development Council of Milwaukee and Fighting Back,
Inc. in Milwaukee to deliver Life Skills to reduce violence among teens.
Before joining UTC, Mr. Bransford was the IBM State Education Advisor for New
York City, Westchester and Rockland Counties for four years. While in this
position, Mr. Bransford was responsible for the marketing and installation of
IBM¹s products to the public and private school systems in those locations. His
focus was on classroom technology. He was involved in the marketing and
installation of Writing to Read, an innovative program designed to improve
reading skills for the K-1 segment of the schools. In addition, he supported the
implementation of a significant school-to-work initiative at the New York Board
of Education.
Charles Brooks
Mr. Brooks is District Governor of the Chicagoland District 30 Toastmasters.
Mr. Brooks has been a Toastmaster for 9 years, joining the organization in
April 1995. He is a member of South Suburban Toastmasters club #5534 and a
Chartered member of MJM Speakers Circle Toastmasters club #6799. His
Toastmasters experience has allow him to be a club member, club officers, club
mentor, Area Governor, Division Governor, Lt. Governor of Marketing, Lt.
Governor of Education & Training and the 2003-2004 District 30 Governor. It
has also allowed him to present workshops at District Toastmasters Leadership
Institutes, Fall & Spring Conferences and to compete in the Humorous,
Evaluation and International Speech contest. These experiences have allowed him
to improve his communication & leadership skills, giving him greater
confidence when presenting to audiences of all sizes. At this time he is in the
process of developing his Professional Public Speaking career. www.toastofchicago.org
Emmy
Bright
Ms. Bright is the School Partnerships Program Manager for the Office of
Community Arts Partnerships (OCAP) at Columbia College Chicago http://www.colum.edu/ocap
. She has worked with community based organizations and Chicago Public Schools
to develop college readiness, youth development, arts and after school programs
for youth, parents and teachers in North Lawndale, West Garfield Park,
Washington Park and the Grand Boulevard Neighborhoods. E-mail:
ebright@colum.edu
Rob Chambers
Mr. Chambers (Executive Director for the Training Centers) has more than twenty
years experience as an arts administrator and director. Most
recently, he served as Producer for The Second City Detroit. Prior to Second
City, he was Marketing Director of Hartford Stage Company, League of Chicago
Theatres and South Jersey Regional Theatre, and Managing Director of Melanie
Stewart Dance. He has served as a consultant or advisor to the Canadian
Consulate General, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Arts and Business
Council of Chicago, GayCo Productions, The Chicago Ensemble, Pennsylvania
Council on the Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Greater Philadelphia
Cultural Alliance, and Brandywine Graphic Workshop. Rob was one of the first
recipients of an Arts Management Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the
Arts. He has directed productions at the Greenwich Street Theater in New York
and at Park West, City Lit, Live Bait, Bailiwick, Ivanhoe, Donny's Skybox and
Public Trust Theatres in Chicago, specializing in original productions of new
plays and musicals. He holds a BA from Temple University and an MFA from DePaul
University's Theatre School where he has taught and served on the Alumni Board.
www.secondcity.com
Email: Rob - rchambers@secondcity.com
Stanley Cole
Mr. Stanley E. Cole is currently Assistant Director of Milwaukee Violence
Free Zone Initiative for the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, and is
a Certified Youth Worker by both Wisconsin Association of Child and Youth Care
Professionals (WACYCP) and the County of Milwaukee. While Mr. Cole also serves
as Vice-President of the Board for the WACYCP. Mr. Cole sits on the “Citizen
Advisory Committee” for Executive County Supervisor Scott Walker, also has
served over three years as board member for the “Spirit of the Men
Coalition”. Mr. Cole has (4) four years of experience of youth court room
advocacy in Milwaukee’s Municipal Courts working with young people. Mr. Cole
has been a committed youth worker for over seventeen years, working with young
people throughout the US. Mr. Cole is a trainer. Mr. Cole has trained (32)
thirty two youth workers from all over the U.S. on Civic Engagement, while a
program coordinator at REACH Youth Opportunity of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Mr. Cole spoke to over 5000 MPS youth on issues from Gang prevention, Conflict
Resolution and ATODA Prevention. Mr.
Cole was Milwaukee’s “September
of 2001 V100 Peace Achiever” of the month, while also being named “Youth
Worker of the Year for the State of Wisconsin” in 2002. Mr. Cole also
received an award from OCI for “Outstanding
Dedication to Youth Development
and Positive Change” on
December 13th of 2002, “National
Award for best Youth Community Involved Entrepreneurship Project”
while he is also a received an award from the “National
Crime Victims Restorative Justice Program in April of 2004”.
Mr. Stanley Cole is a trainer in “Youth and Adult Partnership” and
Gang Prevention, Intervention and Suppression.
Mr. Cole also is a trained producer and director in Media Broadcasting,
in which he utilizes in a youth media literacy program to reach youth with media
education. . Mr. Cole has received
extensive training in the areas of financial literacy, coalition building, and
grant writing. Mr. Cole has done youth work from the City, State and National
Programs throughout the country. Mr.
Cole received National Leadership training through the Gamila Foundation in
Techy, Illinois, and this week long training involved many key components of
community leadership development.
While currently Mr. Cole is a student at Cardinal Stritch University’s Business Management Program with an Associate Degree in Business, he is scheduled for graduation in June of 2004 with his Bachelor’s Degree.
Paul Collins
Mr. Collins, of Jordan-Webb, Chicago, Illinois, has been an independent
consultant since 1981. Since 1989, his company has focused on facilitating
collaborative work groups and helping clients deploy tools that support group
facilitation, collaboration and decision making. Mr. Collins facilitation
style would be described as empowering and leading without directing, and making
sessions highly productive and fun.
Mr. Collins is active in a number of professional organizations, including the Midwest Facilitators' Network (MFN), where he is a co‑founder, director and webmaster. Mr. Collin's client experience in the corporate, government, academic and not-for-profit sectors, has included: National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), GATX Corporation, Mc Donald's Corporation, Motorola, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), BP Amoco Corporation and Graduate Business Schools at the University of Chicago, Loyola University, De Paul University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Illinois Benedictine University and the University of Wisconsin (Madison). http://jordan-webb.net
William R. Conrad, Jr
Mr. Conrad is President of the Institute For Voluntary Organizations (IFVO).
He founded IFVO in 1975. He has provided effective consultations and workshops
throughout the United State and Canada. He has written 23 monographs on
nonprofit Leadership and Management. Ohio University press has just published
the 3rd edition of his popular book, "The Effective Voluntary Boards of
Directors: What it is and How it works". www.ifvo.org
Eric Diamon
Mr. Diamon is a first-year corps member with City Year Chicago. After graduating
from college in Maine last May, Eric chose to work in an urban education setting
this year and is thoroughly enjoying tutoring his six second grade students in
literacy at the Henry Suder School on Chicago's Near West Side. Next year, Eric
will continue working in education as a teacher for the New York City Board of
Education.
Latesha Dickerson
Ms. Dickerson is a Middle School Math & Science teacher at the Academy
of Communications and Technology Charter School (A.C.T.) where she has served on
the school leadership team and as the Math/Science Department Chair. Having
earned National Board Certification, she provides mentoring to new teachers and
professional development for her colleagues at the school. She is the founder
and Executive Director of "Akoma Educational Services" which provides
schools with technical assistance and professional development in designing
student centered educational programs. This organization also works directly
with youth, allowing them to develop their voice and to foster relationships
across social, cultural and economic lines.
Eliza Duenow
Ms. Duenow has
served as the Director of Education at Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago since
2000. As an extension to her job managing the studio and outreach programs and
fundraising for the Center’s arts-in-education initiatives, she maintains
dozens of community partnerships across the South and West sides of the city and
curates a youth-based art exhibit in the Center’s Ruth Horwich Gallery each
year. Before joining the staff at HPAC, Eliza balanced contract work in youth
arts programming, while conducting community market research through local
advertising agencies. As a committee member at the Chicago Center for Arts
Policy, she coordinated conference events and youth arts initiatives. She also
has worked as an independent teaching artist and consultant in arts education
programming and development for various Chicago organizations and schools. In
the past she managed and served as the Creative Director for a commercial and
fine arts photography studio. She holds a Master of Arts degree in the Social
Sciences, focusing on Visual Culture Studies, from the University of Chicago,
and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Comparative Religion from
Trinity University.
Jan Fitzsimmons
Ms. Fitzsimmons is the program administrator for the NCC Jr./Sr. Scholars
Program, a college instructor and the curriculum coordinator for the ACI Bridge
to College Readiness Program and the Urban Education Initiative. Email Jan at jcfitzsimmons@noctrl.edu.
Joining Ms. Fitzsimmons in presenting the workshop titled Enquiring Minds
Want.."To Do" will be Rogelio Aguilar, Danielle Bank, Teri Marx,
Analiz Molina, Mickey Resner and Aarin Young, teachers, tutors and team leaders
in the NCC Jr./Sr. Scholars Program. Students involved in presenting the
workshop titled, Follow the Yellow "Book" Road, are Rachel Harden and
Lara Levine.
Gary Goldman
Mr. Goldman is a nationally recognized leader in education reform and youth
empowerment, and he is the author of the book "Empowering Students to
Transform Schools". As President and Founder of the non-profit
International Quality Leadership Institute. Mr. Goldman has taken his message of
harnessing the power of a generation of young people across the country. Mr.
Goldman is currently involved in several city-wide youth/adult initiatives in
Indian and Ohio and with empowering disabled students in workforce development
in Chicago. He is also working on a national youth empowerment movement and
youth/community development. Mr. Goldman has been featured in the media
including CBS, NBC, ABC, WGN and hosted his own weekly Chicago radio show,
Champions of our Children. www.iqli.com
Steve Gustis
Mr. Gustis is the Director of the Community Services Center at North Central
College.
Edward Gordon, Ph.D (Keynote Speaker for
Tuesday, May 18)
Dr. Gordon is President of Imperial Consulting Corporation in Chicago and
Palm Desert, California.Gordon is a recognized international expert on the
future of labor market development and many education reform issues. During his
over thirty years of consulting experience, Ed has assisted many varied clients,
such as: Microsoft, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Sonnenschein, Nath, and Rosenthal,
Motorola, the U.S. Department of Education, American Institute for Research,
State of North Carolina, universities, school systems, and trade/professional
organizations.
Ed Gordon is the author or co-author of 15 books including Skill Wars, Literacy in America, FutureWork, Closing the Literacy Gap in American Business, Tutor Quest, and Opportunities in Training and Development Careers. He has been quoted in or written over 200 articles in major newspapers, popular magazines, business publications, and education journals. His media experience includes the CBS Network's, "The Early Show," CNN, NBC, Bloomberg TV, WGN, NPR, USA Radio, and Yahoo. As a professional keynote and workshop speaker, he has delivered presentations to over 100,000 people.
Gordon has taught courses in business, education, and history for 20 years at three Chicago-area universities: DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern. He currently serves on the board of directors of National Council for Business-Education Collaboration, the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, the Illinois Literacy Resource of Development Center, and the Association of Tutoring Professionals. He also is a member of the Quality Workforce Committee of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and the Youth Policy Committee of the Chicago Workforce Board.
Sridhar V. Iyer, Ph.D
Dr. Iyler is CEO, Socratic Learning. Dr. Iyer is a former professor
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been working on
creating collaborative e-learning environments for bringing students and
mentors/tutors together. The e-tutoring project has brought high numbers of
qualified instructors to where they are needed most. www.socraticlearning.com
ses@socraticlearning.com
Annette
Kelly
Ms. Kelly, President of FOUS
Consulting Service, has a BA in Human Services. She is a Certified Youth
Development Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in youth development
programming. Her work is recognized in private, community-based and faith-based
arenas. Other facets of Annette’s work includes, Site Reviewer and participant
of the Youth Impact Council initiated by United Way of Chicago, and Consultant
and Trainer for Chicago Area Project. Annette was recognized by USA Today
as a recipient of Bank of America’s Leadership Excellence in Neighborhood
Development (LEND) award. In addition, she is a veteran trainer and acclaimed
conference speaker. akelly2@enc.k12.il.us
Gary Kosman
Mr. Kosman is founder and President of America Learns, based in Mission
Hills, California. America Learns is an organization ensuring that
children served by literacy volunteers receive superior support. Prior to
America Learns, Gary served on the evaluation team for the City of Los Angeles'
LA's BEST after-school program and co-authored A Compact for Reading, a
guidebook widely used across Illinois. He has worked with the LA Times'
Reading by 9 initiative and the U.S. Department of Education. http://americalearns.net
gary@americalearns.net
Rebekah Levin, Ph.D
Dr. Levin, Ph.D is Executive Director of the Center for Impact Research in
Chicago. She is Director of CIR's Sweatshop Project, which documented the extent
and severity of sweatshop working conditions in the Chicago Metropolitan area,
and led to the establishment of the Sweatshop Task Force, the first integrated
effort by the U.S. and State government agencies working collaboratively with
community-based organizations to identify and eliminate sweatshop worksites. She
has conducted a five-year evaluation of efforts to incorporate domestic violence
services into welfare offices. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the
University of Chicago and B.A. from Oberlin College. www.impactresearch.org
Mary Mahan-Deatherage
Ms. Mahan-Deatherage is the Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sauk
Valley. Her role in BBBS is to publicize, promote and market the program to the
community as well as direct the day to day operations of the program.
Fundraising, workshops and community recruitment are all part of her role as
well. Mary's background is in the field of marketing and journalism. She
has a BA in Journal/Advertising Graphic Design from Northern Illinois University
and is currently working toward an MBA from the University of Iowa. She is
currently on the Advisory Council for Community Coordinated Child Care in Dekalb,
Illinois which is an advocacy organization for day care providers and families
needing child care. She is also an Executive Director of the Dixon Area Pigtail
League which organizes fastpitch softball teams for girls ages 6 to 16.
Mary lives in Dixon, Illinois with her husband and two children.
Lise McKean, Ph.D.
Dr. McKean is the Deputy Director of the Center for Impact Research. Her
project areas at the Center include improving access to income supports for
working families; integrating domestic violence services into job training
programs; and community-based research and advocacy on alternatives to
incarceration for non-violent offenses. Findings from CIR's 2003 research
were presented last October at a Legislative Hearing on service delivery in IDHS
offices. Research conducted in 2001 and 2002 on barriers to accessing income
supports was instrumental for prompting the Mayor's Office to undertake its
Keeping Chicago Affordable campaign. Dr. McKean received her B.A. from the
University of Chicago, M.A. from the University of Hawaii, and Ph.D. in Social
Anthropology from the University of Sydney. www.impactresearch.org
Ed Mulvaney
Mr. Mulvaney is currently the Mayor of Rock Falls, Illinois and Program
Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sauk Valley (serving Whiteside
and Lee Counties). He recently ( 2 years ago) retired from 32 years
teaching high school English/Reading, first in suburban Cook County (Bremen HS -
District 228) for 4 years and 28 years at Rock Falls High School, Rock Falls,
IL. Ed is a US Army, Vietnam veteran, member of local American Legion and
VFW posts. Past president of Sauk Valley Reading Council, former member of the
Illinois Rural Bond Bank. He has a BA and MA from DePaul University in English
and a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University (New Orleans). He is
also a charter member of the Rock Falls Community Development Corporation and
Executive Board member. Ed has been married for 32 years, two grown children and
one grandson.
Avital Rabin
Ms. Rabin is a Literacy Coordinator with the Jane Addams North Side
Family Literacy Program. She has a B.A. in Linguistics from the University
of Chicago and is currently working towards her M.A. in Speech-Language
Pathology. She has volunteered as an ESL teacher at an elementary school in
rural Ecuador and has tutored students in reading for over 5 years. arabin@hullhouse.org
Alison Redman
Ms. Redman is with Long Beach BLAST. http://www.lbblast.org/
Steve Roussos, Ph.D., Akouo, Inc.
Dr. Roussos is a research and evaluation scientist and trainer for community
organizations and initiatives. He specializes in applied evaluation and research
through which measurement and results are used to directly improve program
performance and impact. His focus is on helping volunteer-based initiatives to
improve community health and development. Mr. Roussos is the founder and a lead
scientist of Akouo (www.akouo.org), an organization that serves the research and
knowledge management needs of community initiatives. Mr. Roussos has been
providing workshops at the Tutor/Mentor Conference since 1998. www.akouo.org
Brian Schultz
Mr. Schultz currently teaches fifth grade at Richard E. Byrd Community
Academy in the Cabrini Green area of Chicago. Brian has been working on creating
mentor relationships between his elementary students and graduate students
studying literacy. He has developed a mentoring partnership model that leverages
online collaboration that drives situational feedback based on the particular
needs and interests of his students. (http://www.projectcitizen405.com
). In addition to his role as a teacher, Brian is a board member of the Cabrini
Green Tutoring Program (www.cabrinigreentutoring.org
) as well as Art Therapy Connections in the Schools. He is pursuing a doctoral
degree at University of Illinois at Chicago. His main research interests include
practical inquiry and experiential learning. Contact Brian Schultz at brianschultz1@hotmail.com
Sue Snyder Ross
Mary Scruggs
Ms. Scruggs (Head of Writing Program) has written The Fairy Trials, a series of
nationally acclaimed plays for the Circuit Court of Cook County
which teach the public about their court system. The plays are based on classic
fairy tales which are adapted as courtroom dramas. Initiated as live
theater for young audiences, the plays have also been adapted to film and video
and have played for audiences of all ages throughout Cook County and beyond for
the last thirteen years. Mary's other playwriting credits include What Every
Girl Should Know, a co-adaptation with Susan Messing, produced by The Annoyance
Theater; Karma, developed at the Lakeside Writing Studio and performed at Live
Bait Theater; Bedtime Stories at the Skybox Theater, and Revelations, winner of
the Agnes Nixon Playwriting Contest. While in Los Angeles, she sold a script for
Designing Women, developed a sitcom for Hearst Entertainment and wrote a handful
of jokes for Barry Manilow. Acting experience includes performing in "Hellcab"
at Famous Door and playing
various battered women seeking justice for Circuit Court public service videos
and training seminars. In the education field, she has written curriculum for
The Fairy Trials and other court projects, and she served on a citywide panel to
develop the Arts Education Standards for in the Chicago
Public Schools. Mary lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
www.secondcity.com
Email: mescruggs@aol.com
Romeldia
Salter
Ms. Salter has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development from Spelman
College in Atlanta, Georgia and a Master of Arts from Loyola University’s
Erikson Institute for Advanced Studies in Early Childhood Development. In
addition to teaching grades Pre-K, First and Third grades in the Chicago Public
School System for ten years, she worked to develop and implement curriculum and
recently served as a presenter for Brain Compatible Learning and Multiple
Intelligence Theories. Currently, she is completing the Certificate for Advanced
Studies in Administration and Supervision at National-Louis University. Romeldia
is excited to join City Year Chicago, where she can ensure that quality service
is given to make certain No Child is Left Behind.
Marcus Spencer
Mr. Spencer has been working with the Cook County Juvenile Court for 10
years. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi. Marcus began working
with children as a case manager at Uhlich Children's Home. He then moved to the
Cook County Juvenile Court's Probation Department where he has worked in many
different units, such as Home Confinement/Electronic Monitoring, Intensive
Probation Services, and currently, as a Probation Officer in the Mentoring
Network for Juvenile Court Wards. He is responsible for volunteer recruitment.
Contact at marcusgspencer@hotmail.com
Beth Swanson
Ms. Swanson is Director, Office of After School and Community School
Programs, Chicago Public Schools
Janet Takehara
Ms. Takehara is the Program Manager for Pathways to Development, a
program of the Youth Campus. She earned her M.Ed. in Community Counseling from
Loyola University and she has worked in the mentoring field for 6 years.
www.funpathways.org
Email: janett@theyouthcampus.org
Keith Topping (eConference only)
Dr. Topping is Professor of Educational and Social Research in the Faculty of
Education and Social Work at the University of Dundee, Scotland, where he
directs doctoral educational psychology. He develops and researches the
effectiveness of methods for non-professionals (such as peers, parents, or adult
volunteers) to tutor others - in core skills (e.g. literacy, numeracy,
thinking), and across subject boundaries, in all sectors and contexts of
education and lifelong learning. He also has interests in electronic literacy,
computer assisted learning, social competence and behaviour dysfunction. He is
the author of over 200 publications, including 17 books.
Renee Tucker
Ms. Tucker is an Illinois Certified Social Worker. She received a Master's
of Social Work from Jane Addams School of Social Work of the University of
Illinois at Chicago, and a Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology from DePaul
University.
Renee is the Program Director of The Associated Colleges of Illinois' College Readiness Program, a preparatory program for high school students throughout Illinois. In previous positions, Renee worked as the Program Director for the I Have a Dream Foundation of Chicago, a tutoring and mentoring program, and Program Manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago. Renee continues to be involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a member of the Program Committee of the Board of Directors. She is also responsible for establishing the first school based mentoring program in Oak Park, Illinois, and has provide training at local conferences, health fairs and to individual organizations.
Practicing what she preaches, Renee is a tutor with High Sight scholarship program, is a volunteer dance instructor at Roosevelt High School in Chicago, and has mentored a "Little Sister" since 1994. Renee is one of the veteran's of the Tutor/Mentor Leadership Conference, having attended and served as a volunteer leader and organizer since the 2nd conference in November of 1994. Contact Renee at renee.tucker@acifund.org
Lora Tyson
Ms. Tyson is Associate Professor of Education at North Central College with
a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction and a Reading Specialization.
Chris Wilczura
Ms. Wilczura is the founder of Crossector Solutions, LLC which
specializes in the delivery of philanthropic advisory and outsourced
program management services for corporations, foundations and individuals that
achieve organizational and personal goals while meeting community needs.
Chris has over two decades of experience in the field of corporate
philanthropy and the non-profit sector. She
has a BA from DePaul University and an MBA in marketing and management strategy
from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Nikkia Williams
Ms. Williams graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a degree
in Computer Science. She is
currently serving a year of service with City Year Chicago tutoring Kindergarten
at Marquette Elementary School as well as participating in the Young Heroes
Program for grades 5-8th. After
City Year Nikkia plans to continue her career with kids after gaining more had
more experience in corporate environments. She is the creator of the Power point
workshop presentation.
Cindy Yang
Ms. Yang is Vice President of Development with the Associated Colleges
of Illinois (ACI) responsible for ACI's fund raising
activities, program development, and program administration. http://www.acifund.org