Team Members | Academy for Global Citizenship

Our AGC Team
Board & Committees
Administrative team
Educational Team
operational team
Parent Board

Kelly Ackmann 1st Grade Monolingual Teacher

Kelly Ackmann

1st Grade Monolingual Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

The Northwoods of Wisconsin!

What in nature inspires you?

Rain, specifically Arizona desert rainstorms.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

What do you love most about AGC?

Developing bilingual and biliterate global citizens.

Lovingly called Ms. A by her students, Kelly’s passion for education stems from influential teachers throughout her life as well as her innovative mother who taught. Working in bilingual classrooms inspires Kelly, and quite simply, makes her happy. She is a firm believer that you can never understand one language until you understand at least two. Supporter of hands-on learning, Kelly likes to integrate technology into the classroom and works to inspire independent learners who have a true love for learning and themselves. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Biscuit, knitting, fishing up north, and cooking.

B.A. in Spanish, University of Illinois, Urbana – Champaign,

B.A. in Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana – Champaign,

Master’s in Teaching, National Louis University,

Spanish Language and Culture for Teachers, Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
Erika Allen Strategic Advisory Council Member

Erika Allen

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Erika Allen (she/her) is the Co-Founder & CEO – Operations for Urban Growers Collective and the President of Green ERA Educational NFP and Co-Owner of Green Era Sustainability Partners. Previously, Allen founded and was the Director of Growing Power – Chicago for 15-years from 2002 to 2017. Allen is the Board President of the Chicago Food Policy Action Council, and also serves on the board of Grow Greater Englewood and Growing Home. Allen received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her MA in art psychotherapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and uses her experience as a visual artist to consult with individuals and organizations to support their visioning of social and economic changes. She is passionate about social justice and working with multicultural groups in the elimination of racism and oppression using integrating creative and therapeutic techniques alongside food security and community development. Erika advises on the urban agriculture strategy for AGC’s future campus.
Keenen Anderson Physical Education Teacher

Keenen Anderson

Physical Education Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

New York

What in nature inspires you?

Waterfalls

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Rome, Italy

What do you love most about AGC?

The staff I work with.

I started teaching in 2008 a Jen School, Maryville Academy. From there, I went on to Morton High School as a Special Education Teacher and I was an Assistant Basketball Coach at Von Steuben High School on the north side of the Chicago. I was at Morton High School for 4 years then I moved on to Foundations College Prep on the south side of Chicago. At Foundations I taught P.E. for middle school and high school, I taught science for middle school and I was the Athletic Director for both their high school and middle school. I am very passionate about helping students realize their full potential.

BA in Sports Medicine, Trinity International University
Pon Angara Strategic Advisory Council Member

Pon Angara

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Pon Angara is Director of Barkada Circle^®, a team of artists mentoring nonprofits on how to tell more compelling stories about their missions. Pon helps leaders use the narrative approach to problem solving for sparking conversations, building community and launching initiatives that create impact. He has delivered keynotes and workshops on the power of storytelling at several association conferences and foundation seminars.

Since he began working with nonprofits, Pon saw gaps and inequities in America’s education system. When he was introduced to the Academy for Global Citizenship during its early development, Pon realized that the school would be the beacon and catalyst for the transformation and innovation needed to build a new ecosystem for learning. He helped to create AGC’s brand and served on the Board of Directors in 2005–2007.

Barkada is a word in the Filipino language that means “best friends.” When he’s not working with stories, Pon searches for his next great foodie find! He’s always ready to take you to the best Filipino restaurants in Chicago.
Sylvie Anglin Board Member

Sylvie Anglin

Board Member

How long you have been engaged with AGC?

Since the fall of 2015

What drew you to AGC?

I believe in the mission of the school, and our incredible teachers and students that live it every day.

What do you love most about AGC? Or your most favorite experience at the school?

The students and teachers. Every time I visit I am inspired and hopeful for our future!

What committees are you involved with at AGC?

Academic Excellence Committee

Sylvie Anglin is the Lower School Principal at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, and serves as a Board Member for the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. Music, swimming, being outdoors and reading were early passions that fueled her formal education and continue to be a source of great joy. She earned an undergraduate degree in music performance, studying the French horn at the University of South Carolina. While earning her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from UIC, Sylvie fell in love with Chicago’s museums and green spaces. Before joining the Lab Schools, she was a museum educator at the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum. As a teacher at Lab since 1997, she worked with Chicago Park District’s Outdoor Classroom project and developed a science and conservation curriculum for students using Jackson Park as their classroom. She also worked for the Field Museum of Natural History as coordinator of the JASON project, bringing exciting international science research and exploration to Chicago-area schools.

Sylvie is raising two daughters, two coonhounds, and two tortoises in Hyde Park her husband, and she continues to play the French horn with the University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Heriberto Arriola Organic Chef

Heriberto Arriola

Organic Chef

What is your favorite place in the world?

My birthplace, Guanajuato, Mexico. It looks like Spain and is so beautiful.

What is your favorite local food?

Thyme from the AGC garden.

I can’t imagine my life without...

My sons Isaac, and Diego, (both AGC students.)

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

I'd like to see an elephant, but i'll settle for sheep.

After graduating high school in Guanajuato Mexico, Heriberto moved to Chicago and started cooking. While looking for a good school for their son, Isaac, Heriberto’s wife read about AGC online and fell in love. When they weren’t selected in the lottery, she cried a lot. The next year, a spot opened up and Isaac transferred to AGC; his parents got involved in everything at the school! They love that the school is green, the food is organic and the teachers use different methods. Heriberto would like to grow with AGC as his sons grow and is grateful for the chance to join them at school every day.

Professional Culinary Certificate, St. Augustine College
Jimena Avilez Paraprofessional

Jimena Avilez

Paraprofessional

What is your favorite place in the world?

San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Mexico

What in nature inspires you?

The beauty of the sunset.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Egypt

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Bunnies

I was born in Jalisco, Mexico. I like to enjoy places where there is nature with my family. Some of the favorite things about working with children is seeing how much we can learn from them and how quickly they learn!
Valery Balderas 5th Grade Dual Language Teacher

Valery Balderas

5th Grade Dual Language Teacher

Your Motto, Mantra or Quote to live by

“When you know better, you do better.” ― Maya Angelou

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Italy.

What do you love about AGC?

Not many schools give students the power or freedom to act on their wildest inquiries. We not only teach students to think of a creative idea, we encourage them to invent it, plan it, do it!

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Cows and goats. Would horses be too much?

Valery values AGC’s commitment to serve the whole child and hopes to empower her students to take pride in their diverse cultures, beliefs, and even languages. Raised on Chicago’s south side, Valery is fluent in English and Spanish and is excited to share her language, culture, and life experiences with her students.

In her free time, Valery enjoys reading, knitting, traveling, cooking, baking, and gardening in the new raised garden located in her backyard.

B.S. in Elementary Education, Loyola University Chicago
Bryana Barron Instructional Interventionist

Bryana Barron

Instructional Interventionist

What is your favorite place in the world?

It is a tie between the beaches of Los Angeles and the countryside of India.

What in nature inspires you?

I am amazed by the sounds and views of nature and the connection we gain from the Universe

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Southern Mexico and/or Korea

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the community of AGC. Since joining everyone has been helpful and outstanding. Teachers, students, and parents are special here.

I am a first-generation Chicanx from Chicago’s Southside. From a very young age, my curiosity has driven me to travel to new places and meet people I would not have imagined before. I have worked in educational nonprofits in India and the Navajo Nation to being a youth coordinator at World Relief Chicago in refugee support. My ultimate goal is to continue to support the next generation of students to do the same. Fun facts: 85% of my closet is thrifted #sustainability. My favorite artist is Ed Maverick, a singer from Chihuahua, Mexico.
Fedele Bauccio Sustainable Food Systems Advisor

Fedele Bauccio

Sustainable Food Systems Advisor

Fedele Bauccio is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bon Appétit Management Company, which provides food service to over 1,000 companies, universities, and museums. Fedele and BAMCO pioneered environmentally and socially responsible practices and created the gold standard for fresh and scratch-made food service. Fedele advises sustainable food systems on AGC’s campus.
Kelly Brinson 3rd Grade Monolingual Teacher

Kelly Brinson

3rd Grade Monolingual Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Tanzania, Africa - A place I called home for 3 years!

What in nature inspires you?

Rain.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

India - I have never been to Asia and would love to experience the vibrant culture while eating all of the street food.

What do you love most about AGC?

I was drawn to AGC due to the focus on educating the whole child, specifically, the attention given to social and emotional development.

Kelly’s passion in the classroom stems from her foundational belief that a great education can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Her classroom is a jungle gym of learning where children develop holistically through an intentional focus on social-emotional development. Kelly empowers student voices in the classroom, inspires a love of words even in the most skeptical of readers, and encourages her students to never stop wondering. Outside of school Kelly enjoys spending time cooking with her husband, practicing yoga, tending to her backyard garden and traveling back to East Africa as often as she can!

B.A. Elementary Education, Wheaton College
Angela Brooks Strategic Advisory Council Member

Angela Brooks

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Angela Brooks is the Director of the Illinois Office of the Corporation for Supportive Housing and previously spent a decade at the Chicago Housing Authority. She is a talented and passionate community advocate who brings a wealth of expertise in housing development, policy, and implementation across private, public, and nonprofit sectors along with her passion for access to housing and community development.

Angela has a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies with a concentration in Housing and Community Development from Jackson State University. She is a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners and currently serves as a National Board member of the American Planning Association and is the Vice President of Membership for the Ely Chapter – Lambda Alpha International.

Lastly, Angela is very involved in her community and holds membership in Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Hoffman Estates Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, Gift of Hope Ambassador, Mentor with both Big Brothers Big Sisters and Jackson State University National Alumni Association Chicago Chapter. Angela is an avid cyclist and triathlete and serves on the Board of Bike Illinois and is a member of the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Chicago.
Ashley Chacón 4th Grade Dual Language Teacher

Ashley Chacón

4th Grade Dual Language Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere with the ones I love.

What in nature inspires you?

I'm inspired by the constant work of all the living things in each ecosystem and how all the parts work together to continue the cycle.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Spain and Italy.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love instilling a love for our Earth and it's babies into our children here at AGC.

I am so excited to begin my 11th year of teaching at a school with such a beautiful philosophy. I have taught all over Chicago, Monterrey, MX, and on the Andros Islands and I bring all of those amazing experiences to my kids here at AGC. I am a mom of 3; a 5 year old and 2 year old twins who are all bilingual, aspiring global citizens as well.

B.S., Elementary Education, Minor in Earth Science at Eastern Illinois University
Florence Chan AmeriCorps Instructional Interventionist

Florence Chan

AmeriCorps Instructional Interventionist

What is your favorite place in the world?

The Chicago lakefront.

What in nature inspires you?

The capacity for adaptation that many things have.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Germany

What do you love most about AGC?

Its commitment to education and to sustainability and wellness.

I’ve been serving at AGC as an AmeriCorps Instructional Interventionist since the 2019-2020 school year. I am very excited to have an opportunity to help students learn and grow, and I have also enjoyed learning more about the world of education while serving here as an AmeriCorps member.

B.A. in Economics, University of Chicago
Yeida Chavez K-2nd Grade Wellness Teacher

Yeida Chavez

K-2nd Grade Wellness Teacher

I wish that I could get everyone in the world to...

Realize we are more alike than different.

What in nature inspires you?

I have lived in Chicago all my life but yet every winter the first snow always takes my breath away.

What do you love about AGC?

The heart beat and the innovative impulse.

Your Motto, Mantra or Quote to live by

"Be kind whenever possible…It is always possible." -Dalai Lama

Born and raised in Chicago, Yeida enjoys visiting her extended family in Puebla Puebla Mexico as often as she can. She loves being a mom and has a passion for helping people out, especially children. Yeida loves art and tries to teach her kids everything she knows about it and continues to learn about it as well. She’s excited to be part of the AGC family!

A.A.S. in Visual Communications, International Academy of Design and Technology
Jennifer Coker Special Education Teacher

Jennifer Coker

Special Education Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Any place with my family

What in nature inspires you?

Being near the mountains where you can listen to the wind and be inspired by beautiful sunsets.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Nigeria.

What do you love most about AGC?

The emphasis on social justice and helping our students develop into community and global leaders.

Jennifer has been teaching since 2012. Teaching has always been her passion and she has always been involved in the field of education. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a B.A. in Secondary Education and History in 2008. She added a Middle School Endorsement in 2012 from McKendree University and received her LBS1 in 2015 from National Louis University. She began her career in education working for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission providing college access and outreach to families in western Illinois. She taught African American Studies, Economics, Government, U.S. History and World History at Chicago Excel Academy (Roseland) from 2012-2015. She was a special education teacher at ACERO Victoria Soto High School from 2015-2018 and designed the Life Skills Program for students with special needs. Outside of school she enjoys playing with her dog, baking, and traveling.

B.A. History and Secondary Education Valparaiso University
Yolanda Diaz Instructional Interventionist

Yolanda Diaz

Instructional Interventionist

What is your favorite place in the world?

Home with my family.

What in nature inspires you?

Trees.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Ecuador.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the amazing people I get to work with everyday. They motivate me everyday!

Yolanda Diaz was born and raised in Chicago and grow up in the Little Village neighborhood, where she attended a private elementary school. She graduated from John F. Kennedy High school and went on to attend DePaul University. She is very excited to be a part of the AGC family as a parent and a staff person.

B.A., DePaul University
Lisa Dinesen First Grade Dual Language Teacher

Lisa Dinesen

First Grade Dual Language Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

The ocean.

What in nature inspires you?

It's ability to change and adapt to its environment. The beauty of nature continuously amazes and inspires me.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

An alpaca.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love that AGC is a place full of people dedicated to taking risks to create real change in our childrens' lives.

Lisa is a passionate traveler and educator. She has lived in Denmark and Ecuador and considers herself and her two children to be citizens of the world. Her interest in education was sparked during her undergraduate studies of political science where she felt compelled to make a difference in society through education. Lisa’s passion for language and culture led her to travel and eventually seek her masters in Urban Education with a focus on bilingual education. She looks forward to continued growth through experiences as a member of the AGC family.

M.A. Urban Education Columbia College,

B.A. UW Madison, Political Science and Scandinavian Languages
Ricardo Estrada Strategic Advisory Council Member

Ricardo Estrada

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Ricardo Estrada is the President and CEO of Metropolitan Family Services

Ric Estrada is CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, one of Illinois’ largest and best-respected human services agencies. Since joining Metropolitan in 2011 he has helped the agency more than double in revenue and families served. Ric has three decades of human services leadership experience. Prior to joining Metropolitan, he served as First Deputy Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). He previously served as Executive Director of Erie Neighborhood House in Chicago. Ric serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois as well as on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the Woods Fund of Chicago, the Grand Victoria Foundation, A Better Chicago and Erie Elementary School.

Honored as an American Marshall Memorial Fellow, Ric also has been recognized as a Leadership Greater Chicago Distinguished Fellow. He has received the City Club of Chicago John A. McDermott Award for Distinguished Social Leadership, the University of Illinois at Chicago City Partner Award, and the University of Chicago’s Inaugural SSA Social Impact Alumni Award. In addition, Ric was named a Roberto Clemente honoree by the Chicago Cubs and has received the NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award from the Chicago Bears. Additional accolades include being named “Person of the Year” by the Corporate Responsibility Group of Chicago, receiving a Kellogg CEO Perspectives Fellowship, and earlier in his career, being selected as one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ “40 under 40.” Ric’s educational background includes an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, an M.A. in Social Service Policy and Administration from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, and a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University of Chicago.
Kit Elmer-DeWitt Board Member

Kit Elmer-DeWitt

Board Member

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere there are wildflowers.

What in nature inspires you?

The resilience displayed by so many life forms.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Costa Rica.

What do you love most about AGC?

So many things! How to choose? I love how the commitment to serving the whole child extends beyond the individual to include the entire context of community and school.

Kit (short for Kitty, which is short for Katherine) found AGC when looking for a solution to the inequities in education that she observed as an AmeriCorps volunteer. She fell in love with AGC’s holistic model instantly. She spent seven wonderful years supporting external initiatives at AGC before returning to graduate school for clinical mental health counseling. She currently serves as a program manager at Oak Street Health, a network of primary care centers for adults on medicare and as a counselor in training at The Awakening Center.

B.A., Macalester College

Masters of Counseling, Northeastern Illinois University
Alicja Feduniec Middle School Science Teacher

Alicja Feduniec

Middle School Science Teacher

Alicja was born and raised in a small farming town in northern Poland. At the age of eight her family relocated to Chicago, where Alicja attended CPS. She has taught science in Cambodia, Philadelphia and Chicago. In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, refurbishing old furniture and spending time with her family.

B.A., International Studies, Loyola University

B.S., Anthropology, Loyola University

M.A., Elementary Education, Northeastern Illinois University (In Progress)

M.S., International Public Service, DePaul University
Omaida Figueroa 2nd Grade Dual Language Teacher

Omaida Figueroa

2nd Grade Dual Language Teacher

What in nature inspires you?

Life inspires me. The changing in seasons is amazing to me. The colors and feel of an Autumn day is breath-taking!

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Spain and Ecuador.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

A pig.

What do you love most about AGC?

The idea of growing and learning with the consciousness of you footprint in our environment.

Omaida Figueroa has been a teacher for 15 years and still learns something new every day. Omaida enjoys new experiences and promotes that with her own children at home. Omaida is passionate about reading and writing, and would love to write books one day. She would love to travel more.

B.A ., Liberal Arts, U of I Champain

M. Ed at University of Arizona
Aaron Fischer 7th & 8th Grade Language and Literacy Teacher

Aaron Fischer

7th & 8th Grade Language and Literacy Teacher

What in nature inspires you?

Birds inspire me because they are so diverse, self-sufficient, and beautiful. When I'm watching them, I feel peaceful.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

India

What is your favorite place in the world?

Kauaii, Hawaii

What do you love most about AGC?

The acceptance of our differences, our strengths and struggles, and our passions.

I was born and raised in Brighton, Michigan. I earned my teaching degree at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 2008 I moved to Chicago and taught at UNO Charter School Network from 2008 – 2012. I left UNO and taught at LEARN Charter School Network from 2012 – 2016. My wife, Leighna, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with the Family Autism Center in Winnetka. We enjoy concerts, football, and spending time with family. I am very proud to be a part of the AGC family!

B.S., Elementary Education, Western Michigan University
Vanessa Flores Andersen Strategic Advisory Council Member

Vanessa Flores Andersen

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Vanessa Flores Andersen is the Sustainability & Property Operations Manager at Ace Hardware Corporation

Vanessa Flores Andersen is an environmental scientist with a background in environmental education, green construction and corporate sustainability. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. While working on her undergraduate degree, Vanessa spent three months in the Galapagos Archipelago, where she observed the Galapagos tortoises that led to Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, the dynamic volcanic activity throughout the islands, and their pertinent flora and fauna. She had the opportunity to work with Hacienda Tranquila, a nonprofit organization, and assist in educating the local population of San Cristobal Island regarding the importance of environmental stewardship. Their collaborative effort encouraged the community to prevent the spread of invasive species, protect their wildlife, and evaluate the efficacy of local policies.

In her current role as the Sustainability and Property Operations Manager for Ace Hardware Corporation, Vanessa is responsible for developing and implementing a long-term sustainability strategy across the organization. She works with internal and external business partners to enhance approaches and processes and provide effective guidance to foster change and innovation. Vanessa also manages the built environment at Ace Hardware’s corporate campus and provides support to the facilities management teams at each of the fifteen retail support centers. Key areas within her 2022 strategy are to grow the employee-led sustainability council, provide access to environmental education for employees, conserve natural resources throughout the Ace supply chain, generate renewable energy at the retail support centers, and support our local communities through partnerships and volunteerism.

Vanessa was born and raised in the West Lawn neighborhood on Chicago’s southwest side. She played volleyball and soccer throughout the neighborhood schools and learned to drive at Midway Airport. She knew at a young age that she wanted to have a meaningful career, travel, learn about other cultures and customs and most importantly, make her immigrant parents proud. Vanessa firmly believes in the power of education to advance sustainability and have a more equitable and just world.
Claudia Franco Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher

Claudia Franco

Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher

What in nature inspires you?

Trees, because no matter what they have to go through, they remain standing!

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Colombia

What animal would you like to see on the AGC Farm?

Sheep

What do you love most about AGC?

The fact that everyone in the school has a voice.

Claudia was the first in her family to graduate from college, but hopefully not the last! She is a recent graduate who is seeking an opportunity to demonstrate her love and passion for teaching. She loves traveling, animals, and nature!

B.A., Northeastern Illinois University
Liz Fyffe Dual Language 3rd Grade Teacher

Liz Fyffe

Dual Language 3rd Grade Teacher

Your motto, Mantra or Quote to live by

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are endless." - Mother Teresa

What in nature inspires you?

Heat and light.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Egypt.

What is your favorite place in the world?

The coast of anywhere.

Liz was drawn to the holistic view of education AGC embraces. She also shares the belief that in today’s global community it is critical to empower the future generation to realize the power in their voices, experiences, and perspectives, while also listening to and respecting those of others. Liz couldn’t wait to share her passion for questioning, keeping an open mind, and sharing knowledge with her students at AGC. As their teacher, she is awed by the environment that a small but mighty group of learners can create. Becoming an educator is genuinely her dream come true.

B.A. in Sociology & Psychology, Minor in Spanish, Indiana University, Bloomington

M.A. in Social and Cultural Foundations of Education, DePaul University
Cynthia Garcia K-2 Spanish Teacher

Cynthia Garcia

K-2 Spanish Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

I have two places I absolutely love. First is my parent's hometown, Tabasco Zacatecas, MX. The second place is Sicily, Italy.

What in nature inspires you?

Oceans or lakes, they are so peaceful

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

India

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the environment, everyone is friendly and ready to learn!

Cynthia Garcia was born and raised in Chicago but her parents are from Mexico. Spanish is her first language and she is very passionate about other languages as well. Cynthia graduated from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and is excited to be back in Chicago.

B.A. in Spanish Education, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
Liz Gilmore Strategic Advisory Council Member

Liz Gilmore

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Liz is the Executive Creative Director at Dropbox, leading the Brand Studio Design team through engaging storytelling, brand forward experiences and consistent brand application across the end to end customer journey. She’s a creative, photographer, mistake-maker, plant mama and baby mama to an unstoppable toddler. Her journey and passion with AGC started all the way back around 2012 when she had the pleasure to see the institution’s mission in practice as the original designer and photographer for the school’s website and marketing materials. She’s been able to see the school and its brand evolve as they pave the way forward for a new and better approach to education at Catalyst Southwest. Continuing that advocacy now as a member of the Strategic Advisory Council is a natural extension of her past decade of admiration and support for AGC’s mission. She’s fallen in love with the AGC’s approach towards serving the whole child and fostering environmental stewardship in their daily practices and even got to meet their first schoolyard chickens, a real celebrity moment for her.
Gracie Gramelspacher Alumni Coordinator

Gracie Gramelspacher

Alumni Coordinator

What is your favorite place in the world?

Valle de Cocora en Salento, Quindío Colombia

What in nature inspires you?

I love the colors and textures that are naturally created in nature!

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Japan

What do you love most about AGC?

The community of educators, families and volunteers.

I am excited to be a part of AGC’s team to fulfill our mission and values. I have worked in cultural exchange, immigration law and taught English in Colombia. I speak Spanish and Portuguese and love to learn about cultures that speak these languages and other cultures I don’t know about around the world. I also love spending time in the outdoors, camping, hiking, cycling, paddling, climbing and any other outdoor sport. In my free time I love to read, create ceramic pieces, explore art and learn!

Indiana University – B.A. Spanish & B.A. Portuguese
Adrian Grenier Sustainability Advisor

Adrian Grenier

Sustainability Advisor

Adrian Grenier is an actor, producer, director, musician, and advocate. Best known for as the star of HBO’s Entourage and dozens of hit movies, Adrian founded the Lonely Whale Foundation in 2015 to address the many threats to ocean health. The Lonely Whale Foundation has been a major force in reducing ocean pollution through strawless campaigns and education initiatives, including a curriculum created in collaboration with AGC teachers. Adrian advises AGC’s social entrepreneurship and advocacy initiatives.
Hannah Gross 5th Grade Teacher

Hannah Gross

5th Grade Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

The neighborhood I grew up in.

What in nature inspires you?

Standing on the peak of a mountain realizing how little of the world I know.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Israel.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love that AGC is so collaborative. It know that everyone is on the same team working to put the students at the center of everything we do.

I am from Maryland and Pennsylvania. I have a close-knit family with two older sisters and 3 cousins who are like my siblings! I love to be active and outside by playing sports or hiking and hope to make it to every National Park one day.

BA in Spanish, BA in Anthropolgy, Wheaton College

Master of Arts in Teaching, University of Chicago
Paul Guilianelli Director of Operations

Paul Guilianelli

Director of Operations

What is your favorite place in the world?

On a walk with my two boys.

What in nature inspires you?

Ecological resilience. I'm always amazed by the capacity of natural systems to reorganize in the face of constant change.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Tops on my list right now are Japan, South Africa and Colombia

What do you love most about AGC?

I love working with such thoughtful and committed teammates.

Paul is thrilled to be part of the AGC community, supporting staff and students through his operations role. Prior to joining AGC he was Principal and Chief Operations Officer at The Montessori School of Englewood, an innovative pre-K through 7th charter school on Chicago’s South Side. Before that, Paul taught junior high math and science for six years using a project and game-based curriculum he designed himself. He’s also traveled, researched and wrote chapters for travel guides to Vietnam, Italy and India. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, and playing basketball and guitar.

BA in Psychology, Harvard University
Trevor Hall Strategic Scale Advisor

Trevor Hall

Strategic Scale Advisor

What is your favorite place in the world?

Telluride, Colorado (and Chicago!)

What in nature inspires you?

I love the harmony of Mountain ecosystems.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

New Zealand

What do you love most about AGC?

I love that every element of AGC's culture, teaching, and learning is so deeply interconnected -- mirroring the best of natural world's flow in a school setting.

Trevor is an educator at heart who has helped launch or scale numerous endeavors with a mission to make the world a better place. His approach is rooted in a Masters of Education from Harvard University where he was subsequently awarded a teaching fellowship and was a recipient of the Derek Bok Award for Excellence in Teaching. Trevor later founded Open Roads to provide educational travel programs to disadvantaged high school students to help them break the cycle of generational poverty. Over the years, Open Roads expanded to bring story-based strategic consulting to help mission-driven organizations scale their impact.

Email: thall@agcchicago.org

Harvard Graduate School of Education, Masters of Education

Western Washington University, Bachelors of Arts in English & Minor in Earth Sciences
Matt Hankins Board Member

Matt Hankins

Board Member

What is your favorite place in the world?

Minocqua, WI

What in nature inspires you?

Clean waves for surfing, calm waters for skiing, and snowy mountain faces for skiing.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Australia

What do you love most about AGC?

The passion that the students, teachers, board, and broader network have for delivering education in a better way.

Matt Hankins was born and raised in the Detroit area (“go Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons, and even Lions”). After graduating from Michigan he came to Chicago to pursue a career in finance. Matt lives downtown with his wife Tess, son Luke, and daughter Liza.

M.B.A, University of Chicago Booth School of Business,

B.S.E., Mechanical Engineering University of Michigan
Amanda Hanley Board Member

Amanda Hanley

Board Member

What drew you to AGC?

While interviewing Sarah Elizabeth as a top green woman in Chicagoland, it struck me how aligned our missions are to advance sustainability, empowerment, and equity. I’m excited to support AGC’s groundbreaking model to develop future leaders and one day soon the greenest, most engaging campus in the country!

What are your favorite memories at AGC?

During my first tour, Daisy laid an egg at my feet as the kids were showing us around the garden – I was literally egged on to get involved

Where would you like to visit next?

Any National Park I haven’t explored yet

Amanda Hanley has been promoting sustainable solutions for over 30 years. She is the Founder and Executive Director of a climate justice fund. In addition to AGC, she also serves as a board member of the Global Catholic Climate Movement, working to promote Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ encyclical to care for our common home, and As You Sow, focused on corporate accountability. Amanda helped found and advises the Hanley Sustainability Institute at the University of Dayton, one of the Sierra Club’s Top 20 Coolest Schools of 2018 and 2019.

B.S., Northern Illinois University, Business Management
Brent Hawkins Strategic Advisory Council Member

Brent Hawkins

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Brent played an instrumental role in the founding of the Academy for Global Citizenship and was a member of the Founding Board of Directors. He spent most of his childhood on Chicago’s south side with a family that emphasized educational vigor. He understands that supportive role models who encourage and enhance a youth’s personal and educational experiences can be essential contributors to a successful future. Having spent several years of his youth in Latin America and having attended an International Baccalaureate school, Brent understands the value of developing a global perspective at a very young age. As such, Brent is passionate about dedicating resources to develop a diverse and well-rounded educational foundation for Chicago’s youth.

As an attorney and current Partner at Morgan Lewis law firm, Brent has more than 20 years of experience litigating intellectual property and other complex commercial disputes for clients in jurisdictions throughout the United States. Throughout his career, Brent has served as lead counsel in numerous patent, trademark, copyright, and complex commercial licensing litigations. Brent has experience across a variety of sectors and industries, with a particular focus on the technology, automotive, fintech, and consumer product sectors.
Claudia Herrera Instructional Interventionist

Claudia Herrera

Instructional Interventionist

What is your favorite place in the world?

Ciudad de Durango in Mexico

What in nature inspires you?

The tranquility found in the beach front. The flowers in the garden.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Paris, France

What do you love most about AGC?

The school spirit, unity, and friendliness!

Claudia was born in Durango, Mexico. She is happily married with three wonderful kids, who all attend the Academy for Global Citizenship. Claudia enjoys working with kids and watching as they develop into learners.

B.S., Computer Science, Instituto Tecnologico De Durango, Mexico
Julie Hoffmann Board Member

Julie Hoffmann

Board Member

Julie is passionate about leveraging smart philanthropy to affect and deepen impact in Chicago and

beyond. Her career has been shaped by a drive to help donors identify and execute on their

philanthropic priorities and to help promising, social impact organizations build their self-sufficiency

and scale their impact. Often serving as a bridge and strategist for both donors and nonprofits, Julie

aims to connect her clients with the strategies and resources they need to increase agency and

growth among those they aim to support.

Julie launched JH Philanthropy in 2019 in response to requests from philanthropists to help bring

their family foundation goals to life. Julie works with her clients in three primary areas including

identifying, articulating, and operationalizing a donor’s or family’s philanthropic goals; serving as an

outsourced family foundation director; and/or facilitating funder collaboratives or strategic impact

projects. She also works with a few foundations and nonprofits as a coach or facilitator for team

building and professional development projects.

Prior to founding JH Philanthropy, Julie served as CEO of New Coast Foundation, a nonprofit venture

philanthropy fund, where she worked at the intersection of the public and non-profit sectors to

maximize the impact of philanthropic investments on root causes of poverty in Chicago. Prior to

New Coast Foundation, Julie was the Illinois Executive Director at America Needs You, where she led

the national organization’s growth and programming in Illinois, focusing on supporting and

increasing the economic mobility of ambitious, first-generation college students.

Additional experience includes serving as the founding Managing Director + Head of Advancement

of A Better Chicago, a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund that provides funding and management

support to a portfolio of high-performing education nonprofits. Significant accomplishments include

helping to more than triple the organization’s revenue growth in four years and launching a tenyear

strategic plan to significantly increase college graduation rates in the city.

Earlier in her career, Julie was the Director of Development and Communications for Cara Chicago.

She was also a Consultant for Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance in Washington, DC and

served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru.

Julie earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and Spanish from Vanderbilt University and an MBA

in international management with a focus on corporate social responsibility from the Thunderbird

School of Global Management. She is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and serves on the

Chicago board of directors for Peer Health Exchange, the board of advisors for Adventure for

Charity, and as a mentor in Chicago Women in Philanthropy’s Women’s Leadership Mentoring

Program. Julie was also a 2016 Fellow in the Allstate Foundation’s Greater Good Nonprofit Leaders

Program. She lives in Chicago with her husband and daughter.
Mark Hyman Food as Medicine Advisor

Mark Hyman

Food as Medicine Advisor

Dr. Mark Hyman is a physician, a New York Times bestselling author, and international nutrition expert. He is the director of the UltraWellness Center and of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. He has advised the Surgeon General on diabetes prevention, contributed to the White House Forum on Prevention and Wellness and presented at the Clinton Foundation’s Health Matters conference. Dr. Hyman advises AGC’s nutrition program.
Sarah Elizabeth Ippel Founder & Executive Director

Sarah Elizabeth Ippel

Founder & Executive Director

What is your favorite local food?

Ramps, morels and freshly harvested honey from my backyard bees!

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Madagascar, Montenegro & Mongolia

What animal would you like to see on the AGC Farm?

Llamas

What is your favorite method of transportation?

Skipping

600Throughout her career, Sarah Elizabeth has traveled to over 100 different countries across 6 continents, extensively examining educational philosophies and world languages, as well as creating international alliances that have contributed to the design and culture of the Academy for Global Citizenship. When she was 23 years old, Sarah Elizabeth Ippel rode her bicycle to the Board of Education with a simple request: to reimagine what is possible in public education today. Three years later, in 2008, the Academy for Global Citizenship opened in a former dental tool factory on the city’s underserved Southwest side.

Email: sarahelizabeth@agcchicago.org

B.A., Trinity College

M. Phil., University of Cambridge
Mert Hilmi Iseri Board Member

Mert Hilmi Iseri

Board Member

What is your favorite place in the world?

Where I am.

What in nature inspires you?

Billions of years old research and development.

What do you love most about AGC?

Seeing children excited about nature and sustainability.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Goats!

Mert Hilmi Iseri is the young turk of design. His journey started off in Istanbul and changed courses completely once he arrived at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering. After graduating with his own degree “Entrepreneurial Design” in the spring of 2011, he is excited to embrace design and entrepreneurship to galvanize a generation into positive change. Mert is the CEO and Co-founder of SwipeSense – a company that aims to prevent the 100,000 deaths that occur every year in the US due to Hospital-Acquired Infections.

B.S. Entrepreneurial Design, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University

Co-Founder & CEO, SwipeSense, Inc.
Ryan Jones Chief Development Officer

Ryan Jones

Chief Development Officer

What is your favorite place in the world?

Hendersonville, NC

What in nature inspires you?

Mountain ranges and sunsets.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Portugal

What do you love most about AGC?

We are re-thinking the future of education to serve students more fully.

Ryan is honored to be a part of the AGC community and lead the fundraising efforts that will further enrich the lives of current and future students. Prior to joining AGC, Ryan was the Senior Director of Development for the Evans Scholars Foundation, one of the largest private collegiate scholarship funds in the country. Previously, Ryan also played significant roles in development at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, as well as the University of Maryland and Duke University Athletic Departments. Ryan is originally from the mountains of Western North Carolina and currently lives with his wife in Logan Square.

Email: rjones@agcchicago.org

B.S. University of South Carolina

M.A. University of North Carolina
Ben Kovler Finance Advisor

Ben Kovler

Finance Advisor

How long you have been engaged with AGC?

I visited AGC the first school year in 2008-2009. After launching Invest for kids in 2009, AGC was among the first cohort of beneficiaries, and our family foundation has supported our school annually. I later joined the board in 2013.

What committees are you involved with at AGC?

Finance & Facilities

What do you love most about AGC?

I’m a passionate advocate and supporter of AGC’s mission, to empower and nurture children with a broader understanding of the world around them and the positive role they can play in it.

Ben Kovler is the Chief Investment Officer for Kovpak II, LLC, an investment partnership company. In addition to his various investment management roles, Ben is co-founder and CEO of Invest For Kids (IFK), an annual forum that allows portfolio managers, family offices, private investors and analysts to collaborate and share investment ideas to benefit children in Illinois. In its first seven years, Invest For Kids generated more than $8,500,000 to benefit more than thirty-three youth organizations that have helped 85,000 children. As a former math teacher, he also authored the book, Fundrum My Conundrum: A Book of Riddles. Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics from Pomona College and an M.B.A. in accounting and finance from The University of Chicago. Ben and his wife, Amy, enjoy living in Chicago with their two children.

MBA, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

BA, Philosophy, Politics & Economics, Pomona College
Diana Kraft Kindergarten Monolingual

Diana Kraft

Kindergarten Monolingual
Maribel Mares Krol Office Manager

Maribel Mares Krol

Office Manager

What in nature inspires you?

Color.

What is your favorite local food?

Food from AGC's garden - fresh chicken eggs, veggies, and herbs!

What do you love about AGC?

In the summer, you can find adults and children under the solar trellis having lunch and intriguing and fun conversation. I love that creative ideas spark everyday and they are realized with passion.

A writer, artist, and entrepreneur from the Southwest side, Maribel was drawn to AGC’s green principles rooted in her neighborhood. She acknowledged the need for such education in an urban environment and saw a renaissance dedicated to serving the community as a whole. Maribel leads, supports and organizes unique families and students interested in a unique education. They are learning as a family and embracing a lifestyle in order to impact not only their community, but the world.

At AGC, Maribel created La Pluma Writers Workshop, dedicated to nurturing students who want to develop writing that goes beyond the classroom.

B.A. Northern Illinois University

M.F.A. in Writing, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Trung Le Board Member

Trung Le

Board Member

During his 30-year career as an architect, Le has produced award-winning education projects and has been invited to speak, write, and consult around the world. In 2007, Le collaborated with Bruce Mau to produce The Third Teacher book. Le is the Co-Founder of Studio 180, a global design studio advancing the future of learning. Le is an AGC board member and advisor to our new model for school architecture.
Rosalia Lopez Special Education Teacher

Rosalia Lopez

Special Education Teacher

What in nature inspires you?

Trees inspire me because they are well grounded by their roots and stand up tall despite the different weather and seasons.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC Farm?

I would like to see a cow. I find the milking process very fascinating and I am sure the students would as well!

What do you love about AGC?

AGC cares for the whole well being of the students, staff, communities and the world and sets an example for life in a better world.

What is your favorite place in the world?

The lakefront in Chicago. Running down the lakefront brings me peace and serenity.

Rosalia loves to run and push herself in various physical challenges. She does Crossfit and has finished two marathons. She did Tough Mudder race and even walked up the Sears Tower (Willis Tower) for the SkyRise Chicago race! Rosalia’s goal is to do a race abroad. Her parents are from Mexico and she loves visiting their hometown. She also loves to knit and make scarves for her family, friends, and charities. Recently, Rosalia and her sister knitted hats for orphans in Afghanistan. She is excited to work at AGC!

B.S.in Psychology, Dominican University

M.S. in Special Education, Dominican University
Stephanie Lucas Speech Language Pathologist

Stephanie Lucas

Speech Language Pathologist

What is your favorite place in the world?

Paris.

What in nature inspires you?

Wildflowers.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

A cross country road trip to see lots of little places.

What do you love most about AGC?

Working with students and seeing their excitement about changing the world for the better.

I live in the suburbs with my 2 boys in an old house. I like spending time outside, taking hikes, trying to grow my garden, spending time with friends and family and working on my house. My favorite food is Macaroni and Cheese!

EIU BS in Communication Disorders and Sciences

SIUE MS in Speech Pathology
Meredith McNamara PYP Coordinator and Founding AGC Teacher

Meredith McNamara

PYP Coordinator and Founding AGC Teacher

Your Motto, Mantra or Quote to live by

Anything Mark Twain ever said! “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education” or “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”

What is your favorite place in the world?

The Reading Room in the British Museum.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC Farm?

A flamingo.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love our kids' amazing ideas and the connections they make. I also love how they are empowered to take charge of their own thinking and learning.

Meredith Polley loves school more than any other place in the world, though she has visited many places, and is passionate about encouraging children to begin their school experience feeling the same way. She is adamant that literacy is the gateway to educational success and goes out of her way to make instilling a love for reading a cornerstone of her early education classroom. Perhaps most importantly, as an avid traveller, camper, and hiker Meredith cannot wait to show students a greater picture of the world at large – its beauties, its peoples, and its needs.

B.S. in Journalism and History, Northwestern University; M.A. in Elementary Education, Loyola Marymount University

Reading Specialist program at DePaul University
David Magill Education Advisor

David Magill

Education Advisor

What is your favorite place in the world?

I'm still looking.

What in nature inspires you?

The smell of ozone after a rainstorm

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

A dairy cow.

What do you love most about AGC?

The children and the future of AGC.

Dr. Magill’s career spans over 45 years and includes teaching and administration in Pennsylvania and most recently serving as the Director (Head of School) at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. He consults with both public and independent schools and is the Chairman of the Board of the Educational Records Bureau. He is married with three daughters and seven grandchildren and shares time between Chicago and Sedona, Arizona.

B.S., Ohio State University

Ed. M., Temple University

Ed. D, Temple University
Othello Meadows III, J.D Strategic Advisory Council Member

Othello Meadows III, J.D

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Othello is a Managing Director at Blue Meridian Partners

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Meadows owns and operates The Meadows Group, a neighborhood redevelopment consulting firm that focuses on helping communities meld the complexities of economic and real estate development into strategies that engage and empower the communities in which they exist.

Prior to these endeavors, Mr. Meadows served as President and CEO of Seventy Five North Revitalization Corp., a community revitalization and development organization. Meadows also served as Executive Director of the Omaha Workforce Collaborative, a non-profit housed at the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, designed to restructure the workforce development efforts of the Omaha metropolitan area. Meadows returned home after nearly 15 years in the southeast order to run a non-partisan voter registration drive that registered over 10,000 new voters in eastern Omaha prior to the 2008 presidential election.

Before returning to Omaha, Meadows operated his own law firm, Othello H. Meadows, P.C. in Atlanta, Georgia where his practice focused on criminal defense, family law, and general civil litigation. Mr. Meadows attended East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina on a basketball scholarship where he earned his BA in Psychology. He later received his Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, North Carolina. Mr. Meadows serves on several boards in the Omaha area and he and his wife Tulani are the proud parents of two sons, Garvey and Gibran.
Liz Middendorf 4th Grade Monolingual Teacher

Liz Middendorf

4th Grade Monolingual Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere camping...almost anywhere!

What in nature inspires you?

I am inspired by the intricacies of nature; it's complex systems work together in harmony.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

I would love to visit Italy.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the warm welcome I have received each morning by the many caring adults in this family. I have never worked in a school where with so many positive, encouraging, and supportive people in my many years of teaching!

Liz has been an educator for 16 years and has dedicated herself to serving underserved communities. Liz was drawn to AGC’s mission of serving the whole child. In her free time, Liz enjoys camping, volleyball, gardening and power tools. She likes to repurpose items, giving then new life and reducing waste.

B.A., Elementary Education, University of Illinois at Chicago,

M.A., Curriculum and Instruction, American College of Education,

M.A., Teacher Leadership, American College of Education
Aasia Mohammad Castañeda Strategic Advisory Council Member

Aasia Mohammad Castañeda

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Aasia (she, her) identifies as a South Asian Chicana, born and raised, Chicagoan. She is a mother, daughter of immigrants, descendant of farmers, and a determined organizer focusing on food cultures and self-care. She is a natural community weaver, always making links, and finds joy in the fruition of radical ideation. She was part of the inaugural Multicultural Leadership Academy, currently on the Leader’s Council for People of the Global Majority in Outdoors, Nature & Environment, a Network Architect for Vital Lands Illinois and serves on the Board of Directors for the Advocates for Urban Agriculture as well as the Advisory Council for the Environmentalist of Color Network. At the Chicago Food Policy Action Council she co-leads the Urban Steward Action Network and is part of the governance structure for the Illinois Worker Cooperative Alliance. As a southwest side resident and parent of a student at the Academy for Global Citizenship, Aasia is excited to lend her expertise and passion for sustainable food systems to the Strategic Advisory Council.
Maribel Muñoz Diverse Learner Teacher

Maribel Muñoz

Diverse Learner Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere where I am surrounded by the people I love.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Greece is at the top of my traveling bucket list!

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Llamas

What do you love most about AGC?

What drew me to AGC was their passion for educating the whole child and their focus on social emotional development.

I grew up in the Southwest side of Chicago. During my high school career I enjoyed volunteering for Social Olympics and found my passion for special education. Throughout my time at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I learned to navigate through spaces as a Latinx woman and how to uplift those around me. I love spending time with my friends and family (especially my niece and nephews). I look forward to advocating for and empowering my students to have the confidence in themselves to show all their skills.

B.S in Special Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Eduardo Narvaez-Gete IT / Design Teacher

Eduardo Narvaez-Gete

IT / Design Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

The strip right by the planetarium where you can sit and view the skyline, sit on the grass, and watch the waves.

What in nature inspires you?

The ocean, it never stops!

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Thailand, I hear the food is amazing.

What do you love most about AGC?

The passion that everyone has to help make it a better place.

Eduardo Narvaez has been living in Chicago since he moved from Mexico City. He loves everything technology and design, which is why he was overjoyed when he found a job at AGC that incorporated all of those things. This will Eduardo’s 5th year teaching in Chicago and when he’s not teaching, he is usually out finding a stand-up comedy show to go to or catching up on a new TV show.

M.Ed. Mathematics and Secondary Education

B.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mathematics & Latin American Studies,
John Nix Board Member

John Nix

Board Member

What is your favorite place in the world?

Mount Kenya

What in nature inspires you?

The incredible beauty and diversity of the natural world, both locally in Chicago and across the globe.

What do you love most about AGC?

AGC is an example of an outstanding education that can be provided within a public school system. The daily hard work from the students, teachers, and staff is inspiring.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Alpacas

John Nix is Founder and CEO of Vobal Technologies, LLC, and has been an entrepreneur in the telecommunications/Internet field for the past 15 years. John is an inventor on 10 U.S. patents and 15 patent applications. He founded Go2Call, which was ranked the 22nd fastest growing technology company in North America over a five year period. John grew the company from inception to $20 million a year in revenue. He also received the “Best Bosses” award from Fortune Small Business Magazine. John is a founding board member.

B.S. in Physics, Davidson College

MBA, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; Master’s in Engineering Management, Northwestern University

Founder and CEO, Vobal Technologies, LLC.
Julia O’Grady Founding Kitchen Manager

Julia O’Grady

Founding Kitchen Manager

Your Motto, Mantra or Quote to live by

Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.

What in nature inspires you?

To see the sun rising first thing in the morning.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Africa

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Llamas

Julia was born in Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco and came to the US when she was 15 years old. She is now married with four children. Julia started working for CPS in 2004 and later found herself as the founding Kitchen Manager of a little school called AGC. Julia helped create AGC’s scratch-made organic food program as a pilot for the district in 2008.

Ricard J. Daley College
Kristen O’Malley MYP Individual & Societies Teacher

Kristen O’Malley

MYP Individual & Societies Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere with my family or friends. I love creating memories with them!

What in nature inspires you?

The changing seasons.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Norway

What do you love most about AGC?

I love AGC's investment of the future through their holistic educational approach.

Kristen received her Bachelors in History Secondary Education at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. When she is not teaching, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading memoirs, traveling, and running. She is passionate about history and assisting her students into discovering their story of history and applying it to today’s world. She is excited to be working at a school that aligns with her educational philosophy and with such a kind and hardworking team!

B.A History Secondary Education, Augustana College
Alicia Ponce Strategic Advisory Council Member

Alicia Ponce

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Alicia Ponce is the founder and principal of APMonarch, a Chicago based Female and Latinx owned Architecture firm. Since founding the firm in 2007, Alicia’s expertise and passion to design healthy buildings and equitable communities have supported many clients in designing radically healthier projects. Her reputation for resilient and eco-conscious architecture secured APMonarch’s role as the Sustainability Architect and direct protégé to Santiago Calatrava and his firm’s design proposal for the 2019 O’Hare International Airport Global Terminal. The international competition drew 1,200 teams and five were selected for the final presentation. The firms project portfolio includes a master plan for the Field Museum, a carbon neutral youth center in Mexico, and a Living Building Challenge project in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Alicia considers APMonarch the pollinators of the built environment designing healthy environments that look good, feel good and perform great.

Currently, Alicia is working on the Cicero Corridor Study and the LeClaire Development located directly east of the Academy for Global Citizenship’s new community learning and sustainability hub where Alicia plans to implement sustainable and walkable community design strategies.

Alicia is proud to be among the <1% of licensed Latina architects in the U.S. and is registered in Illinois and Wisconsin. Alicia is a contributing author of Today’s Inspired Latina Vol. VI Europe Edition. In the book, she writes about her purposeful journey to architecture, entrepreneurship, and connection with nature.
Elizabeth Quiñonez Middle School Language and Literacy Teacher

Elizabeth Quiñonez

Middle School Language and Literacy Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere with a beach.

What in nature inspires you?

The Ocean

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Turks and Caicos

What do you love most about AGC?

I love that everybody had the same common goal to do what is the best for the school community.

When she is not teaching, Elizabeth loves traveling and spending time with her two boys, family, and friends.

B.A. African-American studies, Northwestern University.

M. Div, Northern Baptist Seminary.

M. Ed., Quincy University
Jen Radja Middle School Math Teacher

Jen Radja

Middle School Math Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

I'm happiest around a bonfire with friends.

What in nature inspires you?

Seeing the way nature adjusts and compensates to changes in the ecosystem is awesome.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

The Mediterranean.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the people that make the AGC community and share a common vision for our students and the world!

Chicago native. CPS alum. Sox fan. Guacamole-maker. Jen Radja currently lives in Hyde Park with an original Nintendo system and an impressive collection of plants. Jen taught math and science in CPS for a few years on the south and west sides of Chicago before joining AGC. Jen is passionate about teaching math because it makes us better thinkers. It helps us make good financial decisions. It gives us tools to solve problems. It helps us make sense of data. Jenn Radja hopes to teach math for a very long time.

BA, Elementary Education, National-Louis University

M.Ed, Urban Education, National-Louis University
Edgar Ramierz Strategic Advisory Council Member

Edgar Ramierz

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Edgar Ramirez joined Chicago Commons in 2010 as Associate Executive Director before being named CEO in 2013. As a community organizer in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood prior to joining Chicago Commons, Edgar led significant campaigns at Enlace Chicago and Erie Neighborhood House. He worked on issues such as leadership development, green space improvement, anti-violence campaigns, childcare income eligibility, immigration reform, and youth job development. Edgar has served on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s mayoral transition team ad-hoc committee focusing on the reopening of early education centers in light of COVID-19. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, Elevate and the Latino Policy Forum. Edgar also serves on the Mayor Lightfoot’s Every Child Ready Chicago Working Group. Edgar is a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow (2016) and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. He earned a master’s degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago in Policy Analysis and Community Organizing, and a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University.

Edgar also serves on the Early Childhood Design Committee at the Academy for Global Citizenship and excited to be serving as a Strategic Advisory Committee member. He looks forward to participating in the ambitious efforts of the Academy for Global Citizenship to catalyze the former LeClaire Courts site as a hub of education excellence, environmental awareness and positive community development.
Rosa Ramirez Richter Strategic Advisory Council Member

Rosa Ramirez Richter

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Rosa is the Director of Chicago Programs + Policy at Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC), a national nonprofit organization that works to make schools healthier places for all children. Her work focuses on integrating health and equity into education policy and practice, and building cross sector support and collaboration that supports student health and school wellness. She mobilizes parents, teachers and principals to be agents of change at the school and district levels, and uses the lessons learned from that work to advocate for key policy and practice changes. She provides strategic direction for school wellness priorities, including transforming the school meal program and reimagining Chicago schoolyards into places that support outdoor play and active learning.

Early on in her career, Rosa was drawn to AGC’s passion to serve the whole child and collaborated with AGC leaders to share their model with the broader school community through teacher and principal professional development programming and other initiatives. Since then, Rosa has championed AGC’s innovative model and continues to be impressed by the powerful and positive impact the school has had on the surrounding southwest neighborhood of Garfield Ridge, which also happens to be the neighborhood in which she grew up!

Rosa holds a BA in Public Policy and Sociology from DePaul University and an MS in Community Development from the University of California at Davis.
Jose Rangel School Safety Coordinator

Jose Rangel

School Safety Coordinator

What in nature inspires you?

The quietness and stillness after a heavy snowstorm.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Machu Picchu, Peru

Fill in the blank:

I wish that everyone in the world would... care more for each other and do more for one another.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the process of learning. It amazes me the different ways children learn.

Born and raised in Chicago, Jose Rangel learned about street culture. Jose attended the Academy of Art to expand his knowledge of cultures and arts around the world. Jose films as art versus entertainment. Jose is determined to work towards a problem-solving approach while ensuring community safety and collaboration within AGC.

American Academy of Art
Eder Rebollar Instructional Interventionist

Eder Rebollar

Instructional Interventionist

What in nature inspires you?

The natural harmony of wildlife and the environment.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Mexico.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

An ant farm.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the creative freedom that lets innovation and learning intertwine.

I believe that there is always time to help others. I was inspired by the words of former Bolivian president, Evo Morales, and his signature quote “vivir bien”. You might not have everything if you share, but if everyone did their part we could all live well. Being from Chicago, I strive to help my community any way and any where I can. There are countless ways of making a difference, and I am extremely happy to be able to make a difference at the AGC.

B.A. in Media and Cinema Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Saskia Gorospe Rombouts K-2nd Grade Principal

Saskia Gorospe Rombouts

K-2nd Grade Principal

What is your favorite local food?

AGC pozole.

What is your favorite method of transportation?

My feet.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC Farm?

A donkey.

What in nature inspires you?

Trees

Saskia’s passion for working with English Language Learners stems from her bicultural background. Having been born in the Basque Country in Spain to a Flemish mother, she attended a Spanish/German dual language school and was raised trilingual. After living in different countries, and working as an educator for many years, Saskia landed at AGC committed to creating a safe and vibrant learning environment where children can be proud of who they are, and can grow fully bilingual and bi-literate. Saskia developed and taught in AGC’s Dual Language program for many years before stepping into a Principal role.

Saskia was honored as a finalist for the Golden Apple award for excellence in education in 2018.

Email: srombouts@agcchicago.org

B.A. in German Area Studies and Linguistics, University of East Anglia, (Norwich, UK)

M.A. in Elementary Urban Education, Long Island University

ESL/Bilingual Education Diploma, Erikson Institute
Nico Rosalez Kitchen Staff

Nico Rosalez

Kitchen Staff

What in nature inspires you?

The forest.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Rome

What animal would you like to see on the AGC Farm?

Peacocks

I wish that I could get everyone in the world to...

live in peace.

Nico was born in Mexico and has two brothers. She has lived in chicago for the past 30 years and has four children who are her pride and joy. The fact that her mother lives far away in Mexico makes her appreciate having her family close and makes her a better mother. Working at the Academy for Global Citizenship allows her to make an impact on these children’s education. Nico wishes there were more schools like AGC.
Berenice Salas Rangel Upper School Principal

Berenice Salas Rangel

Upper School Principal

Your Motto, Mantra or Quote to live by

"To be surprised, to wonder, is to begin to understand." - Jose Ortega y Gasset

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Machu Picchu

What do you love about AGC?

I love the inspiration that floats in the air - resonating from our families, students, and staff.

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere with family- they are my inspiration.

Berenice Salas is very enthusiastic to be Upper School Principal of the Academy for Global Citizenship. Her career goal has always been to work in education on Chicago’s Southwest side in her own comunidad. In 2004, she backpacked through Southern Mexico and Guatemala to explore the Mayan Ruins and learn about the Zapatista’s indigenous movement. There, she gained knowledge of their multilingual schools, sustainable agriculture, accessible water, and, overall, the power of collective impact.

During her time at AGC, Berenice has served as a teacher, culture and community coordinator, and coach. Berenice was honored as a finalist for the Golden Apple award for excellence in education in 2017.

Email: bsalas@agcchicago.org

B.A. in Elementary Education, University of Illinois at Chicago

MA, Educational Administration, School Leadership Principal
Concordia University
Kristen Sarabia

Kristen Sarabia

Mrs. Sarabia grew up outside of Detroit, MI, and graduated from Central Michigan University. She spent one year teaching and studying in Chile, and afterwards moved to Austin, TX, where she taught at a bilingual elementary school for four years. Afterwards, she moved to Madrid, where she taught and traveled for an amazing two years. She is so excited to be in the Chicago area and back in the Midwest, and loves being able to be a part of the AGC community and be a part of all of the wonderful things that are happening at this school!

Bachelor of Science in Spanish Language and Literature, Central Michigan University
Ivan Sarabia 1st Grade Monolingual Teacher

Ivan Sarabia

1st Grade Monolingual Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Barcelona

What in nature inspires you?

Gardens and anywhere where we nurture and in turn nature takes care of us.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Japan!

What do you love most about AGC?

I really love the attention to detail about everyones place in the world.

Ivan Sarabia comes from El Paso, Texas and went to University in Austin. Ivan lived in Austin for 11 years, in Seoul, South Korea, for one year, and in Madrid, Spain, for two years. Ivan is new to Chicago, and the Midwest. Ivan loves anything food related, and enjoys riding his bike and playing board games.

B.A., University of Texas at Austin
Danielle Sheppard School Social Worker

Danielle Sheppard

School Social Worker

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anyplace where I can walk peacefully.

What in nature inspires you?

Changing leaves, budding flowers, sassy squirrels, kittens, human resilience.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

I'd love to go back to Mexico. Ireland/Scotland are top on my list too.

What do you love most about AGC?

I have always been made to feel so welcome and I truly feel like AGC is a second family. It's a fabulous place to work and I'm so lucky!

My motivation for working with kids and their families can be summed up by this quote by the late Toni Morrison: “If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.” I’ve been fortunate in my life to have had opportunities and help to overcome some great challenges and I simply aim to be such a resource for others.
Kyri Sierra 5th Grade Dual Language Teacher

Kyri Sierra

5th Grade Dual Language Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

My favorite place in the whole world is Oregon's high desert along the Deschutes River at the feet of the Sisters Mountains

What in nature inspires you?

I am inspired by fresh, organic ingredients that come together in meals that bring people together in a joyful time of community.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

I would love to visit Tokyo, Japan because I think the people are beautiful and the language fascinating!

What do you love most about AGC?

AGC is a place where teachers are given lots of time to create really awesome lessons!

My teaching career began at 18 years of age in Villarrica, Paraguay with English lessons for young children. I learned Spanish there and in Guatemala where I served as a Peace Corps Health Education volunteer for two years. I continued teaching in New York City in a Dual Language school in the Dominican neighborhood of Inwood in Manhattan. Chicago has been a dynamic place to teach and advocate for bilingual students. I love living here with my husband and two children.

B.A., Elementary Education, Univ. of Oregon,

M.A., Bilingual Bicultural Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Emmanuel Silva Spanish and Art Teacher

Emmanuel Silva

Spanish and Art Teacher

What is your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere with friends & family. They make any place worth exploring.

What in nature inspires you?

The sounds & the smells, but most importantly how everything is connected.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Patagonia

What do you love most about AGC?

I love that Spanish & Art are well incorporated into the curriculum. In addition, the sense of culture and community it embodies.

I was born in Chicago. My neighborhoods were Back of the Yards & Brighton Park. I attended Chicago Public Schools K-12. I decided on arts as my main focus in college. While at UIC I took an opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy. While there I studied the work of the masters of the renaissance. After my semester ended I backpacked across Western Europe. My love for the arts derives from my admiration of my Mexican culture and roots. I love to teach Art and Spanish. Hopefully, it inspires students to be true to who they are.

B.A. in Studio Arts, UIC
Bryan Soto Health and Wellness Teacher

Bryan Soto

Health and Wellness Teacher

What in nature inspires you?

The ability for life to thrive almost everywhere, even against all odds.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Guatemala.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

Pigmy goats!

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the staff that I work with and the energy they bring to the school everyday!

Bryan Soto born in Mexico City and raised on the south side of Chicago in the Little Village neighborhood. A product of Whitney Young H.S., Bryan attended the University of Missouri for one year but ultimately went on to graduate from The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health as well as an Urban Planning minor. After a couple of years as a part of the Cicero public school district, Bryan was fortunate enough to find out about AGC. It wasn’t long before Bryan fell in love with everything about it. This will be Bryan’s 3rd year as part of the AGC family and he could not be happier.

B.S., University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
Adrian Soto Strategic Advisory Council Member

Adrian Soto

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Adrian Soto serves as Executive Director for Greater Southwest Development Corporation (GSDC) where he has overall strategic, operational, management and regulatory responsibility for the organization. Soto develops and drives a local and inclusive economic development plan, managing appropriate City, County, State relationships and resource availability to support GSDC’s mission. Having grown up in Chicago Lawn, he has a personal stake in the future of the neighborhood and is committed to improving the quality of life for the greater Southwest community.

For the past 17 years, Soto has proven to be an effective, results-oriented leader with a keen ability to build confidence and relationships across a diverse array of stakeholders. Soto’s experience in business and non-profit sectors gives him a unique lens that enables him to move forward complex, high-stakes projects efficiently with an eye toward community collaboration and partnership.

Most recently, Soto served as Chief Strategy Officer for Esperanza Health Centers where he was responsible for supporting the mission of Esperanza by identifying and implementing key strategic initiatives. He led the development of a 26,000 sq./ft. building project financed through New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) with three separate Community Development Entities (CDEs) and total project size of $17.8 million that was completed in May 2019.

Adrian is a Chicago native whose parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from Southern Illinois University, has completed a post-baccalaureate Executive Education program at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in Chamber Leadership, and is a graduate from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Entrepreneurship Program.
Jonathan Sousa In-House Substitute

Jonathan Sousa

In-House Substitute

What is your favorite place in the world?

Oregon (where I grew up, and where most of my family is)

What in nature inspires you?

Hills and mountains inspire me.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Maybe Canada... although I love visiting anywhere.

What do you love most about AGC?

I love the supportive team-minded atmosphere at AGC.

My life has been full of changes, so I’ll just give you a few highlights. I grew up in Oregon, have traveled to Africa, Europe and Mexico working with nonprofits, and have worked as a case manager for homeless men in Seattle. This is my 6th year working in Elementary schools, and my 3rd as a teacher. I’ve used Spanish in every job I’ve had. I love spicy food, and Chinese food. Chicago is a new adventure for me, and it’s been great so far!

Associate of Applied Science, Electronics Engineering Technology, Linn-Benton Community College.
Associate of General Studies, Linn-Benton Community College.
Bachelor of Arts, Social and Behavioral Studies, George Fox University.
Masters in Elementary Education (K-8), Western Governors University.
Andrea Tomaselli Cadre Substitute

Andrea Tomaselli

Cadre Substitute

What is your favorite place in the world?

Granada, Spain.. for now!

What in nature inspires you?

All the colors and smells, and how it is so delicate yet powerful at the same time.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Morocco and Egypt

What do you love most about AGC?

Their focus on sustainability and the children’s place in the world to make a difference. I also love the warm, welcoming environment filled with so many hard-working people!

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. I studied Spanish Language and Literature at Marquette University, where I had to opportunity to spend a summer living and studying in Xalapa, Mexico. It was the experience of a lifetime! In my career so far, I have taught first, second, and third grade, middle school Spanish, and was a math interventionist. In my free time I like to do puzzles, crafting and DIY, spending time with family and friends, and live music.

B.A. in Elementary/Secondary Education, Marquette University

B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, Marquette University

M.A. in Teaching and Learning, St. Francis University
Carmen Vazquez Paraprofessional

Carmen Vazquez

Paraprofessional

What is your favorite place in the world?

Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin

What in nature inspires you?

Grass! Laying on grass while reading a book :)

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Madrid, Spain

What do you love most about AGC?

Our Mission which is to develop mindful leaders who take action both now and in the future to positively impact their communities and the world beyond.

Carmen enjoys spending time with her family, reading nonfiction and visiting state parks with her husband. She has a passion to empower students to reach their full potential. She is now attending Liberty University to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching, she is so excited to be part of AGC and working alongside an amazing team of staff.

B.A in Pre-Counseling, Moody Bible Institute
Enedina Villalobos Paraprofessional

Enedina Villalobos

Paraprofessional
Tameka Walton Board Member

Tameka Walton

Board Member

In addition to being a former Aldermanic candidate, Tameka is the Founder & Director of Restored Hope. Tameka was inspired to start the organization because she saw the impact that trauma had on women and girls in her community, she knew first hand the impact that trauma could have on children, especially girls as they often suffer in silence. Tameka is a 2020 Chicago Peace Fellow, social activist, yoga teacher and a mother of four children.
Helma Wardenaar Director of Student Services

Helma Wardenaar

Director of Student Services

What is your favorite local food?

I love fresh mint from the AGC garden; a cup of fresh mint tea makes me smile!

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Galapagos Islands

What do you love about AGC?

I love that we are a cohesive community that inspires children and adults to make a positive change in the world.

What animal would you like to see on the AGC farm?

I would love to have a horse on the farm because horses can teach us a lot about relationships and care taking.

Creative. Dedicated. Enthusiastic. Helma has been called to these things since she was a child. Before moving to the United States, Helma taught multiple grades with great enthusiasm in the Netherlands. She speaks fluent English and Dutch, and conversational Spanish, German and French. Helma is proud to be a founding Teacher and Case Manager at AGC. She takes care of all students with Diverse Learning needs K-8. She loves facilitating all children in developing their minds to reach their highest personal goals, and strives to collaborate with parents, teachers, and clinicians to provide the least restrictive learning environment. Helma teaches through sensory integration and creativity, in other words: Helma thinks outside the box as most of her students require a different approach to learning. She inspires others to go above and beyond.

M.S. in Special Education from DePaul University;Endorsements in Math, Science, and Social studies

B.S. in Elementary Education from IPABO University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), major in Early Childhood, Endorsements in Social studies, Math, Fine Arts, Music and PE
Alexandra Wiggins Strategic Advisory Council Member

Alexandra Wiggins

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Alexandra Wiggins (she/her) is Vice President of Network Member Services with Purpose Built Communities – a nonprofit that supports a national network of local leaders seeking to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty through a cross-sectoral holistic neighborhood revitalization model. Alexandra is a lawyer by training and brings her legal acumen to the process of facilitating public-private partnerships and agreements that ensure the neighborhood ecosystems where low income children live and thrive will support their success both within and outside of the classroom. She is a former elementary educator and Teach For America Metro Atlanta alumna who aims to ensure as many doors are open to the children and families who are often afforded the least agency in their futures.

Reflecting on her time as an educator, Alexandra’s desire to ensure high quality education is accessible for all students regardless of socioeconomic status led her to explore the intersection of education law and policy – specifically focusing on the constitutionality of educational gerrymandering and halting additional forms of educational segregation. This passion provided her the opportunity to work with former US Senator Mary Landrieu on drafting the initial DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) legislation in support of undocumented students and children while in law school and eventually returning to Georgia to work on equitable educational initiatives for rural educators and students with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.

Alexandra also serves as a member of the Drew Charter School Board’s Mission Committee in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood. Drew Charter School is at the center of the East Lake Atlanta revitalization effort – a project that serves as the impetus for the Purpose Built Communities model. The Mission Committee seeks to ensure equitable enrollment policies are top of mind so that Drew continues to serve a significant number of economically disadvantaged students to help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by eliminating the achievement gap based on race, economically disadvantaged status, and disability status.
Joann Williams, MS CED Community Engagement Liaison

Joann Williams, MS CED

Community Engagement Liaison

President, Hearst Community Organization

Community Engagement Liaison, AGC Community Wellness & Sustainability Hub

Joann Williams has played a central and longstanding role in organizing community collaboration and the engagement of local voices. As a resident of the community for 54 years, Joann currently serves as Founder and President of the local Hearst Community Organization, established in 1987, and a Community Engagement Liaison for the Community Wellness & Sustainability Hub. Joann has also facilitated fresh produce and healthy meal distribution in partnership with the Academy for Global Citizenship’s programs to increase food access among senior citizens, those experiencing homelessness and large families within the community.

Joann has been instrumental with ensuring that neighborhood resident voices are heard throughout the design and planning process of the LeClaire redevelopment. In addition to representing the community in ongoing monthly meetings with the project leadership team, Joann is playing a leading role in developing a Community Benefits Agreement with another key developer in the LeClaire Courts community and was actively involved in executing our current operational Memorandum of Understanding along with other local community organizations and residents. In addition to outlining extensive community engagement and support, these comprehensive documents include partnership commitments such as local hiring practices and community voice and inclusion with expanded programming.

The Community Benefits Agreement outlines hiring CHA residents and resident-owned businesses, community use of AGC facilities, and community voice and stakeholder engagement in project planning. Additionally, the MOU in place with the Hearst Community Organization and LeClaire Courts Local Advisory Council commits to inclusionary hiring and business participation, focused on community minority and women-owned businesses and local workers, a Union Project Labor Agreement, and monthly meetings with community leadership for ongoing collaboration.

In her letter of support, Joann has shared that she is “excited about AGC’s mission to cultivate the next generation of globally environmentally minded leaders who are making our world a better place while also emphasizing a healthy living life-style with their food and nutrition programs. We look forward to working with you to see this groundbreaking project bring benefits to our community for generations to come.”
Massiel Zaragoza MYP Coordinator

Massiel Zaragoza

MYP Coordinator

What is your favorite place in the world?

It's a tie between San Francisco and Barcelona. I find both of these cities to be very eclectic, like me! I love that both cities seem like multiple cities rolled up into one. In each city, you can find a combination of different landscapes such as mountain, city, small town, waterfront, etc.

What in nature inspires you?

The quiet introspection of forests and lakes inspire me to be still and look within myself to tap into my creativity. Taking a hike in the woods on a fall afternoon or drinking a cup of coffee by the lake on a beautiful morning reminds me that the most important moment is always the present moment.

Where in the world would you like to visit next?

Japan. I love Japanese culture and I want a Japanese floating garden in my backyard!!

What do you love most about AGC?

I love AGC's commitment to promote holistic learning and to prepare children to address the challenges of our next generation in a way that are always respectful to our beautiful planet.

I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After coming to the states with family as a child, I attended school at CPS and college at UIC. I have sixteen years of teaching experience related mostly to Spanish literature, ESL, IB and Dual Language. I am passionate about multilingualism and multiculturalism. I enjoy reading, writing bilingual stories, self-care, traveling and spending time with my husband and four daughters.

BA in Teaching of Spanish – University of Illinois at Chicago

M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership – University of Illinois at Chicago

In progress: PhD in Curriculum and Instruction – University of Illinois at Chicago

Academy for Global Citizenship

Kelly Ackmann

1st Grade Monolingual Teacher

Erika Allen

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Keenen Anderson

Physical Education Teacher

Pon Angara

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Sylvie Anglin

Board Member

Heriberto Arriola

Organic Chef

Jimena Avilez

Paraprofessional

Valery Balderas

5th Grade Dual Language Teacher

Bryana Barron

Instructional Interventionist

Fedele Bauccio

Sustainable Food Systems Advisor

Kelly Brinson

3rd Grade Monolingual Teacher

Angela Brooks

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Ashley Chacón

4th Grade Dual Language Teacher

Florence Chan

AmeriCorps Instructional Interventionist

Yeida Chavez

K-2nd Grade Wellness Teacher

Jennifer Coker

Special Education Teacher

Yolanda Diaz

Instructional Interventionist

Lisa Dinesen

First Grade Dual Language Teacher

Ricardo Estrada

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Kit Elmer-DeWitt

Board Member

Alicja Feduniec

Middle School Science Teacher

Omaida Figueroa

2nd Grade Dual Language Teacher

Aaron Fischer

7th & 8th Grade Language and Literacy Teacher

Vanessa Flores Andersen

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Claudia Franco

Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher

Liz Fyffe

Dual Language 3rd Grade Teacher

Cynthia Garcia

K-2 Spanish Teacher

Liz Gilmore

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Gracie Gramelspacher

Alumni Coordinator

Adrian Grenier

Sustainability Advisor

Hannah Gross

5th Grade Teacher

Paul Guilianelli

Director of Operations

Trevor Hall

Strategic Scale Advisor

Matt Hankins

Board Member

Amanda Hanley

Board Member

Brent Hawkins

Strategic Advisory Council Member

Claudia Herrera

Instructional Interventionist

Julie Hoffmann

Board Member

Mark Hyman

Food as Medicine Advisor

Sarah Elizabeth Ippel