Our People
Executive Leadership Team
Cristina De La Rosa
Executive Director
Cristina is serving as the Executive Director of Erie Neighborhood House. Previously, as the Senior Director of Programs, she oversaw the direction and scope of all Erie House programming, provided stewardship of the agency’s mission through program excellence, and identified new funding sources and opportunities to increase agency revenue. Before coming to Erie House in 2011, she worked for 7 years at the Chicago Federation of Labor as a program coordinator and case manager.
Education
BA: Public Policy, DePaul University
Contact Cristina: cdelarosa@silver-curlew-830419.hostingersite.com
Cristina De La Rosa
Executive Director
Leslie Okamura
Senior Director of Finance
Leslie Okamura directs the Erie House finance department and manages our annual budget comprised of private and public revenue streams. She came to Erie House in 2013, having worked previously at Casa Central Social Services in the world of corporate finance.
Education
BS: Accountancy, Northeastern Illinois University
Registered Certified Public Accountant (Illinois)
Contact Leslie: lokamura@eriehouse.org
Leslie Okamura
Senior Director of Finance
Jessica Rodriguez
Sr. Director of Development & Communications
Jessica Rodriguez is a committed servant leader who believes in serving the needs of others by building trusting relationships that lead to healthy communities. She is passionate about addressing the complexities of homelessness, immigration advocacy and policy reform, cultivating community accountability and ensuring future leaders have accessible mentorship.
Having joined the Erie House family in August 2021, Jessica is the Sr. Director of Development & Communications where she oversees all fundraising and marketing activities. She brings over 12 years of nonprofit fundraising, marketing & communications, volunteer management, and grant writing experience with her. Prior to joining Erie, Jessica was the Director of Development at La Casa Norte, a local community-based social services organization in Chicago.
Education
Business Administration: DePaul University
Contact Jessie: JeRodriguez@eriehouse.org
Esteban Rodriguez
Sr. Director of Programs
Esteban Rodriguez serves as the Senior Director of Programs at Erie Neighborhood House, where he oversees program strategy, development, and implementation to strengthen community impact across education, workforce, and family support services. He is deeply committed to building strong, data-driven programs that expand opportunities for underserved communities and brings nearly two decades of nonprofit leadership experience with expertise in program management, organizational strategy, and equity-focused initiatives.
Most recently, Esteban served as Executive Director of Corazon Community Services, where he led strategic planning, fundraising, financial oversight, and community partnerships to advance policy and service impact. He is bilingual and bicultural in English/Spanish, certified as a trauma-informed trainer, and excited to continue furthering Erie's mission.
Education
Master's in Public Administration, Baruch College Bachelor's in Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago
Contact Esteban: ERodriguez@eriehouse.org
Esteban Rodriguez
Senior Director of Programs
Jessica Rodriguez
Sr. Director of Development & Communications
Jessica Rodriguez is a committed servant leader who believes serving the needs of others and building trusting relationships lead to healthy communities. She is passionate about addressing the complexities of homelessness, immigration advocacy and policy reform, cultivating community accountability and ensuring future leaders have accessible mentorship.
Having joined the Erie House family in August 2021, Jessica is the Sr. Director of Development & Communications where she oversees all fundraising and marketing activities. She brings over 12 years of nonprofit fundraising, marketing & communications, volunteer management, and grant writing experience with her. Prior to joining Erie, Jessica was the Director of Development at La Casa Norte, a local community-based social services organization in Chicago.
Education
Business Administration, DePaul University
Contact Jessica: JeRodriguez@eriehouse.org
Jessica Rodriguez
Senior Director of Development & Communications
Gloria Razo
Sr. Director of Organizational Experience
As the Sr. Director of Organizational Experience, Gloria oversees the daily management and overall function of the department and also provides supervision to the HR Generalist. Gloria serves as a reflective thought partner to all staff.
Gloria joined Erie House in 2006 after completing her Bachelor's Degree and has carried a variety of positions along the years starting off in the ECE Department. Previously working directly with families, Gloria now carries her love of Erie's House's mission to the staff in the day to day work that she carries out.
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Spanish & Communications: Aurora University
Master's in Social Work : Dominican University
Contact Gloria: Grazo@eriehouse.org
Gloria Razo
Senior Director of Organizational Experience
Leadership Team
Josh Johnson
Director of Expanded Learning Programs
As Director of Expanded Learning Programs at Erie House, Josh directs our programs for children and youth, including after-school and summer programs for school-age children, and mentoring and apprenticeship programs for youth. Josh joined the Erie House team in 2020, bringing experience as Youth Development Director for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago and as a teacher for the Children's Defense Fund's Freedom Schools program in Detroit.
Education
BA: Elementary Education and Teaching, Michigan State University
Contact Josh: jjohnson@eriehouse.org
Josh Johnson
Director of Expanded Learning Programs
Marco Gonzalez
Director of Facilities
Contact Marco: magonzalez@eriehouse.org
Marco Gonzalez
Director of Facilities
Esmeralda Zepeda
Director of Facilities
Contact Esmeralda: ezepeda@eriehouse.org
Esmeralda Zepeda
Director of Community Wellness & Support Services
Maria Deniz
Director of Early Childhood Education
Contact Maria: mdeniz@eriehouse.org
Maria Deniz
Director of Early Childhood Education
Megan Davis
Director of Legal Services
Megan Davis joined Erie House in August 2017 as an immigration attorney with our Citizenship and Immigration (now Legal Services) department. As Director of Legal Services, Megan provides legal representation to immigrant clients, as well as oversees and supervises our legal staff. Our program focuses on providing access to justice for immigrants and their families, to help them obtain lawful status, family reunification, or protection from deportation.
Prior to coming to Erie House, Megan was a staff attorney at Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON).
Education
DePaul College of Law, cum laude
BA: International Studies and Spanish, Missouri Southern State University
Contact Megan: mdavis@eriehouse.org
Megan Davis
Director of Legal Services
Soo-Lyon Yon, Ph.D.
Director of Community Resources & Education
Education
Contact Soo-Lyon: syon@eriehouse.org
Soo-Lyon Yon, Ph.D
Director of Adult Education & Training
Roberto Mendez
Director of Marketing and Communications
As Director of Marketing and Communications at Erie House, Roberto oversees Erie House’s promotion, brand recognition, and social media efforts to raise awareness, fundraise to support programs, and bring about change by showing how YOU can also be an agent of change in the City of Chicago.
Roberto joined the Erie House team in June 2022, bringing his experience as a development professional for four years and nonprofit experience of eight years. He’s worked to help end homelessness, provide access to education, and served on an LGBTQ advocacy group in the city of Chicago.
Contact Roberto: rmendez@eriehouse.org
Roberto Mendez
Director of Marketing & Communications
Board of Directors
Heather Mejia
President
Allstate
Lavine Douglas
Vice President
Motorola Solutions
Anne Howaniec
Treasurer
CIBC Bank USA
Executive Committee Members-at-Large
Dan Hartnett
Commscope, Inc (Retired)
Craig Castelli
Caber Hill
Committee Chairs
Chris Terzich
Government & Oversight
CIBC Bank USA
Sergio Rocha
Secretary
UPS
Risa Josias
Program
BMO Financial Group
Alex Zafirovski
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Ashley Galston
K&L Gates LLP
Carlos Ramirez
Colorado Department of Law
Cindy Bierovic
Brown & Brown
Edgar Montalvo
Kirkuk Global, LLC
Jazmin Juarez
Chicago Police Department
Librada Killian
JP Morgan Chase & Co
Lou Leonardi
Wintrust
Mark Meyers
BCG
Martin Castro
People Gas Light & Coke Co.
Nadine O'Malley
HOME
Stephanie Maldonado
ECE Parent Policy Committee
Sandy Pundmann
Warner Bros. Discovery
Verónica Cortez
Raise the Floor Alliance
Honorary Life Trustees
Charles W. Armstrong*
Phyllis Armstrong*
Elmera Brooks
Elizabeth S. Bryan
May R. Burns*
Ann S. Carton*
R. Gerald Fox
Steve Fox
Robert A. Gielow*
Elizabeth S. Graham*
John R. Hall
Mark A. Jolicoeur
John D. Leslie*
Marie Leslie*
James J. McClure, Jr.*
Lynn McClure*
Victor "Sy" Nelson
Jack O'Kieffe*
Bertha H. Pepe
Donald E. Quinn
Lois Quinn
Sarah Rios*
Rev. Paul Rutgers*
Rose Ann Savino
Marjorie G. Schuham
John Van Pelt
Harry Vincent*
Nancy Vincent*
Carol Wiley
Robert Wiley*
Richard Wiley
Kathy Wiley
*deceased member