Our People

Leadership Team

Cristina De La Rosa

Interim Executive Director

Cristina is serving as the Interim 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@eriehouse.org

Cristina De La Rosa

Interim Executive Director

 

Ann Grecek

Co-Interim Senior Directors of Programs

Ann Grecek is serving as the Co-Interim Senior Director of Programs.  As the previous Director of Childcare, she directed a NAEYC-accredited child care program that provides care and instruction to 175 children and their families. She came to Erie House in 2019, having invested two decades working within Early Head Start and Head Start programs throughout Chicagoland. She also spent 14 years teaching in the Early Childhood Education department at Morton College.

Education
MA: Early Childhood Education with a specialization in Infant and Toddler Studies, Governors State University
BA: Spanish, University of Illinois-Chicago

Contact Ann: agrecek@eriehouse.org

Ann Grecek

Co-Interim Senior Directors of Programs

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 

Rosa Sanchez Totochenko

Co-Interim Senior Directors of Programs

Rosa Sanchez Totochenko is serving as the Co-Interim Director of Senior Programs.  Previously, as the Proyecto Cuídate Director, Rosa oversees daily management and implementation of direct services for the program in addition to providing supervision for Social Work interns and therapy for participants at Erie House’s Little Village site.
Rosa joined Erie House in 2014 and in July 2015 transitioned to working with Proyecto Cuídate.
She also served in Peace Corps Ukraine between 2009 and 2012, teaching English and working with the local Non-Government Organization on community and youth development efforts in Sovietski, Crimea.

Education

MSW: University of Wisconsin-Madison

BS: Sociology and Spanish and minor in Social Work, Benedictine University

Contact Rosa: rsanchez@eriehouse.org

Rosa Sanchez Totochenko

Co-Interim Senior Directors of Programs

Leslie Okamura

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

Leslie Okamura

Senior Director of Finance

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

Sr. Director of Development & Communications

Susan Winterson

Senior Director of Human Resources

Susan “Susie” Winterson is a passionate Human Resources Professional that believes in collaboration, continuous learning, diversity, inclusion and the fundamental ideology that a happy and healthy workforce is the backbone of any organization.
As Senior Director of Human Resources, Susie oversees the strategic direction of Erie House's HR department.
Before joining Erie House in 2020, Susie was Human Resources Manager for HEI Hotels and Resorts.

Education

Post-Baccalaureate: Human Resources, Northwestern University

BA: Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University

Susie is a Society of Human Resources Certified Professional.

Contact Susie: swinterson@eriehouse.org

Susan Winterson

Senior Director of Human Resources

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

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

Mario Martinez

Director of IT

Contact Mario: mmartinez@eriehouse.org

Mario Martinez

Director of Information Technology

America Perez-Garcia

Director of Finance

America has been a part of the Erie House finance team since February 2006. In her role as Director of Finance, she oversees the daily functions of the accounting department.

Education

BS: Accounting, National-Louis University
Currently pursuing a master's degree in Business Administration

Contact America: aperez@eriehouse.org

America Perez-Garcia

Director of Finance


Soo-Lyon Yon, Ph.D.

Director of Community Resources & Education

Soo-Lyon previously worked as the Program Director of Behavioral Health, Center for Asian Health Equity at the University of Chicago, as the Strategy Consultant at Chicago Mental Health Institute, and as the Director of Community Education at HANA Center. In close collaboration with many organizations, Soo-Lyon developed collaborative strategic planning, various applied research projects, and many new programs pertaining to changing community needs. Soo-Lyon also served as a Mayor’s advisory council member for Commission on Human Relations on Asian Affairs, City of Chicago to be a liaison between the city government and the community to promote equity in our community. Moreover, Soo-Lyon has led research projects funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and served as a steering committee member of ‘Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC)’ at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
 
As the Director of Community Resources and Education, Soo-Lyon manages the operations of CRED programs and ensures the stability and growth of the programs by focusing on the accomplishment of the strategic objectives of the program. Soo-Lyon also works closely with community partner organizations to build a strong community infrastructure that will allow the organizations to create and develop culturally tailored programs for our community members.
 
Born in Seoul, Korea, Soo-Lyon was raised and received her undergraduate education there.
 

Education

Ph.D.: Political Science, University of Tennessee in Knoxville
BA: English

Contact Soo-Lyon: syon@eriehouse.org

Soo-Lyon Yon, Ph.D

Director of Community Resources & Education

Board of Directors

Nicolas Guzman

President

Faegre Drinker, LLP

Craig Castelli

Vice President

Caber Hill Advisors

Heather Mejia

Treasurer

Allstate

Carlos Ramirez

Secretary

Illinois Department of Transportation

Jose Paz

Associate Board President

Monroe Capital LLC

Executive Committee Members-at-Large

Dan Hartnett

Commscope, Inc. (Retired)

Gail Taggart

L3 Hospitality Group

Committee Chairs

Frances Delgado

Resource Development

Teamsters Local 705

Kahlil Hogan

Operations

VistaNational

Stephanie Kanter

Programs

Candidate for Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, 2021

Chris Terzich

Government & Oversight

CIBC Bank USA

Beth Benjamin

CIBC Bank USA (Retired)

Elizabeth Binkley

PwC

Adriana Cuellar

Erie House Parent Policy Committee President

Lavine Douglas

Motorola Solutions

Ashley Galston

K&L Gates LLP

Amanda Gomez

ComEd

Risa Josias

BMO Financial Group

Librada Killian

JP Morgan Chase & Co

Lou Leonardi

Wintrust

Monique Mervin

The University of Chicago Law School

Edgar Montalvo

Kirkuk Global, LLC

Nadine O'Malley

HOME

Sandy Pundmann

Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Asael Reyes

Youth Representative

Maria Rocha

Program Representative, YOU

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