Board of Directors
Daniel Acosta, Esq.
Boodell & Domanskis, LLC
Sara Anderson, FNP
Family Nurse Practitioner, Alivio Medical Center
Dawn Boyd, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Practitioner/Teacher, Rush University, College of Nursing
Kirsten A. Carlo
Instructional Designer/Facilitator, UnitedHealthcare
Jennifer Caruso
Program Director, Victim Advocacy Support Program, Rogers Park Community Council
Venita Griffin
Digital Content Manager, BlackAtlas.com/Burrell Communications
Yamani Hernandez, Chair
Manager of Program Development & Support, Career & Technical Education, Chicago Public Schools
Nina Johnson, Secretary
Ph.D. Candidate, Northwestern University
Stephanie Kanter
Manager of Sports and Recreation, Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Sports Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Freedom Nguyen, Treasurer
Jae Jin Pak
Prevention Specialist, Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, Quetzal Center
Kristin Pulatie, Esq.
Kralovec, Jambois & Schwartz
Mark Sheldon
Assistant Dean & Distinguished Lecturer, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, Medical Humanities, and Bioethics Program, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
Susan Silver
President, Argentum Strategy Group
Amber Smock
Director of Advocacy, Access Living
Whitney Steele, MPH
Illinois Birth to Three Institute Special Projects Manager, Ounce of Prevention Fund
Jennifer Tani
Community Relations Coordinator, BlueCross and BlueShield of Illinois
Staff
Soo Ji joined ICAH as executive director in August 2006 after serving as the executive director of Korean American Community Services. She was recently named a 2010 Chicago Community Trust Fellow, a 2010 Chicago Foundation for Women Impact Award Honoree, and was appointed by Governor Pat Quinn to the Illinois Human Services Commission. Soo Ji served on the executive board and the board of directors of the Asian Health Coalition of Illinois (AHCI) from 2002 to 2007 and chaired its annual fundraiser for four years. In 2008, AHCI named Soo Ji an Outstanding Community Health Advocate. Currently, Soo Ji serves as treasurer of the board of directors of Chicago Women in Philanthropy. She is a former member of United Way of Metropolitan Chicago's Chicago Council, served on the board of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and served on the Chicago Commission on Human Relations Mayor's Advisory Council on Asian Affairs from 2005 to 2008. She is a 2007 Illinois Women's Institute for Leadership delegate and a 2006 Leadership Greater Chicago fellow. Soo Ji graduated from Barnard College and holds master's degrees from Northwestern University and The University of Chicago.
Zahra has worked in fields from political organizing for the League of Independent Voters and community organizing for the 2006 National Hip Hop Political Convention to mental health counseling at the National Teacher Academy and photojournalism with the See ME Project Africa. Excited about her contribution to reproductive justice, she began at ICAH in September 2007 as a youth organizer, moved up to organizing department manager, and is now the general manager overseeing all departments. Zahra received her M.S.W. from Florida A&M University.
Sunyata’s interest in social justice began with print and radio journalism. A writer involved in several media projects, she has a background in human rights youth organizing.
Vivian oversees the provision of training and technical assistance in Illinois. She began her work on sexual health in high school as a peer educator through Stop AIDS Chicago and Planned Parenthood Wisconsin, developing an understanding of and passion for policy work. Vivian also worked as a health educator at Erie Family Teen Health Center for seven years, addressing the needs of underserved populations.
After graduating from the College of Wooster, Andrew joined ICAH in November 2008. As part of the training staff, he helps plan and coordinate trainings around Illinois as well as assisting in the development and promotion of ICAH's Adolescent Sexual Health Toolkit. Andrew previously worked with a number of education and voter registration organizations.
Tobias is a Chicago native who grew up in the Washington Park community on the city's south side and attended Whitney Young High School. He is attended Oberlin College and graduated with a dual degree in biology and music. Tobias most recently served on ICAH's Board of Directors as Interim Board Chair and was previously Board Treasurer. A known champion of ICAH's issues, and an active member in other community and non-profit organizations, Tobias brings professional marketing and management experience from the for-profit healthcare and hospitality sectors, as well as medical training from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
Maya has been involved with ICAH for several years as a student organizer and former board member. After graduating from Curie Metropolitan High School, she joined ICAH as a full-time staff member in November 2007. Formerly a Young Chicago Authors editor and Chicago Freedom School instructor, Maya is a dedicated social and reproductive justice activist working with many youth-focused organizations in Chicago.
Prior to joining ICAH in September 2009, Pleasant served as a Peace Corps community health volunteer in Nicaragua from January 2007 to April 2009. He worked with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health and local and international NGOs to carry out multiple, grassroots, community health education and extension activities on sexual and reproductive health, hygiene, nutrition, and infant, adolescent, and maternal health. Pleasant graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in Spanish.
