OUR TEAM
ABOUT US
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
MAXX AGUILAR
Bikes N Roses Coordinator
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Maxx Aguilar is a passionate advocate for the Black trans community and creating equitable access to cycling. As the new Bikes N' Roses Coordinator, he remains committed to supporting marginalized communities and youth leadership through his expertise. Aside from cycling, Maxx is also an artist that enjoys portraiture and creating wearable fashion from recycled materials.
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
JENNIFER ARWADE
Co-Executive Director
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Jennifer has 18 years of organizing experience, drawing on her own lived experience. Jenny has supported young people in creating the nation’s most comprehensive statewide school discipline reform in Illinois, advancing innovative solutions to keep families in their homes and preserve long-term affordable rental housing, advancing health equity, and more. Jenny enjoys long walks with her daughter Minha, and spends early mornings sipping coffee with her two cats, Puck and Pepper.
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
RAUL BOTELLO
Co-Executive Director
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Raul is an immigrant from Guanajuato, Mexico, and brings 20 years of youth organizing experience to his role. Raul has developed and evolved the organization’s approach to healing-centered youth development. He loves birdwatching and hiking nature trails in the midwest.
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
FABIAN CISNEROS
Lead Housing Organizer
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Fabian joined Communities United in 2023 as the Lead Housing Organizer. Having previously organized in Belmont Cragin, he believes residents above all have the solutions to prevent displacement and looks forward to challenging how development engages them. You can catch him hiking National Parks or capturing life through his photography.
Meyiya Coleman started as a youth leader with Communities United when she was in high school, and is now the Coordinator of Voices of Youth in Chicago’s education (VOYCE). She was inspired to get involved to honor the legacy of her grandmother who was dedicated to advancing healing and justice during her lifetime in Chicago's North Lawndale community. In her role, she strives to develop a next generation of young leaders in our communities. On her free time, Meyiya loves to act, sing, and make TikToks.
MEYIYA COLEMAN
VOYCE Coordinator
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
JUAN CRUZ
Associate Director
Jordy joined Communities United in 2023 as our Data Collection Specialist. He was introduced to the organization's work in Belmont Cragin and has had experience working within his community volunteering at a food pantry, hosting community volleyball camps, and community fundraisers. During his free time, Jordy likes to play and coach volleyball, as well as engage in all sorts of physical activities.
JORDY CUZCO
Data Collection Specialist
Maria Paula started with the organization in 2006 as a volunteer youth leader after she was pushed out of school. In 2016, she became the Youth Director and Coordinator with the Voices of Youth in Chicago Education. She loves all things art, cooking, baking, spending time with her family and friends, and being a mother to her puppy- Sachi.
MARIA PAULA DEGILLO
Communications Director
Jessica got involved with CU in 2014 as the Education Organizer. She now works with people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system. Jessica loves to spend time with her family, journaling, meditating, and listening to a good podcast like “RadioLab”, “The Daily”, & ”Consider This”.
JESSICA ESTRADA
Director of Policy & Strategy
Derrianna got involved with CU in 2018 as a youth leader from Mather high school working on removing School Resource Officers (SROs) out of Chicago Public Schools and working to end the school to prison pipeline. Derrianna is now a youth organizer, working to develop the next generation of youth leaders. She loves to play volleyball and also loves watching Netflix show series. There isn't a show she hasn't seen on Netflix just ask her.
DERRIANNA FORD
West Ridge youth organizer
Hunter got involved with CU in 2013 as a youth leader with VOYCE fighting to end the school to prison pipeline. Hunter has transitioned from a youth leader to intern, and in 2022 became a full time staff as CU’s Operational Associate. He is a self taught makeup artist and loves watching Scooby-Doo! and Power Rangers. He dreams of traveling to Ireland one day and retiring there. His favorite color is purple and I'm a big Scream fan.
HUNTER GEANS
Operational Manager
Akua joined CU in 2023 as our Project Manager for our Healing Through Justice Initiative. She is a first generation Ghanaian-American, and is passionate about the intersections of faith and justice. She is originally from Chicago, IL and on her free time, you can find her in the park on most days.
AKUA KANKAM
Healing Through Justice Project Manager
Fasher got involved with CU in 2010 as a leader working on Charity Care and in 2013 became a CU staff. She loves to read sci-fi & fantasy novels, going to theater plays, and spending time with family & friends. She is a big Harry Potter enthusiast and is someone you want on your team for Harry Potter trivia.
FASH KHAN
Housing Organizer & Regional Organizer in West Ridge
Kandace joined Communities United in 2023 as VOYCE Coordinator. She graduated from Northwestern University in 2022 and is focusing the beginning of her professional life on education and youth advocacy. She is passionate about allowing young people the space to express themselves and strives to create spaces for them to do so. In her free time you can catch her watching cat videos on TikTok and writing and acting in plays.
KANDACE MACK
Narrative Development Coordinator
Cecily got involved with CU when she was in high-school as she felt empowered to use her voice and join other young people to advance their vision for safe and supportive school climates. Cecily returned to Communities United in 2024 as an Administrative Assistant to continue to support the vision of the organization. In her free time she likes to run along the lake and enjoy the cafe scenery.
CECILY MARSHALL
Executive Assistant
While completing his degree in urban development and community service studies, David joined Communities United in 2013 as a volunteer mechanic with Bikes N’ Roses, later managing the program for four years. He returned to CU in 2024 as the Healing Works Program Manager, combining his youth work and trades experience to develop programs in woodworking, welding, and bike mechanics through a trauma-informed lens. In his free time, he works with organizations and artists around Chicago to build custom furniture and art-installation fabrication projects.
DAVID POHLAD
Healing Works Program Manager
Laqueanda was born and raised on the Westside of Chicago and is a mom of two amazing boys! She got involved with CU in 2016 working to address police brutality in our communities. She enjoys her family time, going to the gym, and making people laugh by telling funny stories.
LAQUEANDA RENEAU
Youth Director
Luis is our Youth & Regional Organizer in Albany Park. He enjoys traveling and connecting with people from different countries. During his commute from Little Village to Albany Park, he enjoys listening to podcasts & music by the Buena Vista Social Club.
LUIS SINCHI
Immigration Organizer & Regional Organizer in Albany Park
Angelina has volunteered with CU numerous times over the past 10 years and recently has joined the CU team as our Human Resource Associate. She likes to spend her time with her family and friends, enjoying a good cup of coffee while reading one of her many books/manga, or just listening to her vast library of music from around the world.
ANGELINA VARELA
Human Resources Associate
Natalia Virafuentes is a muralist/interdisciplinary artist born and raised in Chicago. In 2023 she joined Communities United as their Artistic Coordinator. She believes murals are the best way to share untold stories and bring art to public spaces. Natalia wants people to know the past, to understand our present, and to better our future which she seeks to encourage through art.
NATALIA VIRAFUENTES
Artistic Coordinator
Katherine joined CU in 2023 as our Executive Assistant. With an academic background in the study of history and professional experience in educational programming, Katherine aims to participate in creating social change by sharing the understanding of how the past affects the present. She hopes that through her work at Communities United, she is able to help our organization further our goals of achieving racial justice. In her personal time she enjoys watching movies with her cat, Oreo, reading, and playing video games with her fiancé.
KATHERINE WELCH
Business Manager
Eric joined CU back in 2016 as our Survivors Alliance for Healing & Justice & Broken Winggz Coordinator. Eric is a father of two amazing young boys, he was featured in the movie “Chi-Raq” and is part of the Chicago White Sox adaptable sports team which won a division championship in 2019.
ERIC WILKINS
Survivors Alliance for Healing & Justice & Broken Winggz Coordinator
Genevieve joined CU as our Finance Coordinator in 2023. She has dedicated the past 12 years of her career to advocating and empowering organizations and ministries for child protection, education, and early childhood development in the Middle East. Genevieve finds solace and rejuvenation through working out and jogging. She also loves seeking
opportunities to immerse herself in different cultures and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.
GENEVIEVE YOUSSEF
Finance Coordinator