Our Team
Illinois Humanities is powered by a dedicated team of Board and staff members whose care and commitment have helped to increase our impact across the state. Get to know the people who make our work possible and browse available opportunities at Illinois Humanities below.
Board Members
Jai L. Winston, Chair
Program Director, St. Paul
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Rikeesha Phelon, Vice Chair*
Director of Marketing and Communications
SIU School of Medicine
Mea Konopasek, Treasurer
Vice President, Commercial Banking
BMO Harris Bank
Bridget Hayman, Secretary
Communications Director
Access Living
Antoinette Burton
Maybelle Leland Swanlund Endowed Chair, History Department
University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana
Teresa L. Córdova
Director, Great Cities Institute and
Professor, Urban Planning and Policy
University of Illinois at Chicago
Sylvia Ewing
Principal Director, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
Elevate
Juana Guzmán
Consultant
I Juana Know, Inc.
Erica S. Hubbard*
Director of Chicago Programs at the Obama Foundation
Susan Manning
Professor of English, Theatre, and Performance Studies
Northwestern University
Tawa Mitchell*
Senior Program Officer
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Julio Paz
Chief External Affairs Officer
Chicago Commons
Laurence (Larry) Sophian
Director Ostrow Reisin Berk & Abrams (Retired)
Debra Yepa-Pappan*
Director of Exhibitions and Programs
Center for Native Futures
*Gubernatorial Appointee
Life Board
Deborah Epstein [Life Director]
Consultant to
Foundations and Not-for-Profit Organizations
Alton B. Harris [Life Director]
Partner
Nixon Peabody
J. Paul Hunter [Life Director]
Professor Emeritus
The University of Chicago
Gabrielle Lyon
Executive Director
Illinois Humanities
Staff Members
Contact Illinois Humanities staff by emailing
[first name].[last name]@ilhumanities.org.
Fairouz AbuGhazaleh
Director of Statewide Programs
Rebecca Amato
Director of Teaching and Learning
Jane Beachy
Artistic Director
Alyssa Bierce
Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications
Madeline Cruz
Administrative Coordinator
Michael Foley
Manager of Operations and Human Resources
Vicki Garza
Director of Finance
Mark Hallett
Director of Grants Programs
Morven Higgins
Director of Development and Communications
Joanne Hsu
Grants Programs Manager
Kurt Kindt
Staff Accountant
Martin Matsuyuki Krause
Special Projects Manager
Karen Loda
Development Manager
Gabrielle Lyon
Executive Director
Matt Meacham
Program Manager, Statewide Engagement
Willy Palomo
Program and Events Coordinator, Envisioning Justice
Hannah Sugarman
Foundation and Corporate Relations Coordinator
Zerline Thompson
Programs and Grants Coordinator
Robert White
Senior Director of Programs
Tia K. Williams
Digital Communications and Database Manager
Contact Us
General Information
info@ilhumanities.org
(312)422-5580
Staff members share ideas at a retreat in Chicago.
Board member Rikeesha Phelon (left) and Director of Statewide Programs Fairouz AbuGhazaleh present an award at the 2023 Public Humanities Awards (Photo by Glitter Guts Photography).
EDI Committee
The purpose of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is to guide and support Illinois Humanities in its efforts to integrate the ideals of EDI into its daily work, workplace culture, and relationships with our partners statewide. We strive for equitable representation and access to opportunities with regard to our staff, our communities, and the people and organizations we serve. We aim to examine and recognize Illinois Humanities’ role in perpetuating historical trauma, and we commit to dismantling systems of oppression. Contact the EDI Committee at edi@ilhumanities.org.
Committee Members
Jane Beachy
Artistic Director
Madeline Cruz
Administrative Coordinator
Karen Loda
Development Manager
Martin Matsuyuki Krause
Special Projects Manager
Zerline Thompson
Programs and Grants Coordinator
Robert White
Senior Director of Programs
Contact
Suite 650, 125 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60603
312.422.5580 312.374.6787
600 Troy Road
N4, Room 207
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618.468.5580
Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
Illinois Humanities respects the privacy of its audiences and will at no time sell or distribute personal information to any party not directly affiliated with Illinois Humanities and its programs.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.
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