Meet our Workforce Development team that's creating long-lasting change in the lives of members of our community. Learn more about our Workforce Development team. Workforce Development Staff Filiberto Rios (He/Him/His) Division Director Read More Luz Hernandez (She/Her/Hers) Senior Training Facilitator Read More Casey Moulton (He/Him/His) Digital Navigator Read More Diana Guzman (She/Her/Hers) Data Entry & Intake Specialist Read More Dominic Elizondo (He/Him/His) Junior Culinary Training Facilitator Read More Edwin Serrano (He/Him/His) Building Trades Instructor Read More Hind Elbanna (She/Her/Hers) Associate Director, Workforce Development Programs Read More Beatrice Siler (She/Her/Hers) Senior Career Navigator Read More Walker Coleman (He/Him/His) Career Navigator - Clean Energy & Building Trades Read More Katy Damken (She/Her/Hers) Case Manager Read More Jose Vela (He/Him/His) Culinary Training Aide Read More Sherri Richardson (She/Her/Hers) Senior Training Facilitator Read More Dean Martin (He/Him/His) Career Navigator Read More Zola Zeigler (She/Her/Hers) Intake and Data Entry Specialist Read More Tenoch Ang (He/Him/His) Lead Culinary Training Facilitator Read More Otis Brown (He/Him/His) Building Trades Instructor Read More Related Content Referral Form Learn More BankWork$ Learn More Tech#Ready Learn More Kitchen Learn More

< Back Diana Guzman dguzman@associationhouse.org Data Entry & Intake Specialist What education or prior experiences do you have related to workforce development? I have had curriculum development, facilitation, and academic tutoring experience guiding high school students through an underwater robotics after school program that I led. I also have extensive experience in skill-building and mentorship through my work as an after school program instructor. What about your work inspires you? I am deeply passionate about guiding individuals through their digital transformation, supporting them as they progress from foundational tech courses to advanced certifications. Ultimately, there is nothing more fulfilling than empowering people to unlock their full potential and launch meaningful careers through our technology programs. What's a fun fact about yourself? I love to spend time cooking; my specialty dishes are birria and mango sago. I also enjoy crocheting winter items such as hats, scarves, and blankets. Related Content BankWork$ Learn More NextJob Learn More Tech#Ready Learn More

< Back Otis Brown obrown@associationhouse.org Building Trades Instructor What education or prior experiences do you have related to workforce development? I'm a journeyman carpenter by with a degree in construction management. What about your work inspires you? I'm inspired to be a part of teaching and training the next generation of trades people. What's a fun fact about yourself? I enjoy the pursuit of excellence in learning and watching many different sporting events. Related Content BankWork$ Learn More NextJob Learn More Tech#Ready Learn More

Roy and his husband pose with the keys to their new place! For over a decade, Roy has been turning to his friends at LUCHA when he's ready to find a place to call home. After moving to Chicago from Costa Rica 12 years ago, owning a property of his own seemed like a pipe dream-- but when his sister-in-law introduced him to the homebuying counselors at LUCHA, he realized he might be closer than he thought. Back in 2015, after taking one of LUCHA's First-Time Homebuyer Workshops and auditing his credit with one of our counselors, he was able to qualify for a mortgage that put hundreds of homes in Chicago within his reach. A condo in Bronzeville caught his eye-- a beautiful place in a neighborhood he loved, recently foreclosed, and priced at only $120,000. The team at LUCHA helped him find down payment relief options, and helped negotiate closing costs. In the end, he only paid $1,000 from his own pocket before he was able to close. The experience blew Roy away-- he had no idea of the resources available to homebuyers in his city, and he and his husband stayed in a home they adored for over 5 years. "But then the pandemic hit," Roy told us. "The building was starting to deteriorate and the HOA fees just kept getting higher even though we weren't seeing anything happen to justify it. We had no amenities, nobody was doing the maintenance we needed on the building." The pandemic years impacted homeowners this way all over the state. Illinois HOA fees rose nearly 30% from 2018 to 2025 despite the "deferred maintenance crisis" that Covid caused, where workers were so limited and supply prices were so high that important home upkeep projects were consistently delayed and often never completed. In 2021, Roy and his husband were forced to put their home on the market. Around the same time, Roy's mother got sick-- sending him back to Costa Rica to care for her and manage her affairs. When she passed away soon after, he returned to Chicago in grief, and unsure of what to do next. He and his husband rented in Edgewater, but Roy found himself missing his old neighborhood, and longing to put down roots somewhere all his own again. So, Roy called up Guille, his friend at LUCHA. He explained his situation and she advised him to come to the Homebuyer's Workshop once more, to figure out what his options really were. His credit was still strong, but home prices had skyrocketed since his last purchase, and the down payment was a big barrier. Within weeks, the team at LUCHA connected him with a down payment relief program that surpassed his expectations. The Chicago HomeGrown assistance program provided him with $70,000 in down payment support, and the bank providing his mortgage offered an additional $20,000. Over a decade after his last time working with LUCHA, he paid only $4,000 out-of-pocket from start to finish to secure his home closing. "It was amazing," Roy told us. "I feel so lucky. My mom was in heaven helping me and the angels down here on Earth were too. Everyone was so supportive, and now I'm talking to you from the dining room in my new place!" Roy's back in Bronzeville now, the neighborhood that he always felt most at home in. When we asked Roy how he'd felt the process had changed from a decade ago, he told us how impressed he was that LUCHA made everything feel so doable despite the chaos of the housing market. "I wasn't expecting it to happen so fast," he said. "My mom passed in June, I came back home, and I closed on my place by September. That only happens when you have good people by you. I don't have the words to say how grateful I am." Today, Roy feels excited to be back in Bronzeville as it's starting a bit of a renaissance-- the opening of the Obama Center is boosting interest, inviting new business and development nearby. He's thrilled to be in the middle of it all alongside his husband as he gears up for retirement in a few years. "I'm telling you, I'm gonna volunteer for LUCHA once I'm retired," he told us with a laugh. "I tell people about you all the time! I tell people to just show up to a workshop. Don't be scared, don't be disappointed if your situation doesn't seem perfect. They're going to help you get there no matter what it takes." ■

Stanley (left) celebrates his foster son Frederick's high school graduation. Frederick was only 5 years old the last time he'd seen his Uncle Stanley: but 10 years later, when he needed him most, he was there. When Fred's parents separated, he lost touch with Stanley and the rest of his father's side of the family, spending his childhood in the care of his mother. Through the grapevine, Stanley caught bits of his nephew's life as he grew older-- his success in school, his love of math and science, his kind nature. But he also knew Fred's mother was struggling, living with a mental health condition that was worsening, and beginning to interfere with her ability to provide the right environment for her son. As Stanley describes it, Fred's mother was loving, attentive, and dedicated to his future-- but it was impossible to give so much of herself while receiving so little of the help she needed. This difficult situation came to a head in 2022 when Stanley received a call from the police station that Fred needed somewhere safe to go. "It had been so long since I'd seen him, but he was family then, and he's family now," Stanley told us. "He belonged with us." Frederick celebrates graduation with his sister. At 15, with the help of case managers at Association House, Frederick became Stanley's first foster child. In the face of such an unexpected family upheaval, during such a pivotal year in his life, Stanley says he was blown away by his nephew's resilience. "When you meet him, you can tell the qualities he was raised with," Stanley said. "His values and his heart are just in the right place. We were blessed to have him with us and give him some stability so he didn't lose those things." In the 4 years that followed, Fred stayed committed to the things he'd loved before coming to stay with his uncle. He followed his interest in STEM and participated in competitive robotics, preserving his passions even as he endured such significant changes at home. "He's a genius!" Stanley told us. "I love how seriously he takes this stuff." But keeping his dreams alive took some doing. The schools in Fred's new home district didn't offer the programs and extracurriculars he was looking for, so Association House stepped in to help him commute to the school he'd been attending-- facilitating transit and helping to cover costs through state relief funds available to foster children. One of Frederick's self-built robotics projects! Through this support, Fred didn't need to start over at a new school in addition to all the other changes he was going through. This may seem like an obvious comfort to provide a child in Fred's situation-- but 65% of youth in care are forced to change schools more than 7 times. It's no surprise that foster children's high school graduation rate is 35% lower than the general population. "He's wise beyond his years," says Elisa, Fred's foster care case manager. "He's only 18 but he comes off so collected and in control. He made what he needed and wanted really clear, and we were able to help him out." In addition to helping with his school commute, the House's foster care team was able to secure him a tablet computer for school, and for his own personal 3-D modeling designs. Stanley credits the House's foster care team with removing those extra pressures. "The program at Association House gets two thumbs up from me," he told us. "There can be so many hoops to jump through and I was really impressed with how they made it look easy." One of Fred's 3-D creations. Today, Stanley is proud of the role he played in keeping Fred on the right path. This past August, Frederick began the Mechanical Engineering program at UIC. He's decided to live on campus while he pursues his degree, and Stanley couldn't be happier to see him giving his future his all. His case worker Elisa was honored to get a 3-D printed gift from Fred on move-in day. "His first case manager used to call him her boy genius," she said. "We all used to watch videos of the robots he built that could climb walls and stuff, we were so impressed." Fred's 3-D creation now lives on Elisa's desk. Frederick smiles on move-in day before he starts his Engineering program at UIC. “I’m amazed. It’s like, mission accomplished. A kid going through such an event at such a difficult age, there’s no way to avoid some trauma. But he rose to the challenge. He prioritized the right things.” When we asked Stanley what advice he'd have to someone beginning an unexpected journey of fostering like he did, his answer was simple: "When he came into our family, we put love into his life— he saw that in the way we cared for him. Welcoming him, teaching him the importance of faith, of family, of love. It shows in what he’s been able to accomplish," he said. "Come into the process with an open mind and open heart. That’s all you can do." ■

The Association House Auxiliary Board knows how to throw a party — but they also know how to turn a night of dancing, networking, and fun into meaningful support for their neighbors. At this year's Summer Soirée, nearly 50 guests gathered at El Cid in Logan Square and raised nearly $7,500 in direct support of Association House programs. The annual end-of-summer bash brought together young professionals from across Chicago for an evening of margaritas, Mexican fare, dancing, and a little friendly competition at the raffle table. Guests had the chance to win an exciting lineup of prizes, including a Nintendo Switch 2, Blackhawks tickets, a private dance class, and more. Of course, the highlight of the night was hitting the dance floor. Guests learned the basics of salsa from instructor Lisa La Boriqua before putting their new skills to work with partners — and, in the process, meeting new people and making new friends. Over the years, the Summer Soirée has become more than just an Association House event. The Auxiliary Board has truly made it their own, bringing their creativity, connections, and professional networks together in service of the House's mission. This year, Auxiliary Board members helped coordinate an incredible collection of in-kind raffle donations, giving guests even more ways to get involved while helping turn their generosity into direct support for Association House programs. They also invited colleagues and friends from across their professional networks — including finance, healthcare, communications, and more — to join them for the evening. That spirit of connection is at the heart of what the Auxiliary Board does. By bringing together people with different careers, experiences, and skills, they are building a community committed to helping Association House enable each participant's full participation in the life of their families, communities, and society. And they're proving that giving back doesn't have to mean giving up a good time. Whether they're organizing a fundraiser, volunteering at a community event, or simply bringing a friend along to learn more about the House, the Auxiliary Board is finding new ways to make an impact — together. We're incredibly grateful to everyone who showed up, danced, donated, raffled, networked, and helped make this year's Summer Soirée such a success. Most of all, we're grateful to our Auxiliary Board for continuing to turn their professional and personal connections into opportunities for our community. Here's to another year of giving back, growing together, and having a little fun along the way! ■ -- Want to learn how to get involved at the House through volunteering or joining the Auxiliary Board? Discover more at associationhouse.org/get-involved.