Becoming Together: Healing, Leading, Transforming

Cynthia Alfaro, Founder, Moms Winning

Cynthia Alfaro (she/her), a Chicago native, is the youngest daughter of a Polish immigrant mother and a Mexican American father. Her multicultural background fueled her drive for diversity and equity in all fields. While studying leadership and success factors in education and athletics, Cynthia attended Whitney Young Magnet High School and achieved national rankings in competitive tennis.

She earned a master’s in finance and a master’s in human resources from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Between undergrad and grad school, she completed a national volunteerism assignment with Public Allies Chicago, an AmeriCorps program, where she managed programs for community entrepreneurship, parent enrichment, and literacy. 

Cynthia’s experience spans human resources at PepsiCo, the New York City Department of Education, training and school administration, finance, and business operations with Chicago Public Schools. As chief operating officer of My Block My Hood My City, she advanced the organization’s social justice cause. Cynthia now coaches and consults on strategy, leadership, efficiency, and culture for top performance.

In 2013, during a hard life trial, Cynthia started Moms Winning to focus on the “wins” of motherhood. She believes that gratitude can push moms into a better way of living. Cynthia uses her training background to provide community workshops and advice on time management and goal setting for mothers.

Dedicated to service, Cynthia enjoys life with her two daughters and loves maintaining a healthy lifestyle through proper nutrition and exercise while helping others do the same.

Pilar Audain, Interim Executive Director, Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, Greater Chicago (TRHT)

Pilar Audain is the interim executive director for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation – Greater Chicago (TRHT), housed at The Chicago Community Trust.

She is also founder of the Chicago based nonprofit organization, the Wrap Your beYOUty Movement. As a “soldier on the front lines” of Chicago’s most traumatized neighborhoods, Pilar creates and curates safe spaces for Black and Brown people to heal.

Pilar is a Veteran of the United States Navy and served as an Operations Specialist on the USS Haleakala and the USS Mount Hood, which fostered her love of systems and processes, and led her to the social service aspect of the health/human sciences. For seven years, Pilar worked for the Chicago Department of Public Health/CDC as an Infectious Disease Community Epidemiologist. Desiring to have a more hands on healing impact within the community, the next decade took her on a magical journey through direct-service entrepreneurship; opening a healing and wellness shop featured on ABC7’s 190 North and HGTV’s That’s Clever. Pilar’s healing work in her community, as well as her use of Ancient indigenous artforms as healing modalities, led to her being selected to represent Dove-Unilever in the internationally acclaimed “Real Women, Real Beauty” Campaign. Shortly thereafter Pilar was invited to be a guest panelist on Oprah’s Life Class with Cindy Crawford where she was noted for her healing work with women and children on Chicago’s south side. Pilar grew up in the Roseland, Avalon, and Auburn-Gresham communities on Chicago’s south side.

The daughter of a Trinidadian father and a Creole mother who was a veteran educator in Chicago, Pilar is a former arts vendor for Chicago Public Schools, a 2021 Chicago Peace Fellow and holds an MS/MPH from The University of Illinois. Pilar is a wife, mother of three, and grandmother of two.

Erin Barnett, Founder, Black Girls Dance

Erin Barnett is a Broadway performer turned transformational coach, choreographer, and founder of Black Girls Dance®, a nonprofit that boldly disrupts the dance industry by creating access and opportunities for Black and Brown girls to train, perform, and lead at the highest level.

With over two decades of experience in the performing arts, Erin blends her background in dance, wellness, and faith to create healing spaces that restore both body and spirit. She is the visionary behind The Erin Barnett Experience, a corporate wellness concierge service, and the creator of The Confidence Code™ — a faith-rooted digital experience helping girls build authentic confidence through mirror work, affirmations, movement, and mindset mastery.

Erin’s work has been supported by the Chicago Foundation for Women, the Girls Opportunity Alliance, and the Ronald L. McDaniel Foundation, and her impact continues to ripple across stages, classrooms, and communities nationwide.

At her core, Erin is a movement healer, a confidence catalyst, and a living testimony of what happens when women lead from wholeness. Whether on stage, in the studio, or in sacred healing spaces like this one, she shows up with one mission: to help others remember who they are and rise into it — fully, freely, and faithfully.

Kimberly Casey, Founder and Principal, Kimberly Casey & Associates LLC

Kimberly Casey, Founder and Principal of Kimberly Casey & Associates LLC (KCA), is a visionary leader and DEI strategist with over two decades of experience driving social impact. She specializes in helping organizations embed equity into their practices, policies, and leadership structures. Kimberly's expertise includes capacity building, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, diverse supplier procurement, and leadership development, with a focus on dismantling systemic inequities. Her community-centered approach has empowered community-based organizations to foster inclusive cultures and sustainable growth. Kimberly is a trusted partner for those committed to social justice, recognized for her ability to amplify the voices of marginalized individuals and transform organizational practices.

Kim is originally from Milwaukee, WI, and has lived in the Englewood community of Chicago for over 20 years. She is the mother of 2 sons, who attended St Therese Chinese Catholic School and Lindblom Math and Science Academy. She serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the African American Legacy Fund, Vice Chair of the Board for Trilogy Behavioral Health, and board member for BA NIA Inc., a reproductive justice and health equity organization that provides holistic health services for women of color, LGBTQ+ communities, regardless of income.

Sylvia Ewing, VP of Journalism & Media Engagement, Public Narrative

Sylvia Ewing is a communications strategist, and a certified meditation teacher who brings a holistic approach to leadership and management. She has deep experience covering social change issues, producing events, helping nonprofits communicate effectively and providing tips on community building and personal growth.

Sylvia is a poet, an award-winning former journalist and a popular moderator and facilitator.

She serves as Vice president of Journalism and Media Engagement for the nonprofit Public Narrative. Sylvia chairs the Kartemquin Films Board and is member of the Illinois Humanities Board.

Georgina Heard-Labonne, Bronner Group

Georgina Heard-Labonne (she/her) is a seasoned strategic executive with an extensive transportation management, government, business, and community leadership background. 

She currently works at Bronner Group, optimizing government, people, and community organizing wellness summits, town halls, and B2B expos. While at the Illinois Department of Transportation, she supported freight rail infrastructure investment in Chicago. She also ensured compliance with new federal Public Transit Rail Safety mandates.

As United Airlines’ registered lobbyist, Georgina led external affairs in Washington, DC and the Midwest before and after 9/11. At United’s human resources department, she created the company’s first global management succession plan and benefits center. Her diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives were cited by President Bill Clinton and featured in a Harvard Business School case study.

Collaborating with the White House and the City of Chicago, she facilitated business leaders in welfare reform by requesting expanded workforce policies for former welfare recipients. Her approach won her prominent appointments on the Chicago Workforce Board, Illinois Governor’s Immigration Reform Task Force, and the Illinois Housing Task Force. She also spoke at various leadership conferences and served on President Barack Obama’s USDOT TRACS Committee for Transit Rail Safety.

Georgina holds a master’s in clinical psychology from DePaul University and a psychology degree from Bradley University. She trained under the renowned Jay Haley at the Institute of Family Therapy. She enjoys art, photography, travel, and music in her free time. Georgina is a member of The Links, Incorporated, and lives in Chicago and Las Vegas with her family.

Adrienne Johnson

Adrienne Johnson is an innovative thought leader with over two decades of experience in program management, community development, and organizational leadership. She excels in developing strategic initiatives, managing stakeholder relationships, and driving measurable results. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in service, mentorship, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Adrienne’s leadership journey began in retail management, where she spent 15 years honing her skills in team development, decision-making, and navigating complex challenges. She later transitioned into community development, holding key leadership roles at UCAN and the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, where she led large teams, managed multi-million-dollar grant portfolios, and spearheaded initiatives focused on youth safety, violence prevention, and social impact.

A third-generation North Lawndale resident and Chicago Public Schools graduate, Adrienne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia College and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University, along with multiple certifications in governance, leadership, and conflict management. She is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Strategic Leadership at Regent University. Passionate about mentorship and community engagement, Adrienne continues to advocate for impactful change. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys gardening, practicing Pilates, and caring for her two dogs.

Gabriela Kreszchuk, Manager of Donor & Alumni Relations, Chicago Scholars 

Gabby Kreszchuk (she/they) is a poet from Southern California that has called Chicago home since 2018. They love weaving the natural world and metaphors into the poems they write. She also runs a monthly poetry workshop called "Poetry Portal" where participants generate and workshop poetry. When not writing, you can find her in the kitchen developing recipes, hanging out with her dog, and gardening.

Dominica McBride, PhD, CEO, Become: Center for Community Engagement and Social Change

Dr. Dominica McBride is a leading thinker in the realm of community psychology, community healing, and collective transformation. As a champion of Culturally Responsive Evaluation and a grassroots advocacy strategist, she has dedicated her work to building the capacity of communities to create the reality they desire and deserve.

In 2013, Dr. McBride founded BECOME with the belief that communities should be at the forefront of realizing their visions of thriving communities. Drawing on her experience in program development and evaluation projects in Arizona, the Chicago area, and Tanzania, Africa, she recognizes the power of culturally responsive evaluation as a tool for positive change.

With a background in community psychology, Dr. McBride has made significant contributions as a consultant, program director, adjunct faculty member, and therapist in the field. Her expertise and insights have made her a sought-after speaker and trainer for communities, coalitions, and organizations across the nation. She has also been recognized and honored with a range of awards for her outstanding work, including the Supervisor of the Year Award from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the Marcia Guttentag Promising New Evaluator Award from the American Evaluation Association.

Dr. McBride holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Consultation from Arizona State University. Aside from her professional accomplishments, she embraces the joy of motherhood and finds fulfillment in witnessing her two remarkable children flourish.

Michelle Morales, President, Woods Fund Chicago

Michelle Morales (she/her) is a trailblazer who has overcome significant obstacles to success in her career and personal life. Despite being born to a working-class, military Puerto Rican family and moving around frequently as a child, Michelle became the first person in her family to attend and complete college and the first to visit Puerto Rico in nearly 50 years.

Michelle’s career has been marked by a series of firsts. She is the first and only person in her family to hold a job like her current CEO/president/executive director role at the Woods Fund Chicago. This is her second job in this type of leadership position, and she has been working hard to overcome past traumas and toxic traits related to control and trust.

Michelle’s personal life is equally inspiring. She is living with metastatic breast cancer, which has led her to engage in healing and spirit work. She recently started practicing Santeria and praying to her orisha, despite being raised Catholic and previously cynical about organized religion. Michelle is also married and has an 18-year-old son. 

Despite her challenges, Michelle is a resilient and courageous leader committed to positively impacting her community. She inspires others facing similar obstacles and is a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, and self-reflection.

Jenise Terrell, CEO, Public Allies

As CEO of Public Allies, Jenise Terrell (she/her) brings over 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community development, and leadership development. Jenise began her journey in leadership as a Public Allies AmeriCorps member herself in 1997. Throughout her more than 20-year history with Public Allies, Jenise has held several roles, including ally mentor and supervisor, field operations leader, fundraising strategist, government relations lead, executive vice president of program strategy, and most recently, interim CEO.

Jenise’s personal mission is to create a world where all young people have the opportunity to realize their full potential. She has worked to fulfill that vision by leveraging national service as a vehicle to create pathways to leadership for marginalized and disenfranchised voices across the US. Jenise played a central role in developing innovative Public Allies initiatives: DREAMCorps, the first national service program to engage DREAMers (young adults with deferred immigration status) in national service; a collaborative, multi-city venture with the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance to build career and education pathways for men of color, and a multi-city partnership with AARP designed to increase livable communities for multiple generations.

Jenise is a native Milwaukeean, a proud Public Allies Milwaukee alumna, a Marquette University alumna, and a working mother of two beautiful children. She is passionate about the history of Milwaukee’s Black community, speculative fiction, and the writing of Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler, N. K. Jemisin, and the legion of Black women who dare to tell the truth about our history and imagine a future where we all are free.

Shemeka Woodson,  MA, CHW, Transformative Operations Navigator, Become: Center for Community Engagement and Social Change

Shemeka, a nonprofit management professional, and a collaborative community change agent with a passion for people empowerment, human capital and serving marginalized populations. She carries eight plus years of administrative and managerial experience with a versatile skill set ranging from data entry, project management, program management and evaluation, grant writing, branding/marketing and social media management. 

A Houston, Texas native, she began working in the non-profit sector as an affordable housing advocate in social services management for low-income residents and families in South Texas. In 2016, she served on the City of San Antonio’s Community Action Advisory Board as a Private Representative. Shemeka is also the owner of Colorful Conscience LLC, a socially conscious business branding purposeful work to IGNITE change, INSPIRE communities and IMPACT the next generation using collaborative alliances within the public and private sector. Her mission is to address the Social Determinants of Health by creating bridges for people powered solutions that ignite social equity and change.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, TX), a Community Health Worker certification from the State of Texas, a Non-Profit Leadership and Management graduate certificate and pursued her Masters of Public Administration from The University of Texas in San Antonio.

JUSTIFICATION LETTER (“CONVINCE YOUR BOSS/BOARD”)

We are at an inflection point in which social impact organizations, and the communities they serve, are facing extraordinary challenges. Those of us working--formally or informally--in our social or public sectors and with communities, are working tirelessly in the face of enormous pressure, grief, increased need paired with dwindling resources, and what might feel like downright chaos. The impact is already devastating:

• Nearly 90 percent of nonprofit leaders report they are personally at risk of burnout and that burnout is impacting their staff (Center for Effective Philanthropy, 2025).

• “Black nonprofit leaders, particularly Black women and gender-expansive individuals, are experiencing high levels of exhaustion, chronic stress, and burnout due to a lack of trust.” (Brathwaite, 2024)

• Leaders are facing isolation, chronic stress, and increased scrutiny. These same leaders have substantial influence over the mental wellness of their staff – a global study found that managers hold as much influence on their employees’ mental health as a spouse (69% each ) and even more than therapists (41%) and doctors (51%). (UKG, 2023)

To address this exacting toll on our sectors and communities, we know that healing and wholeness of social impact leaders (both seasoned and emerging) matter just as much as those they serve. Good, sustainable leadership is irreplaceable and crucial for organizational health, innovation, and adaptability. And yet, well-being and leadership development are not easily prioritized, even in the best of times. It's more important than ever to make them a priority now.