Governing Board

Tameeka Christian, Ph.D.

Tameeka has spent over 20 years working for social and economic justice in disinvested communities across the Chicagoland Region. Her passion for equity stems from her deep roots in and love for Chicagoland communities in which she has lived, worked, and served throughout her life.

As a committed community servant, Tameeka has championed the creation and implementation of four Quality-of-Life Plans engaging hundreds of community residents. These plans have led to the launch of many community initiatives that led to multimillions of dollars in investments in communities on the South and West Sides of Chicago. She has been an advocate for youth employment, quality housing, economic and criminal justice, and access to quality healthcare by serving as a thought leader and working with coalitions to address social and health disparities in local communities across Chicago. As a Community Development Practitioner, she has supported organizations and community groups with program/project development, design, implementation, and evaluation, community and organization capacity building, team building, and leadership development, as well as facilitate strategic planning and consensus-building workshops.

Tameeka embodies the core values of integrity, ingenuity, and openness, which lend to her humble leadership style. She is always willing to serve as a mentor, coach, thought partner, or friend. She enjoys having one-to-one conversations and building relationships with those who are equally as passionate about working for the betterment of the community. She has been recognized by Westside Women Unite, Congressman Danny Davis as a Community Hero, The North Lawndale Eagles Football Team for my commitment to serving in the North Lawndale community, and Saint Anthony Hospital as an outstanding leader. 

Most recently, Tameeka was the Program Manager overseeing the Advocate Bethany Community Health Fund, where she was responsible for the grantmaking process for over 40 organizations on Chicago’s Westside and saw the Fund to its sunset in 2020. Tameeka is currently launching Mocha 24 a community-based coffee lounge and is the Principal Director of Empowerment Culture, a community development consulting firm. Tameeka recently graduated with her PH.D. from National Louis University and currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Firehouse Community Arts Center, Chicago Cares, and AMPT-Advancing Nonprofits (a new organization supporting capacity building for local nonprofits). In her previous roles, she has worked as a Program Officer for Neighborhood Networks Team at LISC/Chicago, Director of Community Development at Saint Anthony Hospital, and Community Organizer for Lawndale Christian Development Corporation. Tameeka was born, raised on the Westside of Chicago, and has one son, Joshua.

Angela Dowell

Chicago Community Loan Fund

Angela Dowell serves as the Chief Financial Officer at the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF). In this position, Angela is responsible for the accounting and finance operations of CCLF, including the production of periodic financial reports, maintenance of an adequate system of accounting records and comprehensive set of controls, enhancing the accuracy of CCLF’s reported financial results, and complying with generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards. In addition, Dowell oversees investor relations, including fundraising for new capital investments and maintaining existing investor relationships. 

Dowell has held numerous accounting and finance roles over the past 13 years in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors and gives back to her community. She is a member of the Minority Advisory Board and School of Accountancy Board of Advisors for Southern Illinois University’s College of Business. She also serves on the boards of the National Disability CDFI Coalition, AMPT, and the Not-for-Profit Committee for the Illinois CPA Society. Dowell additionally volunteers as a presenter on nonprofit finance and accounting for various groups. Dowell is a CPA with a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration degree from DePaul University. She was recently awarded SIU-Carbondale’s College of Business ‘Emerging Saluki Leader Award.’ This award honors alumni who have graduated from the college within the past 15 years for their outstanding work within business, academia or government sectors, nonprofit organizations, and their community service. Additionally, Dowell was recently named one of The Chicago Defender’s 2018 “Women of Excellence” award recipients and one of Crain’s Chicago Business‘ Notable Women in Finance in 2019. 

Luis Gutierrez

Latinos Progresando

Luis founded Latinos Progresando in 1998, to serve Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village communities where he was born and raised, and continues to live today. In 2010, Luis also launched the Marshall Square Resource Network, a highly localized coalition that has grown from three to more than 45 organizational partners, building the capacity of member agencies to advance integrated solutions to the most pressing issues on Chicago’s southwest side. Luis contributes knowledge as a steering committee member of civic organizations like Together
We Rise, Chicago’s Racial Equity Rapid Response Team, Forefront’s Advancing Racial Equity Committee, Elevated Chicago, and Resilient Chicago. Luis was also a member of an AJC delegation of Latino leaders to Israel. Luis serves as co-chair of the Equity & Inclusion Committee on the Board of Directors of the ACLU of Illinois, and as a board member of the Lincoln Park Zoo, Esperanza Health Centers and AMPT. Luis received the Leaders for a New Chicago Award from the Field Foundation in 2019, the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award from the Chicago Bears in 2018, Positive Impact Award from Hispanicize in 2017, and the Excellence in Community Service Award from MALDEF in 2011.

Nima Krodel

Consultant

Nima Krodel is a social sector consultant with 20 years of experience partnering with a range of nonprofit, philanthropic, health and community development finance organizations. With a values-driven approach, she partners with social sector leaders by listening deeply, building relationships, and co-designing solutions that center on communities through a variety of customized approaches ranging from facilitation, research/analysis, and capacity building. With a belief that economic justice is social justice, Nima is passionate about equitable resource allocation. Prior to launching her own practice in 2020, Nima was VP of Advisory Services at Nonprofit Finance Fund where she designed and led national capacity building programs with funders and nonprofits through strategic advice, grants, loans, and knowledge. She also managed NFF’s New England and Western Region lending practice responsible for relationship management, due diligence and portfolio management. Prior to joining NFF, Nima worked in the financial services sector with non-profit healthcare and government clients. Nima currently serves as a founding board co-chair for AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits and was an elected representative on her local Chicago Public School’s neighborhood Local School Council. Nima received an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a BA in Economics from Northwestern University. Nima lives in Chicago with her intergenerational family of six.

Victoria Lakes-Battle

IFF

O. Victoria “Vickie” Lakes-Battle has been at the forefront of commercial and mission-based lending for over 30 years and has developed a recipe for equitably serving communities: time + proximity + authentic partnerships. When you think of Vickie, you think of a master connector who is acutely aware of the nuances in building strategic alliances and partnerships that bolster relationships, systems, and equity within communities and organizations.
With a never-ending reserve of expertise in community development, finance, and executive leadership, Vickie Lakes-Battle leads with equity, purpose and strategy in everything she does.

On a mission to invest, redevelop and empower low-income communities to activate their visions, Vickie became IFF’s first-ever Executive Director for the Chicago Metro region. She oversees IFF’s full-range of services including lending, real estate consulting, and the community strategies program where she is adept at targeting and cultivating opportunities that support IFF goals and objectives. In this role, Vickie understands the necessity of cooperative engagement and active partnerships that expand the resources available to serve low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. She is a trusted thought partner to community-based organizations, the broader community development sector, and philanthropy.

Vickie’s ability to innovate at every turn–economically, socially, and organizationally–has been recognized throughout the Chicagoland area and nationally. Vickie challenges others to look at community development finance through an equity lens and is willing to ask and wrestle with the tough questions.
She currently serves on the board of the Greater Chatham Initiative, AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits and is on the Steering Committees of Elevated Chicago and Together We Rise. Vickie’s track record positions her as a success benchmark for leaders in the commercial and mission lending and equitable community development space.

Vickie holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Chicago State University.

Tuyet Le

Consultant

Tuyet M. Le is an independent consultant for nonprofits focused on organizational development and coaching. Previously, Ms. Le served as executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago (Advancing Justice | Chicago) for nearly 19 years. Established in 1992, Advancing Justice | Chicago is a pan-Asian, not-for-profit organization that builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity.

During her tenure, Ms. Le grew the organization from one staff to 14 full-time staff. Advancing Justice | Chicago’s programs included civic engagement, community organizing, leadership development and legal advocacy. Her current board service includes Access Living, AMPT Advancing Nonprofits, and Northwestern University’s Asian American alumni association. She has been a panelist, keynote, and rally speaker on a wide range of issues including immigration, disability rights, census, redistricting, and political empowerment.

Ms. Le is a polio survivor and came to the United States as a refugee at the age of three from Vietnam. Some of her previous board service includes the Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugee Rights, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Disabilities Fund, and the Leadership Fellows Association for Leadership Greater Chicago. She was also a 2013 Rockwood Leadership Institute Fellow, and a 2004 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow.

Lauren Lewis

LISC

Lauren Lewis supports community-led Quality-of-Life Plans across Chicago. Her mission is to serve communities and demonstrate her love for relationship building by listening to her neighbors. From pioneering volleyball clinics to managing and strengthening partnerships between the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago, Lauren has helped to engage intergenerational communities. Prior to joining LISC, Lauren led program evaluation efforts in providing quality services alongside major institutions like the Chicago Housing Authority, Illinois Department of Children & Family Services, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Connecting education, health and economic development, Lauren serves as an advisor to steering committees and on results-based boards across Chicago. Lauren earned her Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Public Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She attained her B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing from Eastern Illinois University.

Dimitra Tasiouras

Circle of Service Foundation

As a Program Director with the Circle of Service Foundation (COSF), Dimitra works in the Community Services giving area and on the Foundation’s capacity building initiatives. Prior to joining COSF, she was the Director of Programs and Partnerships at the Illinois Humanities Council, Executive Director of the Chicago Global Donors Network, and Program Officer at the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. She has an MA in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and a BA in Theatre from Baldwin-Wallace College.

Mike Tomas

Garfield Park Community Council

Mike Tomas is the founding Executive Director of the Garfield Park Community Council (GPCC) and joined the GPCC in 2005 when it was created as part of the LISC New Communities Program through the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance. Mike has more than 15 years of experience in both community organizing and community development work in both Chicago’s West Side and the southeast side of San Francisco. Mike is a graduate of the Center for Third World Organizing’s Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program in Oakland California. Mike works closely with residents, government agencies and community organizations to improve the quality of life for those in economically distressed neighborhoods.

Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D

New Moms

Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D, is the President and CEO of New Moms, a social impact organization focused on helping young moms achieve economic mobility and create strong families. She also serves as CEO of New Moms’ social enterprise, Bright Endeavors, a soy candle company that provides paid transitional jobs to young women in New Moms’ job training program. 

Laura’s career has been focused on growing and developing effective nonprofit organizations. She’s served in a variety of leadership roles in the nonprofit sector in capacity building, legal aid, higher education, and child welfare. Laura earned a B.A. in Sociology from Trinity Christian College; a M.A. in Social Work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration; and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University. She serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Trinity Christian College and the Mission Sustainability Initiative at Forefront, as a board member for AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits, and is a Commissioner for the State of Illinois Youth Budget Commission.