Comprised of successful civic, community and corporate leaders, the board of directors contributes time, resources, expertise and leadership to govern the organization and to ensure it works to fulfill its mission.
Officers
President:Sharon Hidalgo, Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., A Xerox Company
Vice President of Resource Development:Joanne Jacobson, Lincoln Park Zoo
Vice President of Governance:Sandi J. Toll, Jenner and Block, LLP
Vice President of Program:Vicki Woolner Samuels, Artist
Treasurer: Jeanette Holland, Language Line Services, Inc.
Secretary:Kay Berkson, Founder
Directors
Jody Adler, The Law Project of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
Lucy Ascoli, Consultant to Nonprofits
Michele Cardona, Wealth Management, a division of Northern Trust Company
Lindsay Cochrane, McCormick Foundation
Vernese Edghill-Walden, Academic Development, City Colleges of Chicago
Christopher Motogawa, The Brandenburg Group, Inc.
Nadia Quarles, University of Chicago, Office of Business Diversity
Stephanie Quick, Attorney, Chicago
Ken Rolling, Community Learning Partnership
Lolita Sereleas, Fund Consulting, LLC
Brad Sheftel, Valor Equity Partners
George P. Sullivan, Attorney
Sharon Hidalgo, President, is the Vice President, Business Development for Total Benefits Outsourcing Services at Affiliated Computer Services, a Xerox company. She is responsible for revenue growth through acquisition of new clients and expansion of current client engagements in the Midwest Region. Her expertise lies in delivering client HR outcomes through benefits administration services, communications and total rewards strategies. Prior to joining ACS, Sharon served as the HR Outsourcing Consultant for the West Coast Region at Hewitt Associates. She has held other senior management, marketing and operations positions at Marsh & McLennan and Xerox Corporation.
Sharon is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. She completed her BA and post graduate work at Indiana University where she majored in speech pathology/ audiology and performed at Indiana University´s School of Music. She is a trained ballet and jazz dancer. It is her love of the arts and music and her passion for diversity that drew her to Changing Worlds. She has been involved with Changing Worlds for the past six years. In September 2008, Sharon was elected President, Executive Board for Changing Worlds.
Her other professional affiliations include Corporate Member, NAAAHR, Corporate Member of the Society of Human Resources Management, Member of the National Sales Network Chicago Chapter, Alumni Graduate/Mentor, Mettium 100 and Member of the Chicago Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Joanne Jacobson, Vice President of Resource Development, is Associate Director of Membership at Lincoln Park Zoo. She's the Vice Chair Elect for Chicago Women in Philanthropy, and serves on the Diversity Committee for the Chicago Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Joanne has a passion for the arts, and the special role they play in community development, cross cultural understanding, and academic success. Prior to joining Lincoln Park Zoo, Joanne worked for a community development finance organization in Chicago, a grassroots arts organization in Philadelphia's Chinatown, and an international child art festival held in Washington D.C.
Joanne has a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sandi J. Toll, Vice President of Governance, is a partner with the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP where she focuses on litigation, healthcare law and products liability defense. She also maintains an active pro bono practice representing individuals in need of legal services.
Sandi has always had a passionate interest in working with children and educational issues. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in human development and family studies, and Loyola University Chicago School of Law where she was a Child Law CIVITAS Fellow and a Senior Williams Fellow. Prior to entering law school,Sandi taught elementary school in the Compton Unified School District (California) and was selected as a 1997 Teach for America corps member.
Vicki Woolner Samuels, Vice President of Program, was born in New York City and moved at least five times before settling in Chicago where she has lived most of her adult life.
Her desire to give back to the community was ignited by her grandfather and has been supported and spurred on by her family. She has been active in the Chicago community as an artist and volunteer for more than 25 years, creating for herself and for others, collecting, administering, and teaching. She has served on many boards and committees including arts organizations, educational institutions, social service organizations, condominium boards and private foundations. She is a past president and lifetime board member of Chicago Sinai Congregation where she currently heads the Art and Judaica Committee. Vicki earned a BA in graphics and architecture from Bennington College.
Back to Top Jeanette Holland, Treasurer is a Senior Business Development Executive with Language Line Services Inc. headquartered in Monterrey, CA. Language Line Services is a full service language services provider. She supports large private sector clients in ensuring they are supporting their customers in the language they want to be supported. Prior to that Jeanette has been in Sales and Sales Management for the 25+ years.
Jeanette has a passion for empowering people in creating new possibilities for their lives. Her commitments and areas she is involved and interested in all have a common theme which is "a world that works for all." She has been a board member of a nonprofit social service agency for over 10 years, as well as the Finance Chairwoman for her condominium association, as well as part Board member for the association.
Jeanette graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics and is a resident of Chicago and loves all things involving travel and national politics.
