Young Professionals Council
Young Professional Council (YPC), TCEP's new initiative, will provide a space for young professionals 21-30 to develop personal leadership skills while growing their professional networks as they support TCEP in fundraising and stakeholder engagement. Stay tuned for upcoming informational and applications for those interested in joining our next cohort.
Upcoming Events
Get to know our current YPC members and TCEP staff at our upcoming events!
Baseball Night with TCEP Recap
Thank you to everyone that joined us for Baseball Night with TCEP!! We had over 70 supporters who came out to support TCEP at the Sox Fundraiser, and field with lots of energy. We hope that everyone that attended had a good time and we can't wait to see all of you at our next event!
COUNCIL MEMBERS
2025-2026
Herminia Sanchez- Gonzalez
Student Voice Support
CPS Department of Student Voice& Engagement
YPC President
Herminia Sanchez-Gonzalez was born and raised in La Villita, Chicago. Herminia supports Student Voice through her work in The CPS Department of Student Voice & Engagement. As student voice support, she connects with students across Chicago and in partnership creates opportunities for other students districtwide. She received her Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Herminia is also a proud Farragut Career Academy alum, the place where her passion for advocacy began. Herminia believes youth can create change in their communities and as adults we are responsible for creating spaces that nurture and strengthen their agency. Herminia also enjoys cooking a variety of foods, gardening and going on nature walks!
Alejandra Reyes
Resource Coordinator
Enlance Chicago at McCormick Elementary
YPC Secretary/VP
Alejandra Reyes is a Resource Coordinator with Enlace Chicago at McCormick Elementary since 2019. Alejandra’s role is to be the liaison between the school and Enlace in order to provide resources, programs and events that target the needs of the community school as a whole. All through collaborating with admin, managing the grant and building trusting relationships with the students & families. She was part of Ollin for years before transitioning to her role at Enlace. Alejandra is working towards obtaining her Bachelors in her desired career -education. She is passionate about working in her community. Her favorite color is pink, her dream dog is a golden retriever, sunny days are her favorite and taking walks is now her favorite hobby.
Lizbeth Gutierrez
Case Manager
The Salvation Army LaVillita Corps
YPC Treasurer
Lizbeth is a case manager with The Salvation Army in La Villita. Her role involves supporting families in moments of crisis and facilitating their journey toward stability by establishing connections with community organizations. Previously, she worked as a Youth Care Worker at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, where she mentored and led groups focused on mental and emotional growth and developed intervention plans for youth and their families. Lizbeth holds a BA in Sociology/Anthropology with a concentration in Human Services from Monmouth College. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring new restaurants in Chicago, and going on bike rides.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Pablo Rodriguez
Avanza Post Secondary Coach
Enlace Chicago
Pablo Rodriguez is a proud Queer Undocumented Mexican-American who was raised in Houston, Texas but is now proud to call Chicago home. Through his time in these two amazing cities he has become obsessed with urban planning, education, cultural immersion, and social justice. Pablo got a degree from Northwestern university where he studied Latina/o studies with a certificate in Energy and Sustainability. Pablo is constantly looking for new opportunities to learn and engage across the city, which influences him to become an active volunteer with organizations like Openlands, Little Village Environmental Coalition, and Plant Chicago. Pablo is currently working as a Post Secondary Coach with Enlace Chicago at two Little Village CPS schools. Pablo hopes to merge his love for education, urban planning, and green spaces by hoping to become a Arborist and Urban Planner to continue the work of advocating for green spaces especially in areas that need it the most like Black and Brown communities.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Yesenia Garcia
Business Operations and Facilities
Yessenia works in business operations and facilities, where she focuses on creating policies, improving systems, and supporting teams in thoughtful, people-centered ways. She's been working in education and postsecondary spaces for about five years, and cares deeply about clear communication, collaboration, and building processes that help organizations operate intentionally and stay aligned with their mission. She believes that when people feel supported, communities are stronger. Outside of work, she loves being in nature and is a plant mom through and through. She’s drawn to anything that challenges her focus and creativity, especially painting and crafting, and value spaces that invite care, growth, and connection.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Areana Castellanos
Full-time MSW Student University of Illinois at Chicago
Areana was born in Tepatitlán, Jalisco, Mexico, and raised on the South Side of Chicago in the Gage Park area. She is a full-time MSW student at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Areana is pursuing her professional education in social work to provide mental health services and work within the Latino community to help overcome stigma surrounding mental health. She also works in public health with underserved communities across Cook County.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Xitlali Yañez
School-Based Therapist for the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council
Xitlali Yañez was born and raised in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her Masters of Social Work from the University of Illinois Chicago. Currently, Xitlali serves as a School-Based Therapist for the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC), where she provides individual and group therapy for middle school students in the Brighton Park community. Grounded in trauma-informed care, she is dedicated to destigmatizing mental health and empowering local youth to build emotional resilience and heal.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Maria Ximena Valenzuela
Community Scholars Program Manager at High Jump Chicago
Maria Ximena is a proud Mexicana from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, and a first-generation college graduate dedicated to supporting Black, Brown, and immigrant youth and families through community-based education and engagement. She earned her B.A. in Community Psychology from DePaul University and her Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her career passions sit at the intersection of social justice–driven learning, out-of-school-time programming, and community schools models. She currently serves as the Community Scholars Program Manager at High Jump Chicago, where she manages middle school programming focused on social-emotional learning, youth leadership, and high school transitions. She finds joy in co-creating culturally responsive and healing-centered learning environments while partnering with families, educators, and community organizations to strengthen young people’s ecosystems of support across Chicago, a city she proudly calls her second home. In her spare time, she enjoys running, baking, bonding with her two black gatitas, and staying connected with the young people she’s worked with over the years.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Isela Diaz
Administrative Assistant at Tiny Giants Early Learning Center
Isela is an Administrative Assistant at Tiny Giants Early Learning Center. She is part of the administrative team at the Uptown location. She supports teachers, families, and children with daily needs from billing, accounts, and daily tasks of the program. She was a teacher for 8 years with age groups ranging from Infant, Toddler, and Pre-K prior to her administrative role. She grew up in the Little Village neighborhood and has continued to express her love for her home and culture. She enjoys summer time in Chicago, from the beach to exploring the many foods and neighborhoods.
Isabel Martinez
Youth Program Coordinator
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Isabel is a Youth Program Coordinator at Telpochcalli Community Education Project in Little Village. She is in her last year at The University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a BA in Business Management Administration with a minor in Real Estate. She is currently serving as an executive board member of the Real Estate Club and is a member of Association of Latino Professionals for America at UIC. She has been actively involved in her community from a young age, she worked hands-on with various initiatives, developing skills in leadership and community outreach. She is proud to serve as a coordinator, working to enhance opportunities for young people. Her experiences have fueled her passion for mentorship and community service. She is eager to connect with like-minded individuals and explore opportunities that will allow her to blend her academic knowledge. Some interesting facts about her are that she is a 1st Generation student, the oldest of 4 siblings, and has 2 baby turtles!
Grecia Espinoza Ruiz
Outreach, Education, and Training coordinator at Life Span
Grecia Espinoza Ruiz is a first-generation Latina with a background in Public Health. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from UIC and is currently an MPH student at Loyola University Chicago. Grecia was part of the TCEP staff from 2022 to 2024. She’s currently the Outreach, Education, and Training coordinator at Life Span, a non-profit that supports survivors of domestic violence. Born in Mexico and migrated to the U.S at an early age, she has found a sense of community in Little Village. She is grateful to be able to connect with the parent leaders at TCEP and the youth at Ollin.
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Past Cohorts
