Chicago Associate Board
Our associate board is a group of professionals who are committed to supporting and promoting our AmeriCorps members and organizational goals.
Beth Alberty is a two-time City Year alum (Washington, D.C. ‘14 and ‘15) and currently works as a Strategy Analyst at Mathematica. At Mathematica, Beth supports foundation and government clients in developing evidence-informed strategies to impact public well-being, specifically around issues of education and employment. Prior to joining Mathematica, Beth spent 5 years in government strategy consulting with Deloitte. She is passionate about optimizing the City Year corps member experience and scaling City Year’s model as a way to advance educational equity. Beth holds a B.A. in Urban Affairs and an M.A. in Political Science from Saint Louis University.
Richard Green is a Chicago native, who grew up on the city’s west side. The youngest of three children, his parents developed in him a strong work ethic and belief in the importance of family and faith.
When his mother became disabled, he learned first-hand the profound importance of planning. It was this personal experience that reinforced his career path and his commitment to helping others plan for the expected and unexpected. Now as a Growth and Development Director, Green takes on a leadership role attracting, selecting, developing, and retaining a team of financial advisors. Through coaching and mentoring, Green will work with his team members to define a career path best for them.
Proud of his Afro-Latino heritage, he aims to bring financial education and empowerment to the African American and Latin American communities.
He is a passionate fan of all things sports. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and entertaining.
Green received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Dominican University. He resides in Elmwood Park with his wife Nicole and their two children Jace and Aria.
Emalee Pearson is a mental health therapist and the Director of Outreach & Operations at Sage Therapy Chicago. Prior to her current role she held positions at the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s Youth Safety and Violence Prevention program, the University of Chicago’s Center for Youth Violence Prevention, and Mission Measurement, a social impact strategy and consulting firm. Emalee is passionate about advancing equity in public education and believes deeply in City Year’s mission to improve educational outcomes. Emalee holds an MPH and MSW from the University of Illinois Chicago and lives in Chicago’s Woodlawn community with her husband and young son.
Josh is an Account Director at LinkedIn where he works as a strategic partner for nonprofit organizations across North America supporting them in leveraging LinkedIn to meet their talent and fundraising, and business development needs. Prior to LinkedIn, Josh spent a decade in the nonprofit sector, primarily in fundraising and partnership roles at education-focused organizations. He began his career serving two years as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Los Angeles, and then an additional three years on staff. Josh most recently worked as the Director of Development and Interim Executive Director for Spark Program Chicago. Josh is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and lives on Chicago’s north side with his wife and son.
Lindsey Conley is a Senior Counsel in Legal & Regulatory Compliance for BMO Financial Group. Prior to being employed at BMO, Lindsey was a litigator defending financial institutions in Consumer Financial Services at a law firm in Chicago. Lindsey is a graduate of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and DePaul College of Law. Lindsey is passionate about education and supporting the youth in obtaining success, which is why she serves on the City Year Associate Board.
Shawn is an impact investor at Avathon Capital, an investment platform headquartered in Chicago that is committed to fostering innovation and impact in the education and workforce management markets. His role at Avathon entails sourcing, evaluating, executing, and managing private equity investments across the education continuum from “PreK to Grey”. As a first-generation college graduate, the father of two young children, and an active participant in the investing landscape, Shawn knows that access to education and continued transformation of the sector has the power to transform lives and solve many of our most complicated societal problems. Shawn graduated summa cum laude from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College and has proudly served on the City Year Chicago Associate Board since March 2017.
Kevin Finnegan has spent his career working to close the gap between potential and prosperity, one student at a time. He began his career as an AmeriCorps member at a college access nonprofit supporting first-generation students on the path to and through college and has continued this focus over the last ten years running mentoring programs for students and young professionals.
Kevin is a Senior Consultant in Deloitte’s Government and Public Service Practice, working at the intersection of business, education, technology, and people. Outside of client work he plays a leading role in numerous initiatives including partnerships with nonprofit partners City Year Chicago and Braven.
Outside of work, Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife Anna, son Henry, dog Barkley, and exploring the best food and drink Chicago has to offer. He holds a dual MBA/MPP from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Political Science from Macalester College, where he also sits on the Alumni Board.
Kevin Jacobs was born and raised in the Chicago area, living mostly in Joliet and Hinsdale. He graduated from the Taft School in Watertown, CT before attending Miami University of Ohio for his undergraduate studies. In 2008, he graduated with a bachelor’s of science in English Education. Although he enjoys working with students, Kevin decided to put his literary skills to use as a reporter with the Lowell Sun Newspaper, before being accepted into the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. In 2010 he graduated with a master’s of science in Journalism from Medill. Since his graduation he has immersed himself in his family businesses, working in both Naperville and Hinsdale. He currently serves as the VP of Manufacturer Relations and aspires to carry on the tradition and legacy left behind by his late father, with a commitment to the future success of their company and its employees. Kevin and his wife, Mary, welcomed their first child in June and reside in the Western Suburbs.
Tim is a Senior Estimator at W.E. O’Neil Construction. He currently works in the general construction industry on commercial and multi-family projects ranging from interiors and building renovations to ground-up new construction throughout various markets and sectors nationwide. In 2022, Tim was nominated for the Outstanding GC Estimator Award.
Tim is a first-generation American born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and is one of seven siblings. His parents immigrated to the United States in 1974 from South Vietnam. Tim is a graduate from Arizona State University (GO DEVILS!) with a degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design. He moved to Chicago in 2015 and currently resides on Chicago’s north side. When Tim is not at work, he loves traveling anywhere from backpacking in Southeast Asia to leaf-peeping in Wisconsin. When he is not traveling, he enjoys spending time on his boat and fishing. Tim also devotes time to give back to the community and is an active volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, ACE Mentor Program Chicago, and is proud to be serving on the City Year Chicago Associate Board.
Carrie Mangan is a financial advisor at Private Vista, where she enjoys helping clients to build up their own financial knowledge and make empowered decisions about their futures. Prior to entering the finance sector in 2019, she worked as a high school English teacher through Teach for America in Gary, Indiana, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from the University of Iowa, and an M.S. in Finance from the University of Notre Dame. Carrie has proudly served on City Year’s Associate Board since May 2022 and is a passionate advocate for educational equity in Chicago.
Nana Otutua-Amoah, Esq. is a business immigration attorney at Zulkie Partners. Nana served as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Chicago from 2010 – 2012. Nana is committed to continuing to serve the youth in the Chicago communities. Nana is also a Posse alum and received her bachelor’s degree from DePauw University. Additionally, Nana received her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law where she served as the president of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), a Clinician with the Civitas ChildLaw Clinic, and an editor with the Children’s Legal Rights Journal.
Waller Perez is currently an Associate at Madison Dearborn Partners, a leading private equity investment firm based in Chicago. Prior to joining Madison Dearborn Partners, he was an Investment Banking Analyst with the Financial Institutions Group at Lazard Frères & Co, and previously a Senior Analyst in the Corporate Development: A group at Adtalem Global Education. Waller earned his B.A. in Economics at the University of Chicago. Waller is passionate about education and understands firsthand the power that it has in transforming someone’s life and shaping how one thinks about the world.
Krishna Somayajula is currently a Consultant at Bain & Company. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Krishna has a multitude of experiences within the Chicago civic engagement landscape, including serving on the board of Chicago Cares and interning at P33 Chicago. Krishna has proudly served on City Year Chicago’s Associate Board since April 2017.
