Who We Are
We’re Serious About Play
Our Mission
Our mission is to use the power of sport and play to empower Chicago’s youth to achieve academic success, develop social-emotional skills, and build social capital.
For more than 20 years, Urban Initiatives has partnered with Chicago Public Schools and communities across the city. Through the power of play, young people build the relationships and confidence to discover what’s possible.
What began with twelve young people on a soccer field has grown into a citywide organization serving more than 100,000 young people each year through youth programs, adult learning, family engagement, and workforce development.
We believe every young person deserves a caring adult, meaningful opportunities, and a pathway to success.
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Enlist support from diverse networks of families, schools, and community members
Enlist support from diverse networks of families, schools, and community members
Enlist support from diverse networks of families, schools, and community members
Develop social-emotional learning through play
Develop social-emotional learning through play
Develop social-emotional learning through play
Use our network to help students build social capital
Use our network to help students build social capital
Use our network to help students build social capital
Our STORY
From One Team to a Citywide Movement
In 2003, two volunteer coaches and twelve young people gathered after school at Seward Park in Chicago’s Cabrini Green neighborhood with a simple idea: play matters.
What began as an after-school soccer program quickly became something bigger. Through sport and play, young people built confidence, leadership, belonging, and the skills to succeed in school and beyond.
As Chicago’s schools and communities evolved, so did we. Today, we partner with more than 100 schools through youth programs, adult learning, family engagement, and youth employment, building connected pathways that support young people at every stage.
What began with one team has become a Connected System of Opportunity reaching more than 100 schools across Chicago. As we look ahead, we are focused on deepening partnerships, strengthening the adults who surround young people, and creating more pathways from play to lifelong opportunity.
OUr Team
The People Behind the Mission
We are powered by educators, coaches, operations professionals, relationship builders, and community leaders who believe play changes lives.
Every role on our team builds the confidence, relationships, and opportunities that shape young people’s futures.
Executive & Management Team
Arianna Bell
Director of
Recess
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Lakita Chandler
Director of Operations & Special Projects
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Tony Colosimo
Lead Director, Talent Operations
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Jim Dower
Co-Founder & CEO, President
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Diana Flores
Director, OST
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Yolanda Givens
Site Manager, OST
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KyJuan Hardin
Site Manager, OST
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Alondra Hernandez
Resource Coordinator, OST
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Jazmine Jackson
Resource Coordinator, OST
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Alec Josiah
Community Partnerships Manager
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Dana Landau
Lead Director of Partnerships
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Aaliyah Little Olridge
Resource Coordinator, OST
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Gaby Mendez
Site Manager, OST
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Andy Neilsen
Chief Learning & Innovation Officer
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Katy Oldach
Lead Program Manager, Continuum
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Jorge Reynoso
Resource Coordinator, OST
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James Risely
Lead Program Manager, Continuum
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Andrea Serna
Director, Data Infrastructure
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Daniel Serna Geitz
Director, Continuum
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Ebony Stallworth
Lead Program Manager, Recess
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Meaghan Stanford
Lead Director, Programs, Continuum
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Elyse Tussey
Director of Curriculum
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Annie Waldoch
Lead Director, Development and Engagement
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Tiffany Wilson-Washington
Chief Program Officer
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OUR BOARDS
Leadership Beyond Our Staff
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Board of Directors
Dr. Manuel O. Adrianzen
Alfred Nobel Elementary School
Dr. Jennifer Axelrod
Chicago Community Trust
Solomon Barnett
Optiver Trading
Dr. Eddie Bustamante
University of Illinois Chicago
Pete Cherecwich
Northern Trust
Patrick Croke
Croke, Fairchild, Duarte & Beres
T.J. Dammrich
Mercer Oak
Jim Dower
Urban Initiatives
Patrick Gallagher
Gallagher
Adolfo Hernandez
Pritzker Community Health
David Mahoney
Savills
Kate McAdams
J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Dr. Edwin McDonald, MD
University of Chicago Medicine
Dave McGranahan
Relative Value Partners
Michael McGrew
Constellation Brands
Habib Moudachirou
V-Square Quantitative Management
Sarah Naim
Grainger
Jason Pritzker
The Pritzker Organization
Rosa Ramirez Richter
UChicago Consortium
Cece Ricketts
Civic Leader
Brett Saltzman
Kirkland & Ellis
Jonathan Taylor
Blitz Capital Group
Matt Zimmer
William Blair
Partners Board
Andrew Bartush
Eli Lily
Andrew Cole
Gallagher Insurance
Cam Van Wyk
Discover
Enrique Juarez
Magid
Hanna Zlotnick
JP Morgan Chase
Jamie Van Wyk
Jeff Zhang
IMC
Keegan De Silva
Great Point Capital
Kevin Eisele
William Blair
Larry Fogel
Sidley Austin
London Rakestraw
The Meyers Group
Matt Matosian
Shore Capital
Michelle Baumann
VMLY&R Commerce
Patricia Dull
IMC
Patty Hester
NSLC
Associate Board
Alex Armour
FrontRow Sports Inc.
Andrew Gjertsen
Engage Wealth Group
Alexandra Dewey
Enova
Annaka Stoeckel
Ali Malehorn
PepsiCo
Antonio Macaraeg
Northwestern Medicine
Andrew Kirkpatrick
William Blair
Ari Reinfield
Right at School
Ashley Jones
BetMGM
Austin Archer
Sidley Austin
Bill Lawrence
Sidley Austin
Blake Rasing
Grant Thornton
Bradley Herndon
Treacy & Company
Brandon Deger
The Pritzker Organization
Brendan Medina
Monroe Capital
Brett Joseph
Siegel Sports
Brian Flanagan
KPMG Corporate Finance LLC
Brian Ballard
Kaufman Hall & Associates LLC
Brittany Evola
Geometry/VMLY&R
Cache’ Binion
CMB: Investments & Consulting
Caira Watson Haynes
Sidley Austin
Camden Murphy
Gallagher
Cara Stevens
Health Care Service Corporation
Caroline Breidenbach
The Walsh Group
Carter Hale
Allegion
Chandler Tetreault
Charlie Kuhbander
29th Street Capital
Chris Ellison
Jump Trading
Chris Valvassori
Goldman Sachs
Christen Plotkin
UBS
Christopher Knight
Loop Capital
Christopher Wright-Madison
HUB International
Connor Holman
J.P. Morgan Chase
Danny Bergdoll
Neuberger Berman
David Moore
Mesirow
Diego Vilchis
Better Business Bureau
Dylan Flanagan
J.P. Morgan Chase
Ericka Jara
University of Illinois
Erin DeHeer
Northwestern Medicine
Georgia Reed
Filtration Group
Glen Frybarger
tastyfx
Grace Groeneveld-Meijer
NanoGraf Corporation
Grant Nelson
Thoma Bravo
Hannah Tzeghai, Vice President
PepsiCo
Hannah McDonald
The Pritzker Organization
Harrison Freund
Cash App
Hector Alvarez
Morningstar
Henry Sloan
Ingrid Falls
Northern Trust
Jack Freel
KPMG
Jack McGranahan
HealthScape Advisors
Jacob Vila
Arbor Investments
Jameson Minturn
Barclays
Jonathan Bass
William Blair
Jonathan Ruiz
Chicago Trading Community
Jonathan Spight
Raytheon
Jose Ramos
Community Investment Corporation
Josh Dunn
Arcadis
Julian Hilpuesch
AbbVie
Julian Sibley
Kai Robinson
Builders Vision
Kaitlyn Wade
Karan Sethiya
Kathy Krupa
Griffith Foods
Kimberly Balandrin
Geometry/VMLY&R
Kyle Hannon
Acrisure
Lauren Carter
Lexi Fosse
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
Libby Rice
Innosight
Lily Schroeder
50 South Capital
Liz LaPierre
Plante Moran
Lizbeth Barajas
Deloitte
Logan Weaver
CMD Global Partners
Luke Litowitz
Videoshops
Luke Collins
Madeline Wood
The Pritzker Organization
Maggie Piazzi
Calculated Hire
Marceline Azem
Great Point Capital
Matt Bonistalli
Accordion
Meeghan Paslaski
Northwestern Medicine
Michael Quirke
Michael Tumblin
Paylocity
Michael Bueno
Belvedere
Molly Stanfa
Sabre
Nerissa Denenberg
Lantern Partners
Nicholas Lee
IMC
Nicholette Cameron
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Nicole Willens
Northwestern Medicine
Nolan Jackson-Daniel
Morningstar
Parth Patel
AbbVie
Patrick Mahal
Antares Capital
Patrick Schuler
J.P. Morgan Chase
Peter Wilk
NTT DATA
Phoebe Paslaski
Monk Fruit Corp.
Quinn Ricketts
MBA Candidate at Chicago Booth
Rachel Flanagan
Accenture
Robbie Fraser
Capital One
Robin Hargadon
Machinio
Ryan Ball
Kaufman Hall
Sam Tado
Fitness Instructor
Sam Aronson
Arcadis
Sam Breen
Sarah Lumberg
Cheng Cohen LLC
Steven Hoffman
Altair Advisers
Taylor Rivera
Mesirow
Thomas Holden
Barry Callebaut
Thomas Lindsay
Docusign
Tim Carpenter
Skanwear
Tommy Knaus
Gallagher
Tyler Yang
Kearney
Tyler Elmore
Chicago Sports Network
Veronica Matthew
Will Reichert
Alvarez & Marsal
Ydalia Newsom
Uber
Advisory Board
Connie Falcone
Firefly Group LLC
ME Girgenti
Firefly Group LLC
Jim O’ Connor
Head of Venture Capital and Managing Director William Blair
Nelson Padilla
Community Advisor
Katy Reichert
Philanthropist
Nancy Sullivan
Illinois Ventures
Cedric Thurman
Federal Home Loan Bank
Jasmine Thurmond
Chicago Public Schools
Lisa Wiersma
IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation
Our Partners and supporters
Building Opportunity Together
Individuals, foundations, corporations, and community partners make our work possible. They believe every young person deserves the opportunity to succeed.
Together, they strengthen school communities, expand access to play-based learning, and create lasting opportunities for young people across Chicago.
Supporters Make It All Possible
We don’t do this work alone. Our sponsors and partners are crucial to the work we do to help kids today and invest in the young people who will guide Chicago tomorrow.
Event Sponsors Bring Our Community Together
Event sponsors help create memorable experiences that bring students, families, schools, volunteers, and supporters together while investing in our mission.