Board of Directors

William Ovca is an accounting systems advisor who specializes in supporting nonprofit, women-owned, and growth-stage organizations. He is particularly passionate about working with organizations that empower youth and under-resourced communities.

Asif Wilson, Ph.D., is an educator and researcher whose work focuses on justice-centered pedagogies in P–20 educational spaces. His scholarship examines how historical and contemporary forces shape justice-centered teaching and how educators and students experience these approaches in practice. His research has been published in journals including Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, Journal of Educational Foundations, and Rethinking Schools. A three-time alumnus of the University of Illinois Chicago, Asif holds degrees in Elementary Education, Educational Studies, and Curriculum and Instruction, and remains actively involved in education organizing locally and nationally.

Barbara Wallace has served the nonprofit sector through board leadership, grantmaking, and hands-on community work. She served on the board of Growing Home, where she was Secretary, led a feasibility study, and co-chaired an executive search during a period when individual giving increased significantly. She has also served on the Famous Door Theatre Board and supported small-grant funding initiatives with the Liberty Hill Foundation in Los Angeles. A former actor and writer, Barbara has worked in television, theatre direction, and now teaches as an adjunct at Northwestern University. She is deeply interested in social justice, the arts, and Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods.

Corey Piña is a Business Development Officer at Wintrust Bank, where he works closely with businesses and residents across Chicago’s West Side. A dedicated advocate for community growth, Corey played a key role in opening Wintrust’s North Lawndale branch and actively supports financial literacy initiatives for youth and small businesses. He frequently collaborates with community organizations to create programs that empower young people and strengthen local entrepreneurship. Corey studied psychology at Northern Illinois University and is a proud Chicago native and father who remains deeply committed to supporting his community.

Franklin N. Cosey-Gay is the Executive Director of the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention at the University of Chicago and co-director of the 1919 Chicago Race Riot Commemoration Project. His work focuses on public health approaches to violence prevention, emphasizing the need to address the structural conditions that contribute to inequity—including social, economic, and environmental factors tied to race and class.

Jeri Webb has built a long career in the nonprofit sector, most recently serving as Associate Vice President for Conferences and Meetings at the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Prior to that, she spent 11 years at the Field Museum, where she led the retail program across nine stores and worked closely with artisans around the world as a principal buyer of cultural goods. Earlier in her career, she served as Retail Director for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Jeri is known for her collaborative approach across nonprofit teams and boards, and her passion for organization, creativity, and building community. She holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

Laura Samson brings more than 35 years of experience across community organizing, nonprofit leadership, and philanthropy. She began her career as a community organizer in Chicago and later led programs for organizations focused on community development and the arts. Laura also spent over 25 years in philanthropy, serving as Executive Director of the Alphawood Foundation and later as Strategy Lead for Boeing Global Engagement, where she developed grantmaking strategies supporting education, racial equity, violence prevention, the arts, and environmental sustainability. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Macalester College and a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Harvard Business School.

Randy Stearns is a partner at Trilogy Interactive, a web design and marketing firm specializing in digital strategy for political campaigns, labor unions, public affairs, and nonprofit organizations. With more than 15 years of experience in interactive design and development, Randy has led numerous digital projects focused on advocacy and social impact. Prior to Trilogy, he founded the design and software firm Articulated Man. Randy holds a degree in Fine Art from Northwestern University.