Our Team

  • Connie Spreen

    Co-founder and Executive Director

  • Corey Chatman

    Deputy Director of Operations

  • Allison Baldwin

    Program Associate - Link Up Illinois

  • Raja Baptiste

    Retail Program Manager - Link Up Illinois

  • Merril Chesser

    Development Associate

  • Aren Chynoweth

    Program Manager - Blackstone Bicycle Works

  • Emily Cross

    Senior Market Manager - 61st Street Farmers Market

  • William Franklin

    Onsite Manager - City EBT Program

  • Kate Gurke

    Program Manager - Link Up Illinois

  • Joy Joshua

    Program Assistant - 61st Street Farmers Market

  • Matthew Ruffi

    Senior Program Manager - Link Up Illinois

  • Ying Tzarm

    Communications and Marketing Associate

Board of Directors

President

Former Vice President and General Counsel, Dearborn Wholesale Grocer
Director, Renaissance Society

Marty Friedman

Vice President

Energy sector lawyer, retired
Former Trustee, Carleton College
Former Director, WBEZ Former Director, Crown Youth Center
Former Director, Chicago Council on Urban Affairs

Emmitt House

Co-Founder & Director

Artist, Associate Professor of Art (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Former Board President

Dan Peterman

Mulubwa Munkanta

Treasurer

Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis, SRAM Corporation

Director

Attorney at Law

Beth Loeb

Director

Southwest Airlines

Corliss King

Curatorial Advisor

Office of the President, The University of Chicago

Jill Ingrassia

Director

Principal, Wright

Richard Wright

Director

Architect, Principal, Studio Gang

Steve Wiesenthal