Chicago House Associate Board Welcomes New Members

L to R: Jackie Peszynski, Alex Klein, Daniel McNicholas, Brooke Morris-Chott, Jeniffer Carson, Lance Wheeler, and John Oakford

CHICAGO, IL - Chicago House’s Associate Board welcomes six new members so far in 2020. In addition to fundraising and event support, this group of young and midcareer professionals supports the agency’s mission by creating awareness and visibility through their professional and social networks.

Says new member Brooke Morris-Chott, “It's important to me to advocate for my community and marginalized people like myself. Volunteering and serving on the Chicago House Associate Board allows me to support those affected by HIV/AIDS while educating others about the disease.”

Jeniffer Carson

After a 5 year career as a CPA, Jeniffer Carson, a proud UC Riverside Alumna and SoCal native, moved to the midwest to obtain her MBA at the Kellogg School of Management. She is passionate about leveraging her consulting and business experience to actively uplift marginalized groups, specifically within the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. She finds joy in trying new vegan recipes with family and friends, smudging (burning sage), traveling, discovering hidden gems at thrift stores, and rooting for everybody Blacks.

Alex Klein

Alex is a product designer, illustrator, and sea creature. He is new-ish to Chicago and excited to make it a home. After 10 years of design consulting, he started an innovation lab that launches new healthcare products. They’re based at Mhub and currently building a stress meter that enables you to measure your cortisol levels real-time. He has a BA from Georgetown University and a Masters in Engineering from MIT.  Beyond that, Alex loves being a dog dad to Bub, scuba diving, and dream homing.

Daniel McNicholas

Daniel is a public school educator who has been teaching literacy for five years in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.  Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia, Daniel moved to the Midwest to pursue a BS in Education from the University of Dayton and went on to earn his Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on English as a Second Language from Olivet Nazarene University.  Daniel has been worked in a variety of youth programs including academic tutoring, coaching, and advising his school building's Gay-Straight Alliance as well as being an active member of the American Federation of Teachers at the national and state level throughout his career. Additionally, he loves to read and travel to our nation's National Parks.

Brooke Morris-Chott

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Brooke has lived in New York City and the DC Metro area but has called Chicago her home for the past seven years. She lives in Pilsen with her husband, two spoiled cats, and an extremely loyal and affectionate dog. She works in communications and publishing at the American Library Association and is an avid reader and writer. In addition, Brooke enjoys traveling and has visited over 40 different countries.

John Oakford

John grew up in Illinois and went to school in upstate New York. After graduating, he returned to the Midwest to teach high school science and math with Teach For America at Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy. John taught at Rowe-Clark for four years and then spent a year teaching and leading a community school in the Aleutian Islands.  For the past four years, John has worked at McMaster-Carr Supply Company.  At McMaster-Carr, John leads people, projects, and operations. John is excited to join the Chicago House Associate Board and is energized to support work that is so important to our community and to our city.  For John, Gwendolyn Brooks captures our commitment to one another best: “We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business, we are each other’s magnitude and bond.”

Jackie Peszynski

Originally from the North Shore of Massachusetts, Jackie came to Chicago in early 2017 after graduating from Northeastern University with a BS in Business Administration and Political Science. A data specialist and analyst by trade, Jackie has significant experience in the sports and tech industries and now serves as a Decision Scientist at The Marketing Store, North America. In her free time, she loves supporting women’s sports, traveling, watching documentaries, and playing guitar.

Lance Wheeler

Lance oversees corporate convention business development efforts for Choose Chicago, Chicago's non-profit focused on economic impact via tourism.  Originally born in a small mountain town in northern Utah, his itch for city living took him to Washington, DC for 7 years, and then on to Chicago in early 2017.  Lance enjoys traveling and staying active outside.  Some of his favorite activities include running, hiking, and devouring the occasional Wisconsin fried cheese curd! 

Working in education has really shown me the impact of local community organizations that work tirelessly to better our society for those in need.  Serving on the Chicago House Associate Board allows me to take an active role in supporting the mission of the organization as it works to assist and support those affected by HIV/AIDS in our local community.” Said new member Daniel McNicholas.

To learn more about the Chicago House Associate Board and express interest in joining, contact Director of Annual Giving Tyler Hough.