Staff

JACQUELINE BARAJAS
Executive Assistant
Jacqueline is responsible for administrative tasks and special projects to the CEO. She also serves as the direct liaison to the Board of Directors. Prior to joining Horizons for Youth, Jacqueline worked at La Casa Student Housing, an initiative to support first-generation college students succeed through college. Jacqueline became passionate about education while studying at Marquette University, where she graduated with her B.A. in Social Welfare and Spanish, becoming the first in her family to earn a degree. Since then Jacqueline has worked in non-profit advocating for stronger educational opportunities for folks of all ages.
jacqueline@horizons-for-youth.org

MEGHAN COLGAN
Chief of Staff
Meghan leads the team in day to day operations, staff training, and development opportunities. She coordinates between the program and development teams for strategic initiatives, program evaluation, and donor relations. Meghan initially worked at Horizons for Youth from 2006-2010, spent some time working at nonprofits in the California Bay Area, and then returned to the Horizons for Youth team in 2014. Meghan has her BA from the University of Notre Dame and MA from DePaul University. meghan@horizons-for-youth.org

JOSE A. CONTRERAS 

High School Program Manager
José leads the High School Program to ensure our students succeed and self-advocate for themselves in their four years of high school. He also plans high school enrichment outings. In his free time, José is an author and podcast host on the issues of self-development, identity, and advocacy. José earned his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and his Master’s Degree in Administrative Leadership (Adult and Continuing Education Leadership) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
jose@horizons-for-youth.org

AUDREY GEORGE
Chief Executive Officer
Audrey has led Horizons for Youth since 1999, overseeing growth from 42 students to 265, and staff from 2 to 17. Before Horizons for Youth, Audrey held positions at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Blessed Sacrament Youth Center in North Lawndale. She has presented at the National Partnership for Educational Access’ annual conference, the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management, the UChicago Booth School of Business, and the University of Notre Dame. Audrey holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.A. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.
audrey@horizons-for-youth.org

MIRIAM GLENN
Program Manager
Miriam is a Program Manager at Horizons for Youth, where she manages a group of 60+ students during monthly enrichment outings and supports their families at school meetings. Prior to joining Horizons for Youth, Miriam worked as a paraprofessional at CICS Bucktown, then served as the Special Ed Assistant at Kozminski Elementary School. Miriam has a B.A in Fashion Business from Columbia College Chicago.
miriam@horizons-for-youth.org

MARIA GUZMAN
Program Manager
As a Program Manager, Maria works with over 40 students and their families and manages the Horizons for Youth counseling program. Maria is no stranger to Horizons for Youth, having been involved herself as a program parent since 2005. After moving to the United States from Mexico at age 15, Maria held several positions, most recently at Casa Central in Humboldt Park and at Head Start. Maria has an Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Social Work and Education from St. Augustine College.
maria@horizons-for-youth.org

JOCELYN HERNANDEZ
Program Manager
Jocelyn Hernandez is a Program Manager with Horizons for Youth, where she works closely with students and families. Previously, Jocelyn volunteered for AmeriCorps as a Scholar Coach with the Schuler Scholar Program at RTC Medical Preparatory School in Chicago. She also has experience in implementing and overseeing social and emotional support programs for high school students. Jocelyn holds a B.A from Denison University in Communications and Spanish.
jocelyn@horizons-for-youth.org

RASHAUNDA LANIER-JACKSON
Program Manager
Rashaunda Lanier-Jackson is a Program Manager with Horizons for Youth. She works with students and families from a variety of schools around Chicago, with a special focus on St. Catherine-St. Lucy School in Oak Park. Before coming to Horizons, Rashaunda taught middle school English and worked at the district level for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Public Policy Administration from James Madison University and a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
rashaunda@horizons-for-youth.org

STEPHENIE LAZARUS
Development Director
Stephenie oversees Horizons for Youth’s development team, including student sponsorships, marketing, events, and grants. Prior to joining Horizons for Youth, Stephenie served as the Development Director at Providence Englewood Charter School and the Development Manager at LIFT-Chicago. Stephenie holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in Social Work from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration.
stephenie@horizons-for-youth.org

ADRIANA MARTINEZ
Development Coordinator
Adriana is responsible for managing the Horizons for Youth databases, providing support for fundraising events and monthly enrichment outings, and assisting with the creation of communication pieces. Prior to joining the team, Adriana interned for Horizons for Youth during her summer breaks from college and over the past year, working closely with the program and development teams. She is a Horizons for Youth alumna and is excited to have the opportunity to give back to the Horizons for Youth community. Adriana holds a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
adriana@horizons-for-youth.org

EMMA MITCHELL
Volunteer Coordinator
Emma is responsible for recruiting and managing individual and group volunteers. Before joining Horizons for Youth, Emma completed an AmeriCorps service year at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, working with their Volunteer Engagement team. Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Emma found a second home in Chicago after moving to the city for college. She earned a B.S. in Hospitality Leadership with a focus in Event Management from DePaul University
emma@horizons-for-youth.org

LUPE RUIZ
Finance & HR Manager
As Finance and Operations Manager, Lupe is responsible for processing donations, managing databases, handling accounts payable/receivable, and generating acknowledgment letters. Prior to joining Horizons for Youth, Lupe served for seven years as an Assistant Manager at The Children’s Place, managing payroll and scheduling for her team. Lupe is a graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep High School and holds a B.A. from Northeastern Illinois University.
lupe@horizons-for-youth.org

JACQUELINE SALGADO
Office Manager
Jacqueline serves as the Office Manager for Horizons for Youth. She will help keep our office running smoothly by being the point of contact for all who phone and visit the office while also managing many important activities for the Finance & HR Manager and the Development Coordinator. Jacqueline has worked with UBS Financial Services for over 2 years and began working with Horizons for Youth since her freshman year at DePaul University as our office intern. She is a management major with a concentration in Operations Management and will be graduating in June 2019.
jackie@horizons-for-youth.org

BARRY J. SULLIVAN
Consultant
Barry and his family became involved with the organization when his son Declan died while working as a videographer for the University of Notre Dame football team. To honor Declan’s legacy, Barry’s family established a memorial fund and now host an annual gala, both of which benefit Horizons for Youth. Barry served on the Horizons for Youth Board of Directors before joining the staff full time in 2015. Barry earned BS and MS degrees from Marquette University, and a Ph.D. from Princeton University, all in electrical engineering.
barry@horizons-for-youth.org

IAVORA VLAYTCHEVA
Development Manager 
As the Development Manager, Iavora is responsible for managing grants, corporate and foundation relationships, student sponsorships, donor updates, and general development growth. Prior to joining the team, Iavora worked with Common Threads Chicago as a grant writer, as the Office Manager at Ohio Citizen Action, and on a number of progressive political campaigns throughout the Midwest. Iavora holds a Bachelors of Art from the University of Missouri in Political Science and a Masters in Public Administration and Policy from the University of Illinois-Chicago. 
iavora@horizons-for-youth.org