Convening, Amplifying, and Investing in Chicago's Youth-Serving Ecosystem

Sana Jafri is the Executive Director of the Chicago Learning Exchange (CLX), a nonprofit network of 200+ youth-serving organizations in Chicago's out-of-school time learning ecosystem. Sana has been with CLX for over eight and half years and during this time, her accomplishments include creating the City of Chicago's first festival for experiential learning entitled Chicago Learning Days as well creating the Brother Mike Award for outstanding connected mentorship.

Sana has diverse personal and professional experiences that are woven together by an emphasis on improving lives and communities through racial equity and social change. Her previous professional experiences include working in philanthropy, community development, and education (in-school and out-of-school).

Sana completed her Master's in Public Policy and Administration at Northwestern University. Sana received her undergraduate degree in secondary teaching from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Sana's most important role is also serving as a mom to two little boys.

Hillary Cook joined the Chicago Learning Exchange team in October 2022 as the Director of Programs. In this role, Hillary leads CLX's programmatic portfolio of collective learning and impact programs, community building and network opportunities, and special events that amplify and invest in the work of Chicago's youth development professionals.

Prior to joining CLX, Hillary worked in youth development for 14 years, building programs that centered youth voice and leadership within art museums. Her practice as an informal educator and programmer was driven by co-creating with communities, platforming the power of youth voice, and creating equitable career and mentorship programs. As a Chicago youth development professional, Hillary actively participated in CLX. Those experiences as a network member were transformational for her practice as an educator, and allowed her to see the power of social impact networks in action.

Hillary studied at Penn State University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, earning degrees in Art Education, Painting, Art History, and Arts Administration. Celebrating the power of creativity and youth voice are also at the center of her collaborative practice at home as a mom to two messy and energetic kids.

Lance Russell serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Chicago Learning Exchange, leading all financial and administrative activities that support the organization’s mission to catalyze racial equity, access and quality in Chicago’s out-of-school time ecosystem. Lance is a nonprofit consultant with experience in youth services, workforce development, education and social enterprise.

Prior to founding his consulting practice, Lance was the Executive Director of Spark Program, a out-of-school time mentoring and career exploration program for Chicago middle schoolers, and served as the Chief Executive Officer for Chicago Tech Academy high school. Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Lance spent twenty years in the technology sector, including co-founding and leading PointBridge, a technology consulting firm specializing in collaboration and content management solutions.

A native of Northwest Indiana and the son of public school teachers, Lance earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Indiana University and has completed graduate-level coursework in cultural and educational policy studies at Loyola University. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois with his two teenage children.

Liliana Macias is an educator, cultural worker, and scholar. As an educator she has teaching experience in both higher education and K-12, curriculum development, and professional development for educators. Her teaching practice, which centers the abolitionist practice of undoing power structures in the classroom, has been shaped by bell hooks work and her parents who have been CPS educators for more than twenty-five years. She brings this practice to her work in informal education through museums and cultural centers as well as a lecturer for Northeastern Illinois University. As a cultural worker, she has developed and managed education initiatives for museums that center racial equity, advised and led exhibition curation, and developed public engagement programs. She also provides contract work to support local cultural institutions through strategic planning and community centered program development models.

Liliana obtained her bachelor of arts in Latino and Latin American studies with a minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality studies from Northeastern Illinois University. A Master’s in Latino and Latin American Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. She is currently a PhD candidate in the history department at the University of Illinois Chicago where she is focusing on the cultivation and documentation of Chicago's queer Latine/x cultural histories. Liliana enjoys spending time with her chosen family and her two lovely cats Baldwin and Tomi.

Taylor is an intern from Adler University. She is currently working toward a masters dual degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Sport & Human Performance. She attended Presbyterian College where she played golf and earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology.