Mikva Staff
Jaime Arteaga, Leadership and Activism Coordinator
jaime@mikvachallenge.org
Jaime came to Mikva from the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform. He leads the Youth Safety Council and facilitates the Peace and Leadership Council at Bowen High School.
Ciana Ashton, Elections and Leadership Coordinator
ciana@mikvachallenge.org
Ciana coordinates the Student Judge Program and co-facilitates the youth policymaking councils. She has been with Mikva since 2006.
Brian Brady, Executive Director
mikvachallenge@aol.com
Brian has led the Mikva Challenge for eight years and has over 20 years of experience as a youth worker. Brian has grown Mikva from an organization that served 120 students in 8 schools to one that now involves over 3,100 students from 61 Chicago public schools annually.
ShaRhonda Dawson, Elections in Action Director
sharonda@mikvachallenge.org
ShaRhonda has been with Mikva since 2000. She manages the Elections in Action program and most recently oversaw student trips to the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire Primary.
Rich Feffer, Elections in Action Coordinator
rich@mikvachallenge.org
Rich earned his Master's in Sociology at Illinois State University. He coordinates the Elections in Action program and has been with Mikva since 2007.
Kareem Manuel, Leadership and Activism Coordinator
kareem@mikvachallenge.org
Kareem has been working with youth on Chicago's West Side for over five years. He joined Mikva in 2007 and facilitates the Peace and Leadership Council at Orr High School.
Miriam Martinez, Youth Education Council Director
miriam@mikvachallenge.org
Miriam is a distinguished alumna of the Mikva Challenge. She has been on the Mikva staff since 2003 and has directed the Youth Education Council (formerly Youth Innovation Fund) since 2007.
Jelani McEwen-Torrence, Issues to Action Director
jelani@mikvachallenge.org
A Mikva Challenge alumnus, Jelani served as an Americorps volunteer in Boston and taught writing and public speaking at Urban Prep Charter Academy in the Englewood neighborhood before joining the staff in the summer of 2008. He currently directs the Issues to Action program.
Matthew Meisenhelder, Operations Coordinator
matt@mikvachallenge.org
Before joining Mikva in 2008, Matt managed the senior staff and oversaw daily operations for HotHouse, the Center for International Performance and Exhibition. He supervises office administration and coordinates human resources and office accounting.
Javaris Pratt, Teen Health Council Director
javaris@mikvachallenge.org
A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Javaris served as an ESL teacher and HIV/AIDS educator from 2005-2007 in Lesotho, Africa. Javaris leads the citywide Teen Health Council and will assist with the Peace and Leadership councils this fall.
Kelly Rolf, Grants and Communications Coordinator
kelly@mikvachallenge.org
Before joining Mikva in 2008, Kelly lived in New York City, where she worked in publishing. She is Mikva's grantwriter and coordinates the organization's internal and external communications.
Brenan Smith, Senior Program Director
brenan@mikvachallenge.org
Brenan holds a Masters of Social Work from University of Illinois at Chicago and has been at Mikva since 2005. She oversees the Summer Government and Leadership Institute and the Peace and Leadership Council initiative.
