Mikva Staff

Rohan Barrett, Associate Development Director
rohan@mikvachallenge.org
An alumnus of the Mikva Challenge program, Rohan joined the development staff in June of 2009. He manages Mikva Challenge's foundations and contracts portfolio and oversees Mikva's marketing and communications efforts. He holds a Masters degree in European Politics from the European-American University Consortium and a BA in Political Science from the University of IL-Chicago.

Jill Bass, Director of Curriculum and Teacher Development
jill@mikvachallenge.org
Jill has taught in Chicago and New York City public schools for 14 years and has been a Mikva teacher for much of that time.  She has a masters in Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has been a professional developer, curriculum writer, educational consultant and instructional coach.  At Mikva, Jill directs the Center for Action Civics, overseeing curriculum development, teacher training and marketing of "action civics" philosophy in Chicago and beyond.  

Kyle Boudreau, Elections in Action Program Coordinator (Julian Year Fellow) kyle@mikvachallenge.org
Kyle recently graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies. Before joining Mikva in August of 2011, he worked as a faith-based community organizer in Boston.  Kyle joins the Mikva team through the Julian Year Fellowship program sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago and Episcopal Charities and Community Services. Kyle will manage the Student Judge program at Mikva.

Brian Brady, Executive Director
brian@mikvachallenge.org
Brian has led the Mikva Challenge for 11 years and has over 20 years of experience as a youth worker. Prior to joining Mikva Challenge in 2000, Brian worked with at-risk youth on the West Side of Chicago. He has grown Mikva Challenge's unique model of action civics over the years from an all volunteer organization that served 120 students in 8 schools to one that now involves over 5,100 students from 101 Chicago area high schools annually and 22 staff. His vision for a society where youth's expertise, voice, and action are valued is what continues to be a driving force for the organization today. 

Karla Castilla, Youth Council Program Coordinator
karla@mikvachallenge.org
An alumna of Mikva Challenge, Karla has interned at SEIU and Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC). Karla later became a Mikva Peace Fellow in 2009, where she helped run a Peace & Leadership Council at the high school level. Last year, Karla came back to Mikva and helped launch a middle school pilot project at Orozco middle school. Karla joined the Mikva staff officially as a Peace & Leadership Council Coordinator in June of 2011.

ShaRhonda Dawson, Associate Director
sharhonda@mikvachallenge.org
ShaRhonda has been with Mikva since 2000. She has held many positions at Mikva and most recently directed Mikva's Elections program. She currently supervises all of Mikva's youth policymaking programs. ShaRhonda holds a Masters degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

Francisco "Cisco" Enriquez, Youth Council Program Coordinator
cisco@mikvachallenge.org
Cisco graduated from Governors State University with a bachelor's degree in Social Work and graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago with a master's degree in Social Work with a concentration in Community Health and Urban Development. He has experience working as a childcare worker at a resident home for youth and also as a youth advocate for an after school program. During the 2010-2011 school year, Cisco interned at Mikva Challenge in the student judge program and PLC program. He currently coordinates Peace & Leadership Councils at two Chicago high schools.

Meghan Goldenstein, Center for Action Civics Coordinator
meghan@mikvachallenge.org
Meghan holds a Masters in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and comes to Mikva following previous work as a children's librarian assistant, a teacher, and a field organizer during the 2008 presidential campaign. At Mikva, she assists with communications, marketing, and outreach within the Center for Action Civics.

Rocio Herrera, Operations Coordinator & Lead Bookkeeper
rocio@mikvachallenge.org
Rocio is a graduate of Kelly High School and National-Louis University, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. Rocio supports the Operations and Development staff and is a native Spanish speaker. She also provides staff support for Mikva's Community Leadership Scholarship.

Ayeshia "AJ" Johnson, Youth Council Program Director
aj@mikvachallenge.org
Ayeshia Johnson comes to Mikva Challenge with experience in organizing, canvassing, and health advocacy. She served as the Canvass Director at Campaign for Change, and recently worked in the Englewood community as the Community Networker with the Consortium to Lower Childhood Obesity in Chicago (CLOCC).

Emma Kornfeld, Issues to Action Program Director
emma@mikvachallenge.org
Before joining Mikva in May of 2009, Emma earned her degree in English at Washington University in St. Louis, with minors in Writing and Women's Studies. She currently oversees Mikva Challenge's community organizing 101 program - Issues to Action.

Benjamin "Ben" Levine, Youth Council Program Coordinator
ben@mikvachallenge.org
Originally from New York City, Ben graduated from the University of Rochester in 2010, where he studied History, Religion and Geology. Ben comes to Mikva after participating in AVODAH, The Jewish Service Corps program in Chicago where he worked at Perspectives Middle Academy as part of the Elev8 initiative. Now a full-time staff member, Ben facilitates Peace and Leadership Councils at Perspectives Middle Academy and Wells Academy High School.

Miriam Martinez, Youth Council Program Director
miriam@mikvachallenge.org
Miriam is a distinguished alumna of the Mikva Challenge and a graduate of the University of IL-Chicago, with a major in Political Science. She has been on the Mikva staff since 2003 and has directed the Education Council (formerly Youth Innovation Fund) and Out-of-School Time Council (now Youth Commission).

Cristina Perez, Elections in Action Program Director
cristina@mikvachallenge.org
Cristina graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Public Policy. She has returned to the Mikva Challenge after interning with our Summer Government & Leadership Institute in 2007. She oversees Mikva Challenge's Campaign and Student Judge Program.

Joshua Prudowsky, Youth Council Program Director
joshua@mikvachallenge.org
Born and raised in Chicago, Josh has his Masters in Public Health from the University of Illinois - Chicago. Over the past seven years Josh has local and international experience in community organizing, curriculum development, group facilitation, and program planning. At Mikva, Josh is the Program Director of the Citywide Teen Health Council.

Kelly Rolf, Director of Development
kelly@mikvachallenge.org
Kelly oversees the development and implementation of Mikva's fundraising and communications strategy. Before joining the Mikva staff in early 2008, she worked in book publishing in New York City.

Jackie Rosa, Youth Council Program Director
jackie@mikvachallenge.org
Jackie joined the Mikva team in June of 2011 to run the newly launched Youth Commission of Mikva's youth policymaking program. Born and raised in Chicago, Jackie is a proud graduate of the Chicago Public School system. Prior to joining the Mikva team, Jackie spent the last five years doing youth development work at Sullivan High School.

Christopher "Chris" Rudd, Youth Council Program Director
chris@mikvachallenge.org
Christopher has been a community organizer and an advocate for youth empowerment in Chicago for over a decade. He started organizing with the SouthWest Youth Collaborative in the Marquette Park neighborhood. He will return to his home base and use his experience to work with youth at Marquette elementary. Similar to his work at Maquette, Christopher will also be working at Reavis elementary school, guiding students to realize their power and make change as a Peace and Leadership Council Coordinator.

Catalina Salley, Senior Operations Director
catalina@mikvachallenge.org
Catalina joined the staff at Mikva in April of 2011. She oversees finance, accounting, human resources, information technology and administration. She has over 12 years of executive leadership experience in not for profit healthcare organizations and in 10 years of leadership in the for profit sector.

Brenan Smith-Evans, Associate Director
brenan@mikvachallenge.org
Brenan holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has been at Mikva since 2005. She oversees all the teacher-based programs at the Mikva Challenge including the Issues to Action, Democracy in Action, and Elections in Action programs.

Brittany Spralls, Issues to Action Coordinator
brittany@mikvachallenge.org
Brittany is an alumna of the Mikva Challenge. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology. Before joining Mikva, Brittany interned on Capitol Hill in Washington DC for the House of Representatives. Brittany will be running Mikva Challenge's Project Soapbox program this fall.

Stephanie Troche, Youth Council Program Coordinator
stephanie@mikvachallenge.org
Stephanie started with Mikva Challenge in  2009 through the Public Allies program, a community leadership apprenticeship program, and has been on staff for over a year now. She has led Peace & Leadership Councils at EPIC Academy, Marshall and Sullivan High School.

Tessa Zevallos, Development & Communications Coordinator
tessa@mikvachallenge.org
Tessa began with Mikva Challenge as a Peace Corps Fellow in 2010. Once a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru,  Tessa holds a Masters degree in Sociology and Community and Economic Development. She is now a full-time staff member in the Development Department involved in the Department's assessment, communications and fundraising efforts.

Mikva Challenge's Part Time Talent:

Keneasha McClellan, Office Assistant
A Mikva Challenge alumna, Keneasha is now a student at Devry University earning a degree in Business Administration. She has been working at Mikva Challenge since July of 2009.

Paige Azuma, Youth Council Intern

Kate Bjorklund, Youth Council Intern

Mari Mikolajczak, Youth Council Intern