Serving Adults Since 1968
In 1968, two organizations, Literacy Volunteers of Chicago and Literacy Council of Chicago, were created to address the literacy and language needs of Chicago adults. These two dynamic groups merged in 1992 to establish Literacy Chicago.
Since then thousands of adults have participated in the broad range of programs Literacy Chicago has developed, including Basic Literacy, GED preparation, English as a Second Language, Workforce Development, Citizenship classes, Digital Literacy and numerous bridge programs.
Dedicated tutor volunteers contribute greatly to the success of Literacy Chicago and make a big difference in the lives of the students they work with.
Since then thousands of adults have participated in the broad range of programs Literacy Chicago has developed, including Basic Literacy, GED preparation, English as a Second Language, Workforce Development, Citizenship classes, Digital Literacy and numerous bridge programs.
Dedicated tutor volunteers contribute greatly to the success of Literacy Chicago and make a big difference in the lives of the students they work with.
Who We Serve & Who We Are
Students
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Staff
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Our Staff
Leadership
Executive Director
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Richard Dominguez joined the Board of Directors for Literacy Chicago in 2008 and transitioned to become Literacy Chicago‘s Treasurer in the fall of 2010. Richard accepted the role as Executive Director for Literacy Chicago in December 2013. He feels passionate about adult education and literacy because his parents also faced the same challenges as many of the Literacy Chicago students whose first language isn't English. He witnessed first hand his parents' struggles throughout the years due to their limited education. Today Richard strives to make a difference by assisting individuals in learning how to read and write.
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Director of Program Development
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Born in Chicago, Joanne has always been an adventurer. She has lived and worked in France, Pakistan, Egypt, and Qatar. Joanne is fluent in French and can get by in Arabic. Upon her return to Chicago she spent four years developing and teaching Cognitive Fitness programs before accepting a position teaching ESL and citizenship courses. A member of Toastmasters International, Joanne received the Distinguished Toastmaster Award, the highest level of educational achievement in Toastmasters and holds her degree in French from the University of Illinois. As Director of Program Development at Literacy Chicago since 2016, Joanne enjoys this adventure of enriching lives by helping adults in her hometown.
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Program Operations Manager
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Marilyn Murchison is the Operations/Program Manager at Literacy Chicago. She has been with the organization since 2006, overseeing all office functions and managing grant reporting and compliance. Marilyn is also a member of the Chicago Area Planning Council which promotes dialogue, partnerships, and collaborations for the development of literate adult population in Chicago. In 2010, Marilyn received the "Literacy Hero" award from Literacy Chicago. She manages extensive ESL, GED and ABE programs including testing, placement, and orientation. At Literacy Chicago, she works closely with the instructors to ensure that our classes meet with Illinois standards of higher education.
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Transition Coordinator
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Jeannie is the Transition Coordinator for Literacy Chicago. Her relationship with Literacy Chicago began in 2018 when she started volunteering as a tutor and Citizenship class instructor. Previously, she served as Director of Production at Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, and also worked as an editor/project manager for a variety of international educational publishing houses. Her interest in education and literacy began when she served as a TEFL volunteer in Thailand with the Peace Corps.
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Instructors
GED
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Jan Derrick joined Literacy Chicago as a part-time instructor in an off-site workforce initiative. Recognizing her skills and commitment to students’ success, she was offered a full-time position wherein she would merge workforce, GED and literacy initiatives. In this position she provided oversight to off-site instructors, ensuring that Literacy Chicago’s vision was incorporated across programs. Jan expanded Literacy Chicago’s courses for digital technology, literacy, and GED classes to enhance instructors’ ability to integrate technology and employment skills. She further took the initiative to develop relationships with colleges and service organizations to remove barriers to students’ success.
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GED
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Dorcas Riddick, affectionately called Miss Dee, dedicates her life to service as an educator, facilitator, coach and trainer. She makes a conscious, deliberate effort to disrupt the story one believes about him/herself, to introduce the belief in possibilities, to add value to learners, and to impact destinies, if need be, one person or hundreds of people at a time in teachable moments. Dorcas Riddick answers her call with passion helping diverse under privileged, underserved people groups achieve their ABE/GED/ASE personal, academic, and/or professional goals in remote and/or in person instructional modalities.
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ESL
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Bruce Ingram comes to ESL after 25 years in arts journalism, writing and editing for a number of national and Chicago-area publications. After becoming a certified ESL instructor in 2017, he began teaching Chinese children online before turning to teaching and tutoring in person in a variety of Chicago settings—particularly enjoying teaching adults from around the world at Literacy Chicago. In addition to working on the basics of grammar and reading comprehension, we always take time to engage in conversation and exchange ideas. Bruce has an undergraduate degree in theater and film and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
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ESL
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Marisol Guzman is a Digital Literacy and ESL instructor. Born and raised in the Little Village area, she saw firsthand the challenges a predominantly immigrant-base community has, as well as the tremendous opportunity that comes from investing in one's community.
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ESL
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Alexandra Stevenson started teaching ESL at Literacy Chicago in 2022, working with Ukrainian refugees in Ukrainian Village. She also enjoys one-on-one tutoring at Literacy Chicago, which she has been doing since 2021. Before joining Literacy Chicago, Alexandra taught English, studio art, and art/ architectural history at a northwest suburban high school, where she loved being in two departments and teaching interdisciplinary curricula. Aside from teaching, Alexandra is also a practicing artist who spends as much time as she can in her Ravenswood studio. She exhibits her paintings in Chicago and beyond, and also works part time as a Teaching Artist with Art Encounter. A long time Chicago resident, Alexandra knew she wanted to work in the city when she retired from high school teaching, and Literacy Chicago has provided a wonderful opportunity to do meaningful work with inspiring students.
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ESL
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Susan Chestnut is an ESL teacher, starting at Literacy Chicago in July 2023. She has 2 master’s degrees, one in Education and also Clinical Psychology. Susan started her career as a special education teacher. She has extensive experience working with young children and families. She earned her TEFL Certification from Language Institute Chiang Mai University (LICMU) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She developed and taught LICMU’s first ESL classes for special needs students. Susan created and taught U.S. citizenship and ESL classes for emergent level students. In addition to teaching, Susan trains ESL volunteers to tutor adult learners. The foundation of Susan’s work is to develop a genuine, caring, supportive relationship with her learners in which each feels valued, accepted, and safe.
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ESL
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Mladen Markovic is a seasoned ESL educator, holding a Master's Degree in ESL/TESOL from Northeastern Illinois University. With a dedicated tenure spanning six years in ESL instruction, he brings a wealth of expertise and a profound passion for the field. His commitment to enhancing language proficiency aligns seamlessly with his academic background. Delighted to contribute his skills to Literacy Chicago, Mladen is engaged in empowering immigrants on their journey to mastering the English language. His enthusiasm for teaching is evident in his ongoing pursuit of excellence in the realm of ESL education. Beyond the classroom, Mladen Markovic nurtures a global perspective through his love for travel, exploring diverse countries and cultures. Returning to his homeland of Serbia during the summer provides him with a cultural anchor. Complementing his linguistic pursuits, he delves into history,with a keen interest in understanding global societies.Mladen also enjoys reading and cinema, and exploring the Forest Preserves, parks, and the scenic coastline of Lake Michigan.
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ESL
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Sarah Dandelles is an English language teacher with an arts, culture, and nonprofit management background. Her master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is from Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), where she has also worked since completing her coursework, along with other teaching experience with students from around the world. Her professional interest is in decolonizing the English language classroom within or outside of the U.S. and creating supportive, authentically student-centered, student-driven learning environments. A global citizen at heart, Sarah enjoys traveling and welcoming international guests to the greatest city in the U.S., Chicago. Sarah is also a Swedish, Norwegian, French, Spanish, and Arabic language learner. She earned her B.A. in English and B.F.A. in Painting from the University of Iowa (graduating at age 47).
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Executive Board of Directors
President - Marilyn Peterson
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Employer: The Boeing Company
Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, City University, Seattle, WA; Associate of Risk Management, Insurance Institute of America. |
John Wayne once said “Courage is being scared of death…and saddling up anyway.” Learning to read as an adult takes a great deal of courage and a healthy dose of determination. My mission at Literacy Chicago is to reward that courage and determination by ensuring the availability of excellent literacy programs that will meet the needs of all our adult students."
Vice President - Steve Ginsburgh
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Steve Ginsburgh is presently an executive consultant with Metrus Group. His previous 39 year career of HR accomplishments spans several industries including: aviation, consulting, energy, beverage, chemical, and utility. His education includes an A.B. degree in psychology from Washington University in St. Louis in 1970 and an A.M. degree in LIR from U. of Illinois at Champaign – Urbana in 1975. Steve achieved his SPHR certification in 1995 and has contributed to seven publications on leadership and workforce development.
Steve served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam era and today is a volunteer at the National Museum of the American Sailor. In 1983, he was a team member of President Reagan's Private Sector Survey. He has served as the President of the Board for Literacy Advance of Houston and SER Jobs for Progress. In addition to being a board member of Literacy Chicago he is an active tutor. |
A successful life requires giving back to others."
Treasurer - Diane Fleming-Coker |
Education: Masters in Secondary Education; Bachelors in Finance with minor in Economics. Prior experience as a financial analyst in banking, senior field examiner – FINRA, and financial consultant. Extensive background in financial accounting and securities regulation.
Employer: FDIC – Capital Markets. Previously a Finance Academy instructor/coordinator and online mentor with Chicago Public Schools. Interests: Adult and young adult literacy, financial literacy, and distance learning. Certificates: Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling, Secondary Education (09), Administration (75), Microsoft Office User Specialist – Excel. Memberships: National Business Education Association (NBEA), Illinois Business Education Association, Delta Pi Epsilon (DPE), and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). |
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." - Sir Richard Steele
Secretary - Bill Fehrman |
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Director - Deborah Best |
Director - Joann Horton |
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Sandra Mangurian |
Associate Board
Membership Chair - Ann Keeton
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As a journalist, Ann covered everything from fashion and retailing at Women's Wear Daily to the airline and aerospace industry at the Wall Street Journal. She continues to write, and tutors adult learners in ESL and literacy.
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Social Media Chair - Vernon Fleming
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Chicago native Vernon Fleming is a versatile professional in Grant Management, Instructional Design, Consulting, and Business Development, known for his strong educational foundation with degrees in Philosophy and International Marketing. Founder of South Side Consulting (SSC), he's made a lasting impact by engaging communities, forging partnerships, and championing job seekers. With an unwavering commitment to positive change, Vernon continues to drive transformative outcomes and shape a brighter future.
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Member - Dan Winter
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Dan is a Chicago native who joined Literacy Chicago's Associate Board in February 2024. Dan works as an office leasing broker for CBRE and brings more than seven years of ESL and citizenship education experience to this team. He has a passion for helping others navigate the naturalization process and prepare for obtaining their citizenship.
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Member - Liam Sharkey |
Liam, consultant and chess fanatic. A new Literacy Chicago Associate Board member as of April 2023. Liam joined to make a lasting impact on the community by empowering individuals to improve self sufficiency through language and literacy.
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Member - Venessa Velazquez |
Venessa has lived in Chicago for the past four years and enjoys being part of the community through acts of service. She is a member of Activate Chi and a volunteer for Tutoring Chicago. She has a background in event/conference planning and enjoys advocating for others.
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Member - Vasilios Rosenzweig |
Vasilios is a Chicago native, with a volunteering background in disaster relief with Team Rubicon and with a professional background in accounting and finance. He currently works as a Senior Analyst within Lincoln International's Valuations and Opinions Group. Vasilios enjoys collecting and listening to records, and playing saxophone.
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Member - Cammie Shakir
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Member - Imani Elizabeth |
Member - Selaam Dollisso
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Member - Nathalie Galde
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Member - Eric Chin |
Member - Kate Rothmeyer |
Member - Reggie Owens
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Member - Omar Khalyfa |
Member - Sara Jankovic |
Liason to Literacy Chicago - Joanne Telser-Frère |
Joanne is Literacy Chicago's woman on the ground for the Associate Board's work. She is the go-between the Board and Literacy Chicago.
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Partners |
Sponsors |