Modesto Tico Valle is the Chief Executive Officer of Center on Halsted, the most comprehensive community center in the Midwest dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community in Chicago.

A native of Chicago, Valle is a longtime community activist and organizer. He founded the Chicago Chapter NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt in 1990 and was instrumental in bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the National Mall in 1996. He has served as both a volunteer and staff member at a number of Chicago-area non-profits including Chicago House, Test Positive Awareness Network and Open Hand Chicago, where he served as the organization's first Volunteer Services Director.

Valle was named CEO of Center on Halsted in 2007, where he oversaw the opening of the 175,000 square foot community center. Since taking the helm, Center on Halsted has grown into a full-fledged community center with an annual operating budget of more than $7 million. Under his leadership, more than 1,400 community members visit the Center every day. Patrons participate in the wide variety of programs and services offered ranging from volleyball, cooking classes and yoga to HIV testing, group therapy and job training. Valle was instrumental in bringing several landmark efforts to the Center, such as the first LGBTQ-friendly affordable housing project for Seniors and the nation’s first LGBT clinical psychology internship with Northwestern University. In the spring of 2016, Valle lead the launch of the Center’s Youth Housing Initiative, as well as the fall 2017 launch of the Get to Zero campaign.

Valle attended DePaul University and Notre Dame's Seminary School. In addition, he holds certificates in nonprofit management from Harvard Business School and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He was recently appointed to the CenterLink Board of Directors and has served on the board of the NAMES Project Foundation, Equality Education Project, City of Chicago LGBT Health Council, Illinois Violence Prevention Authority Board, City of Chicago Employment Task Force, Welcoming Committee NATO, Illinois HIV/AIDS Advisory Council, Board Member of Horizons Community Services and the Chicago Children's Choir. In recognition of his work, Valle has been named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine, inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, honored by the national NAMES Project Foundation and the Norman Bobins Leadership Award and he received a Red Ribbon Leadership Award from the State of Illinois.

Susan Heatherly, Human Resource Director, is responsible for all human resource functions for Center on Halsted. Her area of responsibility includes recruitment and staffing, employee relations, benefits, compensation, learning and development, leadership development and provides strategic leadership to our senior managers. An accomplished professional, she is spearheading our shared leadership program to transform our culture to align with our collaborative vision.

Susan has 16 years of human resources experience in small to large organizations. She has worked in various industries including healthcare, nonprofit, staffing, telecommunications, manufacturing and distribution. Her skills includes talent acquisition (recruiting) and management, training, process improvement, performance management, career development, diversity program development, employee relations, succession planning, benefits, compensation, contract negotiation, payroll, cost savings, safety and compliance issues for salaried and hourly employees. She has worked in both union and non-union organizations.

Most recently Susan directed the Human Resources for St. Mary’s Home, a 5-star 76-bed nursing home for the elderly poor with 115 employees in Chicago, where she successfully developed HR policies and resolved employee relation issues. She implemented an employee retention program and revenue generating initiative with the IL WorkNet Center through the Illinois Dept. of Employment Security (IDES) to secure On-the-Job Training (OJT) funds for the Home.

A native of Ohio, Susan earned a Master of Education degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota and a Business Administration degree in Finance from Ursuline College in Cleveland, Ohio. Through Ursuline’s reciprocal relationship, she received a Minor in Political Science from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

In addition, Susan volunteers with the Illinois Worknet Center to provide training, development and job readiness skills for the unemployed. She loves cooking, reality television and international travel. Her most recent trips have included St. Croix, St. Kitts, Aruba and Egypt. She also enjoys yoga, Pilates and cycling. Creative and talented Susan is known for her homemade greeting cards and one-of-a-kind recipes.

Jim attended Buena Vista University, interested in both Communication Studies, with an emphasis in Journalism and Television Production, and Computer Science. After graduating, Jim took a year off to explore photography and travelling before moving to DeKalb, IL where he attended Northern Illinois University and taught classes in Media Production while working on a Masters degree in Communication Studies.

In 1995, Jim moved to Chicago and began a career with Travel 2000, a travel specialty store where he served as a store manager and corporate trainer. In 1999, Jim turned down a promotion to become district manager when he learned of a career opportunity at Horizons Community Services. In March of 1999, Jim joined Horizons Community Services as Volunteer Coordinator and Information Technology (IT) Manager. Over the years, Jim assisted in several transformative initiatives for the organization, actively engaged in the growth of a small, grass roots social service agency into Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ Community Center.

Over his tenure, Jim has served in a variety of progressive capacities and now serves as Chief Technology and Operations Officer, responsible for technology and building operations including infrastructure, security, reception, and operations staff at multiple sites.

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Brittany Terry has a hand in building all diversity, equity, and inclusion programming offered by Center. This includes staff trainings, culture building, and community outreach. Brittany is intentional about making sure our actions ladder up to Center’s mission, values and racial equity statements.

Originally from New York, Brittany began her Chicago journey at Loyola University Chicago for graduate school, where she studied sociology. Throughout her time at Loyola, she began to create a sense of community in Chicago and post-graduation, decided to stay for the long haul. It was in Chicago where Brittany gained experience in working for Illinois’ Department of Juvenile Justice, Northrop Grumman (a government contractor for the military), and FCB Global (an international advertising agency).

Brittany and her partner recently purchased a home in the Bronzeville neighborhood of the city. She most enjoys cooking, traveling, shopping, working out, and upcycling furniture.

Brad Snyder, chief development officer, is a strategic fundraiser with 10+ years of diverse philanthropic experience across all sectors of development. During his tenure at New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center), Brad held a number of development roles including serving as senior director of development. Most recently, Brad served as The Center's director of strategic giving, providing leadership and management for the organization’s private foundation fundraising strategies and serving as a leader of several restricted fundraising campaigns.

Brad has a strong track record of cultivating major gifts and corporate sponsorship, has helped oversee planned giving and membership strategies and has worked closely with boards to achieve development goals. Brad is also the former executive director of The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, a bar association & related charitable foundation dedicated to serving the LGBTQ legal community and the greater public. Before beginning his career in the nonprofit space, Brad was a senior counsel in the Legal Counsel Division of the New York City Law Department where he advised NYC agencies and the mayor’s office on a variety of policy, legislative and regulatory initiatives.

He graduated from Tufts University in 1998 and the New York University School of Law in 2002. Brad lives in Lincoln Park with his husband, Chris, two children, and their sometimes-warring cat and dog.

Paul Helfen (he/him), Director of Operations and Rentals, EXT 476
Keith Butler, (he/him), Executive Assistant, EXT 430
Scott Fiero, (he/him), Operations Manager
Patrick Harms, (he/him), Operations Coordinator
China Reid, (she/her), Operations Support Staff
Tom Spinella (he/him), Receptionist
Ethel Blanchard (she/her), Data Entry Assistant
Nanica Brown (she/her), Receptionist
Nelli Vahter, (she/her), Receptionist
Jerry Harris, (he/him), Receptionist Support Staff

Aster Gilbert (she/they), Manager of the Training & Public Education Institute, EXT 418
Lyle Clark, (he/him), Avp Advocate Clinician, EXT 439


About AVP: The Anti-Violence Project (AVP) at Center on Halsted is comprised of a team of behavioral health clinicians specializing in working with LGBTQ survivors of violence. Our team is comprised of Social Workers, Professional Counselors, and Behavioral Health Interns with a combined 20 plus years of experience working with survivors of violence.

We offer a collaborative, LGBTQ affirming, and trauma-informed approach with the goal of increasing self-knowledge and expression of personal power. The AVP team is trained in a variety of approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy allowing us to tailor counseling to meet each person’s unique needs and strengths. During treatment we emphasize finding relevant coping skills and explore current patterns of behavior and thinking to identify personalized solutions.

Our team has extensive experience providing trauma informed services to the LGBTQ community. We can assist with issues including anxiety, depression, interpersonal communication, healing from past trauma, exploration of gender identity and sexuality, racial and ethnic identity, and managing anger.

You may receive assistance after violence by contacting our LGBTQ Violence Resource Line: 773.871.CARE (2273) or avp@centeronhalsted.org or visit our Anti-Violence Project page.

Ing Swenson (he/him), Director of Behavioral Health, EXT 267
Ashley Molin (she/her), Associate Director of Behavioral Health, EXT 441
Liliana Gomez (she/her), Staff Therapist, EXT 451
Lorraine Lahori, (they/them), Staff Therapist EXT 439
Lauren Bailey, (she/her), Behavioral Health Clinical Administrator, EXT 436

Gayle is a Chicago native and long-term ally and activist for the LGBTQ community. Many call her “Mama Gayle” because of her warm demeanor and eagerness to give needed motherly advice, especially to our youth patrons. Gayle came to Center on Halsted in 2002 as a volunteer, and since then has worked in nearly every department; including reception and operations, development and finance, volunteer management, the HIV department, and even executive assistant to the CEO. Gayle started working in the computer lab as the class instructor in August 2007 and then became the full time Manager of the Cyber Center in October 2012. Prior to working at Center on Halsted, she worked as development assistant and volunteer manager for Open Hands Chicago, now known as Vital Bridges. Gayle completed her Masters of Science in Instructional Design and Technology from Western Illinois University in 2017.

Chef Cindy Mojica has over 16 years of professional culinary experience including work as a server, kitchen manager, brunch chef, sous chef and pastry chef. Chef Cindy was the Executive Chef of Research and Development of Direct Food Service, she created recipes for mass-scale production and dishes for manufacturing, overseeing application, managed a research team, and conducted extensive research of world cuisines. While interning for the nationally acclaimed America’s Test Kitchen in Boston, MA, Cindy worked on recipe testing and development, media projects, and culinary science projects which were published in ATK’s magazines, books, and web series. She taught culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu Chicago and today is the Culinary Arts Instructor for Center on Halsted’s Silver Fork culinary arts and job readiness program.

Jenny Urban is an award-winning chef, culinary arts instructor and business owner. Most recently they served as the nutrition and health manager at the Broadway Youth Center. Their prior work experience includes being the head chef Instructor for the Chicago Food Depository and executive chef instructor at Inspiration Corporation/Café Too.

Jenny’s passion for teaching culinary arts has focused on social service settings working with refugees, individuals that are homeless and underemployed, senior citizens, youth, and the LGBTQ community as a whole.

In 2008, they opened the Urban Café, which was awarded “Best Neighborhood Spot in Lakeview” by The Chicago Free Press.

Jenny has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Windy City Times, Time Out Chicago, PBS Newshour, and the book A Recipe for Hope, by Karen Skalitzky. Urban has been named one of “30 under 30” by Windy City Times and “30 Women to Watch Under 30” by The Chicago Sun-Times.

When not in the kitchen, or with their two teenagers, Jenny can be found playing drums with local LGBTQ hall of fame musician, Scott Free. The group’s release, “The Pink Album,” was awarded the Album of the Year by Pride in the Arts Organization. Songs from the Pink Album went to #2 on the video click list on LOGO tv. Free and Urban have performed at pride events across the country, including Chicago Midsommarfest, Chicago Market Days, The Mathew Shepard March, Milwaukee Pride Fest, and Northern Michigan Pride.

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Ben (he/him) has over six years of experience in non-profit fundraising, most recently with About Face Theatre (AFT) – Chicago’s premier LGBTQ+ arts and outreach organization - where he served as both Development Director and Director of Institutional Giving.

In these roles, Ben was responsible for raising 71% of AFT’s contributed income annually through fundraising campaigns, special events, foundation and government grants, and corporate sponsorships. Additionally, Ben has worked with over 25 local theatre companies as a performer and has been seen on episodes of Will & Grace and Chicago Fire.

Joey began his time with Center on Halsted in December of 2018. Initially hired as Executive Project Manager to the CEO, he moved to the Development Team in June 2019 as the Manager of Events and Volunteers. His responsibilities include planning and execution of various Center events, as well as managing and training a volunteer staff of several hundred community members and allies. Prior to coming to Center on Halsted, Joey worked at Back 2 School Illinois coordinating the distribution of school supplies to underserved children across the state, and Equality Illinois working for the equal rights of the LGBT people in Illinois. His leadership and community service work has been acknowledged by several organizations, including The Obama Foundation, the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, and the Olympus Foundation.

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Jill joined Center on Halsted in 2003. In 2005, she became Director of the State of Illinois AIDS/HIV & STD Hotline and in 2008, Jill became the Director of HIV Testing & Prevention and developed, launched, and directed the Center's successful HIV Testing & Prevention Program. In 2017, Jill was promoted to Director of HIV/AIDS & STD Services and in 2020, she helped to design and launch the innovative Chicagoland HIV Resource HUB.

She was appointed by Mayor Emanuel to the Chicago Area HIV Integrated Services Council (CAHISC) and by Mayor Lightfoot to the Chicago Syphilis Task Force. She is also a member of the State of Illinois HIV Integrated Planning Council, the Illinois PrEP Working Group, Chicago Department of Public Health Meningococcal Committee and Hepatitis A Response Team, Illinois Get to Zero Planning Council and Work Groups, Chicagoland Service Providers Council, and was a founding member of the Chicago Bisexual Health Task Force. Jill received her Master's degree from The Juilliard School in New York City.

Carmen Luz Corredor (she/her) began as a bilingual (English/Spanish) Rapid Resource Responder at Center on Halsted in September 2020. She currently serves as Community Advisory Board Member at Northwestern Medicine's Gender Pathways program. Previous to her board membership, Carmen has supported different social groups such as the Queer Non-Monogamy Baddies, a discussion and support group for queer folks-of-color in the Chicagoland area to delve into topics around ethical non-monogamy.

She is also one-third of the ongoing fundraising collective, Trans Equity Alliance (TEA). Through fundraising talent showcases, TEA raises funds for trans-led non-profit organizations creating tangible change in their local sphere. Carmen is passionate about radical sexual health education and reallocation of funds through mutual aid. She has received her Bachelor's in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Erica Gafford joined the HIV Services staff at Center on Halsted in 2013. She has been working in the arena of HIV/STI prevention in Chicago for over 15 years, holding a variety of roles. These roles cover a wide range, including Health Educator/HIV tester, program administrator, research study coordinator and activist. In her current role as Director of HIV/STD Testing & Prevention Services, she is responsible for the oversight of HIV/HCV testing, PrEP Navigation and Linkage to Care services.

Erica Gafford has served on the Executive Committee for the Black Treatment Advocates Network since 2017, and currently serves as Chair – a role she has held since March of 2019. She is also a member of the ViiV Government Relations - Medicaid Policy RoundTable and the UIC – Project WISH Advisory Board. Through her many years of work in HIV/STI prevention, Erica Gafford has gained key insights into the prevention and health promotion needs of communities most impacted by these issues. Most important is the need to tailor prevention efforts and programs to address the specific concerns of these communities in a culturally appropriate and sensitive manner.

Steve comes to Center on Halsted after a diverse career in corporate and agency public relations. His experience largely has focused on media relations, corporate reputation management, and crisis communications. He has worked with Fortune 50 companies, public and private higher education institutions, non-profits, and community organizations.

Steve co-chaired the first LGBTQ marketing practice launched by a top global communications firm, FleishmanHillard Inc., which represented client programs ranging from Ernst & Young, Kodak, and AT&T to Olivia Cruises and Community Marketing Inc. He has been part of the Chicago LGBTQ community since moving from Texas in 2000, where he honed his love of spicy foods and Tex-Mex cuisine. He lives in East Lakeview with his pitbull/bulldog mix rescue, Luella. Steve has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and theater and a master’s degree in interdisciplinary public relations, both from Texas Tech University.

Travis comes from operating his own marketing company the past 10 years. Prior to that, working for a local chamber to help build B2B relationships with designing over 500 business brands. Bringing strong influences from our LGTQ+ community, he strives to make everyone feel included. If there was one word that would project Travis’ mindset, it would be “SMILE!”

His partnerships continue with many LGBTQ focused brands nation-wide. Striving to bring or community together with hius art.

Britta Larson (she/her), Director of Senior Services, EXT 445
Todd Williams (he/him), Senior Services Manager, EXT 426
Elwin August, (he/him), Senior Services Support Staff
Riley Cosgrove, (he/him), Senior Services Case Manager

David Biele (he/him), Director of Youth and Family Services, EXT 437
Luke Romesberg (he/him), Director of Youth Housing Services, EXT 431
Luis Martinez (he/him), AVP Youth Case Worker Youth Housing, EXT 408
Mateo Villanuevaz (he/him), Youth Care Coordinator,
Eli Cooper-Nelson (he/him), Youth and Family Program Manager,
Hannah Rapp (she/her), Youth Development Program Manager,
Ronnie Taylor Jr. (he/him), Youth Culture Coordinator,
Matthew Villanueva, (he/him), Youth Care Coordinator EXT 255

Chitra Iyer (she/her), Research Assistant, EXT 485
James Foran (he/him), Research Assistant, EXT 480
Julia Napolitano (she/her), Research Study Assistant, EXT 432
Justin Franz (he/him), Clinical Research Project Manager, EXT 456
Yelena Pearson (she/her | they/them), Research Assistant, EXT 403
Ross Baiers (he/him | they/them), Research Project Manager, EXT 266
Saf Al-Salaita (they/them), Research Study Assistant, EXT 427
Jo Pazol (they/them), Research Study Assistant, EXT 432