Community Advisory Council

West Side United's Community Advisory Council is a multi-member committee that ensures community voices from Chicago's West Side neighborhoods are integrated into the organization's governance structure to advance its mission of improving neighborhood health by addressing inequality through cross-sector partnerships.

  • West Side United’s mission is to improve neighborhood health by addressing inequality in healthcare, education, economic vitality and the physical environment using a cross-sector, place-based strategy. Partners include healthcare providers, education providers, the faith community, business, government and others working together to coordinate investments and share outcomes.

    Integrating West Side community voices into its governance structure has always been an imperative for West Side United. As such, a Community Advisory Council was created to insure that the voices of ordinary West Side residents are taken into account as we move toward our mission to build community health, economic wellness, and healthy, vibrant neighborhoods on Chicago’s West Side.

    Community Advisory Council Member

    The Community Advisory Council (CAC) is a multi member committee whose primary role is to track the pulse of the west side community as it relates to West Side United (WSU) initiatives and strategic plans. The CAC functions as a major channel for the community’s input and works closely with the Backbone Structure of WSU to integrate community feedback into planned or proposed initiatives. The CAC also insures that community voices are embedded at all levels of WSU’s governance structure—from Leadership Council, to Working Group.

    The primary responsibilities of the Community Advisory Council are:

    • Nominate representatives from CAC membership to Leadership Council.

    • Meet quarterly with Backbone Structure to discuss WSU initiatives.

    • Gather feedback from the larger West Side community and provide to WSU recommendations on proposed or ongoing initiatives.

    • Serve on another WSU Committee or Working Group (e.g. Leadership Council, Operations Committee or initiative Working Group).

    • Provide strategic guidance and tactical assistance to Operations Committee and Working Groups as needed (e.g. resource and community referrals.)

    CAC members must be at least 18 years old and live and/or work in at least one of the 10 neighborhoods comprising the West Side (Austin, Humboldt Park, West Town, Belmont/Cragin, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, North Lawndale, South Lawndale, Near West Side, Lower West Side).

    Members possess a passion for social justice issues and demonstrate a clear call to service. They plays a role in the West Side community that gives them the ability to credibly reach a multitude of West Side residents (i.e. long-time resident, educator, faith leader, youth leader, community based org employee, small business owner, healthcare provider).

    Members may also have some experience as a leader in their community and have some working knowledge in one or more of the following fields: Education, Economic Vitality, Healthcare, and Community Development.

    Terms and Participation

    Each member of the CAC is asked to serve out a term of 2 years with an option to renew for a 3rd year and is expected to attend all required meetings. Members should plan on dedicating 5-10 hours per month to WSU activities.

    General questions about the CAC or West Side United should be sent to info@westsideunited.org.

  • Aisha Oliver

    Root2fruit Youth Foundation

    Aisha T. Oliver is a passionate advocate for Chicago's Black communities who founded Root2fruit Youth Foundation and works as a Community Engagement Specialist at Lurie Children's Hospital, earning recognition from The Obama Foundation for her work with youth-led initiatives like the nationally recognized Austin Safety Action Plan.

  • Carol Washington

    Illinois Department of Children & Family Services

    Carol serves as a passionate child protection investigator on the city’s West Side. Carol has worked with children her entire professional career as a classroom teacher and community activist in the North Lawndale and Garfield Park Communities.

  • Dee Atkins

    Thresholds

    Dee Atkins serves as Chief of Community Engagement and Equity at Thresholds, where the Certified Diversity Professional and Crain's Chicago Business Notable Leader in DEI draws on over 20 years of experience to lead strategic efforts for social justice and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally and externally.

  • Geraldine Blair

    Garfield Park Community Development Corp

    Geraldine Blair serves as Executive Director of the Garfield Park CDC, where the retired Rush University manager and licensed Real Estate broker with over 35 years as an East Garfield Park resident focuses on community development, housing, and financial counseling to stabilize and revitalize her community.

  • Jose Portillo

    Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

    Jose, a first-generation immigrant whose American experience has shaped his worldview, works at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning where he pursues his interest in urban planning and the built environment by supporting initiatives to improve climate, regional economy, and transportation across northeastern Illinois.

  • Keli Stewart

    Front Porch Arts Center

    Keli Stewart is an Austin resident author, educator, and arts activist who founded the Front Porch Arts Center and Westside Arts House, bringing her extensive academic background and published works, including "Small Altars" (2021), to her role while having received numerous prestigious artist fellowships.

  • Kimberly Richardson

    Black Cancer Collaborative

    Kimberly, a survivor of ovarian and breast cancer, founded the Black Cancer Collaborative nonprofit organization while serving on multiple advisory boards and receiving the Ellen L. Stovall Award for Patient Innovation in Cancer Care, working to create partnerships between Black cancer patients and medical communities on issues of health equity and clinical trials participation.

  • Melissa Chrusfield

    Lawndale Christian Health Center

    Melissa serves as Director of Hospitality at Lawndale Christian Health Center and Co-Founder of Fit Together, where the long-time West Side resident and mother of three advocates for her community through numerous committee roles while striving to build authentic relationships that recognize human potential and drive real change.

  • Miguel Blancarte, Jr.

    Blancarte Strategies, Metropolitan Family Services

    Miguel A. Blancarte, Jr. is the Founder and Principal of Blancarte Strategies, where he collaborates with healthcare systems and community organizations while serving at Metropolitan Family Services, bringing his personal wellness journey and academic credentials from Brown and Georgetown Universities to his appointment on Mayor Johnson's Health and Human Services Committee.

  • Riccadonna Chaidez

    Puerto Rican Cultural Center

    Riccadonna serves at Chicago's Community Safety Coordination Center, where she develops community networks and service coordination strategies to support youth and adults in violence-affected communities, applying her educational background in Public Health, Epidemiology, and Business Administration to promote equity and empower marginalized populations.

  • Tina Gulley-Augustus

    Chicago West Side Chamber of Commerce

    Tina Augustus serves as co-founder and President of the Chicago West Side Chamber of Commerce while running Elevate Services, a licensed WBE/MBE marketing and communications company, and actively participating in community leadership roles including the 29th Ward Participatory Budget Team, Austin Green Team, and Austin Adams Block Club organization.

  • Trinisa Williams

    Trini’s Tasty Pastries and Catering

    Chef Trinisa Williams, owner of Trini’s Tasty Pastries and Catering in West Garfield Park, has a passion for food and holds degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Science. She is an active member of the Garfield Park Community Council, where she works with the Garfield Park Market as a vendor and demo chef, and provides healthy meal options for the community events the Council sponsors.

  • Tyrina Newkirk

    Chicago Westside Branch NAACP

    Tyrina Newkirk serves as Program Officer for Illinois Equal Justice Foundation while actively engaging in community service as the 3rd Vice President and Health Committee Chair for the Chicago Westside NAACP, bringing her dual master's degrees in Social Work and Public Health to her roles representing the community on Governor Pritzker's Health and Human Services Taskforce.

  • Lucia Flores

    Partners In Health

    Lucia Flores serves as the Chicago Director for Partners In Health, where the bicultural, bilingual Latina born in Mexico City and raised in Chicago draws on 20 years of experience developing and increasing access to resources on the South and West sides of Chicago.

  • Nancy Valentin

    Healthy Chicago Equity Zones

    Nancy Valentin co-leads the City of Chicago's Department of Public Health's Healthy Chicago Equity Zones initiative while pursuing her MPH at the University of Illinois at Chicago, bringing her expertise in strategic planning and implementation of community-led start-up equity projects as a Chicago native focused on health and racial equity.

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