Leadership

Mario F. García | Executive Director

Mario García has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management with specializations in organizational development and training. Before taking the Executive Director position at Onward Neighborhood House in 2004, Mr. García led García Consulting where he provided advising and training for board development, team-building, strategic planning, and leadership. He has worked with a variety of community-based organizations, government agencies, professional associations, and local school councils. He is currently a member of Chicago’s Early Childhood Education CEO Roundtable, and a board member for the ACLU of Illinois.

Mr. García was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and speaks fluent English and Spanish. He has a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Illinois State University.

Darica Charles | Program Director

Darica Charles has been with Onward Neighborhood House since 2005, and has held roles with increasing responsibility across multiple Onward House programs. She started in the classroom at our former West Town location as a School Age Coordinator, then moved to Site Manager. When Onward House initiated the move from West Town to Belmont Cragin in 2008, she held roles as Special Projects Manager, then Director of Youth & Community Services. In 2018, Ms. Charles was promoted to her current role as Program Director, where she oversees the planning and implementation of Onward House’s services.

Prior to working at Onward House, Ms. Charles worked as a Kindergarten Teacher/Site Director for Mary Crane Center. Darica grew up in nearby Kilbourn Park, and received her B.A. from Northeastern Illinois University.

Emilio Araujo | Director of Development and Communications

Emilio is a passionate advocate for equity and opportunity, driving transformative growth by deepening Onward House’s impact and leading a major campaign to build the new Onward House CARES Community Center that will expand services for immigrants and working families. A proud Chicagoan and Posse Foundation Scholarship alum, Emilio brings an empathic understanding of Chicago communities, a desire to collaborate and bridge gaps through partnerships, and a strategic mindset to the work of building a more inclusive and thriving city for all.

Sofia Aguilar | Site Director

Sofia oversees the Early Childhood Education (ECE) and School Age programs. She started at Onward House as a Family Support Worker in May of 2021 to support parents and families in the social services realm, in awareness of the many barriers families face that have an impact on children’s education. Her passion for ECE took root in college, where she began working with a program in Madison, Wisconsin in 2018. Since then, she has been committed to promoting and advocating for the importance of education and milestone development for children.

Gerbis Badell | Director of Community Services

As a proud Venezuelan, Gerbis J. Badell brings years of experience working with immigrant communities. Since joining Onward Neighborhood House in March 2024 as an Intake Data Specialist for the Illinois Welcoming Center, he has advanced to his current role as Director of Community Services. In this position, Gerbis J. Badell oversees three vital programs: Adult Education, the Illinois Welcoming Center, and the Food Pantry. His commitment to community is at the heart of his work. While his professional journey began with his degree as a Petroleum Engineer in Venezuela in 2016, his true passion lies in serving and supporting others.

Administration

Ernesto Delatorre | Director of Finance
Nereida Barreno | Finance Specialist
Zitlali Farias | HR Generalist

Early Childhood Education & School Age Leadership

Dr. Kimberly Thier | Director of Special Education & Quality Assurance
Pamela Castro | Education Coordinator
Gabriela Munoz | Coordinator for Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA)
Karim Escobar-Franklin, LCSW | Mental Health Specialist

Early Childhood Teachers

Blue Birds 1 — Early Head Start
Pricila Chavez (Teacher)
Hortencia Rubio (Teacher Assistant)

Blue Birds 2 — Early Head Start
Jessica Franco (Teacher)

Little Bears 1 — Early Head Start

Little Bears 2 — Early Head Start
Yvonne Sosa

Koalas — Head Start
Nancy Avile (Teacher)
Janice Johnson (Teacher Assistant)
Donna Roman (Paraprofessional)

Butterflies — Head Start
Margarita Acosta (Teacher)
Martha Aich (Teacher)
Araceli Navarro (Paraprofessional)

Bumblebees — Head Start
Amanda Scott (Teacher)
Amanda Rodriguez (Teacher Assistant)
Ella de Castro (Paraprofessional)

School Age

Guadalupe Zenon | School Age Group Worker
Lilith Pond | School Age Group Worker
Victor Avitia | School Age Group Worker

Home Visitors

Carmen Cuevas | Home Visitor
Gracemarie Rosario | Home Visitor

Family Support Workers

Thelma Tolentino | Parent Engagement Coordinator
Ana Sanchez | Family Support Worker
Nora Nava | Family Support Worker
Gabriela Gutierrez | Family Support Worker

Adult Education

Andres Albarracin | Adult Education Coordinator
Juan Martin | Computer Coordinator

Illinois Welcoming Center (IWC)

Food Pantry

Jenny Prado | Food Pantry Coordinator

Development & Communications

Eleni Dima | Institutional Giving Associate
Seihla Núñez-Deleón | Individual Giving Associate

Support Staff

Maintenance

Norma Salinas Molina | Custodian
Antonio Jimenez Rivera | Maintenance Supervisor
Manuel Zenon | Maintenance Worker