Chair
Chair
Angel Torres is the founder and President of V.E. Solutions, LLC., a Human Resources consulting firm specializing in military veteran employment and inclusive cultural alignment strategies. V. E. Solutions, LLC, partner with their clients to provide diversity and inclusion outcomes which deliver measured and sustainable change for all stakeholders.
A native of Chicago, IL, Angel served in the United States Navy for 27 years. While leading the men and women of the armed forces, he completed seven deployments to Southwest Asia and the North Arabian gulf, participating in OPERATION DESERT STORM, OPERATION RESTORE HOPE, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and many more. He rose from the most junior ranks to most senior enlisted ranks eventually earning an Officer’s Commission. During his service he was a tenacious advocate for Equal opportunity. He spearheaded the integration of females into combat roles on an aircraft carrier, led the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” for 6,000 employees and built a fully operational and profitable “Starbucks” styled espresso café on a U.S. Navy warship.
A staunch advocate for inclusion and minorities, nationally, he sits on several boards including: The Spanish Coalition for Housing, Teatro Vista Theater, Veteran Leadership Council, Chicago Veterans Advisory Board and is an active member of the Chicago Latino Caucus.
Angel received an Executive MBA from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, earned an M.S. in Global Business Leadership from the University of San Diego, a B.S. in Human Resource Management from Columbia Southern University and is a Chicago Latino Caucus Foundation Leadership Academy Fellow.
Vice Chair
Vice Chair
Khadija James-Keating recently served as Vice President, Manufactured Components at TimkenSteel Corporation, responsible for overseeing the internal and external supply chain network, commercializing products along customers’ supply chains and driving profitable growth in manufactured components. She joined the company as Vice President, Sales Effectiveness, with responsibilities for enhancing the commercial team’s performance through both strategic and tactical methods.
Prior to her work at TimkenSteel, Ms. James-Keating held several executive leadership roles with W. W. Grainger, a maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) industry leader. She held multiple regional sales vice president positions with responsibilities inclusive of developing strategy and tactics to support sustainable revenue growth across various segments. Her focus was to execute and deliver performance through driving cross-functional partnerships to help support customer needs. In addition, she gained critical experience in a corporate role as the Head, Global Talent Acquisition Operations, Inclusion & Diversity and Recruiting for U.S. Sales and Services, Corporate Functions, Military Recruitment and University Relations.
Ms. James-Keating also held numerous leadership positions across an array of functions at PepsiCo’s Frito Lay division, applying her expertise in sales, sales operations and supply chain management. She began her career proudly serving the country as a commissioned officer in the United States Army providing supply and logistics support. Ms. James-Keating currently serves as the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for National Able Network and previously, executive advisor for UpstartWorks. She is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and mathematics.
Job search advice: Be yourself! Show up through the entire interview process as authentically you. Be clear about your capabilities and what you want to accomplish…while also being honest about your opportunities. The connection the hiring team makes with you as a person most times mitigates or offsets any small lack of experience for a particular role.
Treasurer
Treasurer
Michael Chrisler is the founder of MJC Financial Fitness, a financial planning and coaching business based in Chicago. MJC Financial Fitness, a value-based firm, was founded with a commitment to providing access, resources, and education to everyone who needs it, regardless of their financial situation.
Before founding MJC Financial Fitness, Michael spent nearly 15 years as a vice president at Envestnet, a financial technology leader of integrated portfolio, practice management, and reporting solutions for financial advisors and institutions. Training financial advisors provided Michael with unique insight into how to effectively support clients and make financial planning more accessible.
While at Envestnet, Michael played a vital role in the company’s growth from less than 100 employees to 3,400 and its expansion through Initial Public Offering (IPO) as a publicly-traded company. This experience helped to shaped his management style and laid the foundation and appreciation of successful organizations.
Michael earned a BA in consumer science from the University of Wisconsin — Madison. He is a proud husband and father; he resides with his wife Brittany and their two sons. When he’s not busy promoting financial literacy in the community, Michael enjoys spending quality time playing video games with his sons, practicing martial arts, and being the IT support for his entire family.
Job search advice: “Be honest, but don’t be afraid to go for something you may not feel qualified for, if it looks like something you would be passionate about.”
AIA Assoc., LEED AP ID+C, Illinois Managing Broker, Sommelier
AIA Assoc., LEED AP ID+C, Illinois Managing Broker, Sommelier
Anthony has 20+ years of corporate real estate and workplace experience, providing strategic direction for some of the most forward-thinking and innovative companies worldwide. Currently, he leads high-profile real estate portfolios and consults for Fortune 500 companies.
Also, Anthony was hand-selected to serve as a judge for IPRO, a competition part of the Illinois Institute of Technology, where graduate and undergraduate students brought forth design ideas for economic development in the community. Additionally, he was involved in the TEDx Program to aid in development for local education initiatives.
Studying architecture drove his passion for learning how cultures across the world inspire us locally. Being a world traveler, he then cultivated that interest and earned his certification as a Sommelier.
Executive Director of Chicago Run
Executive Director of Chicago Run
Danya is the Executive Director of Chicago Run, which empowers young people in Chicago with equitable access to inclusive running and physical activity programs. Previously, Danya served as the Executive Director of Peer Health Exchange Chicago, a health equity non-profit that trains college student volunteers to deliver health education in under-resourced high schools. Prior to joining Peer Health Exchange in 2010, Danya held the role of Deputy Outreach Director at Peace Action, an advocacy organization promoting international diplomacy, nuclear non-proliferation, and US adherence to international peace treaties.
Danya graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Sociology. She is on the board of Proud to Run Chicago and is a mentor for Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) Chicago’s Leadership Institute, and for the Northwestern University Public Interest Program. She is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow since 2019. Danya was a Crain’s Notable LGBTQ Executive in 2019.
Danya is an avid rock climber and outdoor enthusiast, an ACE certified group fitness instructor, and a dedicated fan of the WNBA Chicago Sky basketball team. She also enjoys discovering new vegan restaurants in Chicago and trail running in the Forest Preserves.
Systems Engineering Manager at Cisco Meraki
Systems Engineering Manager at Cisco Meraki
Lorenzo currently leads a group of Systems Engineers covering the entire US and parts of Canada at Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in computer networking cloud managed networks. In addition to his sales leadership role, he also serves as the Global Leader of the Inclusive community focused give back program overseeing offices in London, Sydney, Chicago, and San Francisco.
During his time at Cisco Meraki, he has been able to develop and oversee multiple community-based programs and relationships across the city of Chicago including with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the City Colleges of Chicago, delivering Computer Networking and Cloud computing curriculum and helping to develop professional level IT skills.
Lorenzo grew up on the Southside of Chicago and while he did not graduate from High School or College, he has been able to obtain several industry leading certifications and professional licenses including A+, NET+, Server+ CCNA, PMP, DevNet and is also a licensed Realtor serving the state of Illinois.
President & CEO
President & CEO
Matthew Weis currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at National Able Network. Previously, Mr. Weis was National Able Network’s Chief Program Officer (CPO). As CPO, Mr. Weis developed and implemented a number of strategies to ensure operational continuity and ongoing adaptation to the changing job market for National Able Network’s core programs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Mr. Weis joined National Able Network in 2014 to oversee career pathway programs that help vulnerable job seekers, and led significant programmatic expansion efforts of the IT Career Lab vocational training operations, as well as the IT Sector Center funded via the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership.
Growing up in a rural Wisconsin farming community and working alongside migrant farm workers during his first job, at an early age Mr. Weis was exposed to the connection between work, dignity, and the universal impact that family sustaining employment can have on people from diverse backgrounds. He is a fierce advocate and practitioner of transitional jobs and other subsidized employment programs and has managed employment contracts with the Chicago Housing Authority, City of Chicago, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and more.
Mr. Weis served on the Chicago Jobs Council board of directors for eight years, participated in the United States Department of Agriculture’s SNAP Employment and Training Public/Private group at the request of former Secretary Perdue, and has been interviewed and quoted as a workforce expert by major publications.
As President and Chief Executive Officer at National Able Network, Mr. Weis aims to build upon National Able Network’s strong history of equity, while expanding the agency’s programming and service delivery footprint through the creation of innovative solutions for the ever-changing job market.
Customer Growth & Marketing Strategy Executive
Customer Growth & Marketing Strategy Executive
Stephanie Kopa has been a distinguished leader of marketing and strategy in the tech and consulting industries for almost twenty years. With a strong foundation in analytics, she has brought a data-driven approach to efficient growth strategy and development of high-potential talent for companies including Expedia, Grubhub, Groupon, Bain & Company, and Deloitte Consulting. Some of her most proud accomplishments include leadership of the customer acquisition team at Grubhub through the COVID pandemic and subsequent acquisition by Just Eat Takeaway group; triple-digit year-over-year growth in 23 markets at a Series D pharmaceutical startup; and support of launch of the Orbitz Rewards program (part of Expedia Group).
Throughout her career, Stephanie has always been passionate about coaching, mentorship, and career development support for her teams and community. She served as a career coach at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for its base of 50,000 alumni and students as they navigate career transitions and professional growth. At Bain & Company, she led recruiting for its Texas offices, overseeing undergraduate, graduate, and experienced hire processes. She also served as a Board Director at Territory Urban Design from 2017-2019, which connects high school students with opportunities to learn and implement urban design principles throughout Chicago neighborhoods.
Stephanie holds an MBA in Strategy and Economics from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
President & CEO
President & CEO
Matthew Weis currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at National Able Network. Previously, Mr. Weis was National Able Network’s Chief Program Officer (CPO). As CPO, Mr. Weis developed and implemented a number of strategies to ensure operational continuity and ongoing adaptation to the changing job market for National Able Network’s core programs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Mr. Weis joined National Able Network in 2014 to oversee career pathway programs that help vulnerable job seekers, and led significant programmatic expansion efforts of the IT Career Lab vocational training operations, as well as the IT Sector Center funded via the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership.
Growing up in a rural Wisconsin farming community and working alongside migrant farm workers during his first job, at an early age Mr. Weis was exposed to the connection between work, dignity, and the universal impact that family sustaining employment can have on people from diverse backgrounds. He is a fierce advocate and practitioner of transitional jobs and other subsidized employment programs and has managed employment contracts with the Chicago Housing Authority, City of Chicago, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and more.
Mr. Weis served on the Chicago Jobs Council board of directors for eight years, participated in the United States Department of Agriculture’s SNAP Employment and Training Public/Private group at the request of former Secretary Perdue, and has been interviewed and quoted as a workforce expert by major publications.
As President and Chief Executive Officer at National Able Network, Mr. Weis aims to build upon National Able Network’s strong history of equity, while expanding the agency’s programming and service delivery footprint through the creation of innovative solutions for the ever-changing job market.
Chief Program Officer
Chief Program Officer
As Chief Program Officer, Mrs. Sinecio provides non-profit leadership in overseeing large-scale workforce development programming across the Midwest. With more than 8 years of experience overseeing a myriad of workforce programs both as a funder and in a direct service capacity, Mrs. Sinecio has a proven track record of developing community partnerships and programs to ensure that anyone seeking assistance has equitable access to often critical services on their path to economic self-sufficiency. Mrs. Sinecio is skilled in program implementation and evaluation, project management, strategic planning and building collaborative community efforts.
Mrs. Sinecio is a Board member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals. Mrs. Sinecio has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Bellevue University.
Mrs. Sinecio is a native of Omaha and in her spare time, Alejandra loves to spend time with her family and outdoor activities.
Chief Information Officer
Chief Information Officer
Mark joined the team as Chief Information Officer, with more than 10 years of IT experience and multiple degrees including an MBA from Lake Forest. He has all the technical know-how and more, but what sets Mark apart is his strategic thinking and ability to reverberate positivity during any project in any organization while bringing out the best from the team. Additionally, Mark is a member and subject matter expert for the Chicago Electronic Crimes Task Force (basically, he’s the closest thing we have to a Secret Agent.)
Director, Human Resources
