Meet the team
Michael Trout, Executive Director of Strategy & Development
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Michael is first and foremost a husband of 28 years to his wife Karen, a father of five (four sons and a daughter) and a grandfather of 7 ..... and counting. Mike and Karen moved into the neighborhood of North Lawndale in 1992 after graduating from Wheaton College, and have spent 28 years building youth leadership in Chicago by supporting local schools and creating after school programs. In 1996, Mike and a group of 12 boys started their own community-based organization called the Young Men’s Educational Network, or YMEN as its known in Lawndale. Beginning with after school tutoring in the Trout’s apartment, YMEN has steadily grown over the past 24 years and now serves 300 youth each year by partnering with five local schools and offering after school and weekend programs 6 days a week.
Will Chatman, Program manager
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Will Chatman started working at YMEN as the Program's Manager in 2015. Before working at YMEN he spent 8 years working as a teacher at several different Chicago Elementary Charter schools. He graduated From Olivet Nazarene University in 2007 and has a bachelor's degree in elementary education As a youth he was a student in the YMEN program. He is married has one daughter and lives in the North Lawndale.
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Teshauna Edwards, Program Director of DELTA
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Teshauna also Known as "Shauna Momma" started her journey working with North Lawndale's youth in 2010. 10 years later she still has a burden to strengthen the families of North Lawndale. Teshauna first began working at Blesses Sacrament Youth Center which is also the place she was fostered as a young girl.
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Antione Brewer, Program Coordinator
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Antione BREWER Also known as "Coach Gilbert" is the program coordinator at YMEN. He is also a YMEN alum. He loves Basketball but he understands that it's bigger than that, so he uses his passion for basketball to invest in the future leaders of Lawndale.
Board OF Directors
President: Valonda Roberts
Student Success Coach, Harris-Stowe University
Vice President: Marcus Thorne
Program Manager, ReCast Lawrenceville
Treasurer: Jaylah Brooks
PWC Associate PricewaterhouseCoopers
Secretary: Chad Tameling
Executive Vice President
SET Enviormental, INC
Jamil Brown
Chicago Police Officer
CPD 10th District
Executive Director: Michael Trout (non-voting) Founder Young Men's Educational Network
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Mark Petersen
Regional Director, OWP Pharmaceuticals
Frank Whiting
Founder, The Whiting Group