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Meet the team 

Michael Trout, Executive Director of Strategy & Development

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. 

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Will Chatman, Program manager 

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

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 

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: Frank Whiting 

Founder, Whiting Group

Vice President: Toby Eng- AALANA

Managing Director& Wealth Advisor,NWM

Treasurer: Jon Milonas 

Sr, VP,CBRE Group

Legal Councel: Mark Crane 

Attorney & Shareholder, Sega; McCambridge

Treasure:Sammie Sheilds 

YMEN Graduate,

Wheaton College

Executive Director:Michael Trout

Nikita Horn-Arter-AALANA

Assistant Principal Bradwell School of Excellence 

Jaylah Brooks- AALANA

PWC Associate 

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Mark Petersen

Regional Director, OWP Pharmaceuticals 

Valonda Roberts- AALANA 

YMEN College Graduate 

Student Success Coach, Harris-Stowe University

Chad Tameling 

Executive Vice President 

SET Enviormental , Inc.

Jamil Brown-AALANA

Resident Of North Lawndale 

Youth Based Liaison Officer  CPD 10th District

Marcus Thorne- AALANA

Former Resident of North Lawndale 

Former Executive Director, YMEN

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