The Deborah’s Place Board of Directors serve our mission of ending homelessness for women in Chicago by bringing a diversity of expertise, experience, and leadership to the governance of our organization. Their engagement and advocacy are crucial to our success.
We are currently recruiting diverse leaders with expertise in the following areas:
Legal: To assist with reading and advising on policies, leases, vendor contracts and other legal documents
Community Representation: To provide feedback and insight to the organization in building relationships and advocacy agendas for communities where our programs and services are sited (East Garfield Park, Old Town and West Humboldt Park)
Facilities Management: To advise and assist with planning and budgeting for capital projects
IT: To provide resources and expertise that expands technological capacity of staff and residents
Marketing/Communications: To assist in developing a marketing strategy that includes traditional methods as well as social media
Fundraising: To provide expertise and connections in raising funds and the ability to increase Deborah’s Place networks and donor base.
People with Lived Experience: To advise the Board on the lived experience of homelessness and to inform program planning
Deborah’s Place believes that achieving the organization’s mission requires diverse voices, perspectives, skills and experiences. All board members are expected to lead from the top to promote respect for the intersectionality of race, age, color, disability, faith, religion, education, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, social class, economic class, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, and all other identities represented within our organization.
Interested in using your expertise to make a difference? Learn more about Board Membership and apply here.
Board of Directors
Jeremy Bressman
BOARD PRESIDENT
Jeremy has worked in the commercial real estate industry for over 15 years in various management, human resources, and operational roles. Currently with Cushman & Wakefield, the world’s third largest CRE firm, Jeremy leads the firm’s Brokerage Engagement team which supports the company’s growth efforts through brokerage recruitment and retention. Outside of the office, Jeremy has been actively involved with numerous philanthropy and community organizations, including acting as an adviser for the Beck Legacy Fund. Jeremy is a native Michigander who grew up in suburban Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, prior to moving to Chicago. Jeremy joined the Deborah’s Place Board of Directors in 2019 and serves as the Board President and Chair of the Resource Development Committee.
Rosie Drumgoole
BOARD VICE PRESIDENT
Rosie Drumgoole Rosie is the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Cares and a dynamic and charismatic leader. Chicago Cares mobilizes volunteers and catalyzes change by promoting diverse civic engagement and equips civic leaders-young and old while helping local communities, nonprofits, and corporations alike meet their strategic goals and priorities. Previously, Rosie worked as a resource developer for the area agency on aging in suburban Cook County (AgeOptions). Rosie holds a B.A. in Journalism and Public Relations from Northern Illinois University, and is a certified volunteer administrator. Rosie is an alumnus of the Allstate Foundation’s Executive Leadership Program’s class of 2021 and of the American Express Leadership Academy class of 2016. Rosie joined the Board of Directors in 2020 and serves on the Resource Development Committee and is Board Vice President.
Selina Horton
Selina Horton is a Senior Vice President, and is currently the Asset Servicing Global Payments Executive, at the Northern Trust Company, with presence in three Northern Trust regions, APAC (Australia, Bangalore & Pune), EMEA (Guernsey & London) and NA (Chicago, Tempe & Jersey City). Selina and her teams are responsible for the money movement (free cash) process corporate wide. Selina serves on various Northern Trust Oversight Committees and Business Resource Councils, such as Payments Control Group, CHAPS Oversight Group, Operational Risk and Control Committee, Black Business Resource Council and Women In Leadership. Selina joined Northern Trust in 2009; her first role was as Division Manager (Vice President) within Global Payments. In 2011, she was asked to become part of the Derivative Operations unit, as a Division Manager, leading multiple groups, until her return to Global Payment Operations in 2014, as the Global Practice Lead. Selina moved into her current role as Global Payments Practice Executive in 2018. In addition, Selina has been part of multiple key corporate and industry wide initiatives throughout her tenure at Northern Trust. Prior to joining Northern Trust, Selina was a Senior Vice President at Bank of America (formerly LaSalle Bank), with all of her roles in some capacity being tied to the payments segment. In her spare time, Selina enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and volunteering at various organizations.
Dr. Zahra Khudeira
Zahra is a dedicated healthcare professional with a passion for people. Dr. Khudeira is a board-certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and Medication Safety Specialist in Chicago. She earned her PharmD from University of Illinois at Chicago, completed her residency at Northshore University Health System and has a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University. She is a Certified Patient Safety Specialist and has a green belt certification in Lean Six Sigma. She has devoted her career to medication safety and has collaborated with other professional disciplines to ensure that patients receive the correct medication consistently. Zahra joined the Deborah’s Place Board in 2019 and serves as Chair of the Governance Committee.
Amy Leibig
Amy Leibig joined Deborah’s Place Board in January 2024. Amy is a retired financial services executive with a University of Chicago MBA and a CPA certificate holder. Prior to retirement in 2021, Amy led IT and Product Development teams at the Options Clearing Corporation for 37 years. She is a regular DP volunteer and was long time resident of Old Town nearby the Deborah’s Place Patty Crowley location. Amy was a Futures Industry Association Treasurer and Board Member and the Treasurer for Parkview Condominium Association.
Amy volunteers weekly at Deborah’s Place and occasionally with Humble Design. While not volunteering, Amy enjoys outdoor exercise and spending time with family and friends.
Mary McFadden
Mary is a Resident Leader at the Rebecca Johnson Apartments. She volunteers her time extensively to the programming at the RJA Learning Center. Mary has also worked as a Peer Group Leader for Chicago Lights Center for Whole Health and Deborah’s Place Health Fair Days. Mary holds an AA degree from Malcolm X College. Mary joined the Deborah’s Place Board in 2021 and serves on the Governance Committee.
Ashley M. Munson
Ashley serves as the Senior Manager of Advocacy for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Ashley is an advocate at the local, state, and federal level to advance policy solutions to end food insecurity in Cook County and throughout Illinois. Prior to this position, Munson worked as a lobbyist who advocated at the State Capitol for the improvement of public education for primarily Black and Brown students in Illinois. Additionally, her experience has led her to serve as the Policy Coordinator for the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC). At IEC, her work included establishing strong relationships among leaders in communities of color who are committed to environmental stewardship and sustainability. Munson started her career in policy as a communication staffer for the Illinois House of Representatives. Her role with the Illinois General Assembly provided research and analytical support to the Democratic House members, while learning the intricate systems of Illinois Government. She is also a former campaign manager for the Indiana House Democratic Caucus, and graduate of Purdue University. Munson is also Lead Organizer for the Juneteenth – March for US event. In Chicago’s own Tonight Show Munson educates on all things Chicago Politics, State, and Federal Government.
Anne Osuji
Anne Osuji is a committed healthcare professional who is passionate about ensuring that communities are engaged, supported, and empowered to change health behaviors. As an enthusiastic volunteer at Deborah’s Place, she works closely with the Health Services department to educate and equip the residents with knowledge about their nutrition, physical health, mental health and overall wellness. She believes community partnerships can sustainably improve health outcomes and progress towards health literacy and health equity. Anne earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science from the University of California, Irvine and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Medicine (M.D.) at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Anne joined the Deborah’s Place Board of Directors in July 2023 and serves on the Resource Development Committee.
Jenn Shepherd
Jenn is a Director at Altair Advisers, an independent wealth advisory firm in Chicago. Jenn’s career in the wealth management industry spans nearly 30 years, including opportunities at Harris Associates, William Blair, United Capital and Goldman Sachs. Prior to joining Altair, Jenn was the Managing Director and Head of Office for United Capital’s North Shore location prior to its acquisition by Goldman Sachs. She is committed to helping her clients clarify and prioritize their purpose and passions, and works with them to construct a comprehensive blueprint to follow over the course of their financial journey. Jenn earned a B.A. from Colgate University with a double major in Philosophy and Religion, and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Krystal Vanhorne
Krystal Vanhorne, Director of Supportive Housing Programs at the Center for Housing and Health has been championing the cause of affordable housing since 2013. A native of Massachusetts, Krystal has advocated for affordable housing, community planning, and economic development through her employment and by serving in different governance bodies and commissions. As Director of Supportive Housing Programs, Krystal provides oversight to the supportive housing team and partner agencies to administer case management and housing services to unsheltered and immunocompromised clients. Krystal has a Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health Sciences from Oakwood University.
MJ Zaring
MJ is a Vice President of Asset Management at Newcastle Limited, a Chicago-based real estate investment and development firm. MJ has 15 years of experience across the commercial real estate industry. She holds an M.B.A. from Georgetown University, and a B.S. in Economics and Human & Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University. MJ is active in the real estate community through the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Real Estate Finance Forum (REFF), and also serves as a mentor with Horizons for Youth. MJ serves on the Governance Committee.