When Betty retired from a long clinical and administrative career as a Social Worker at Jewish Child and Family Services the Village was just beginning and so she joined. She remains an active volunteer and member. Since 2009 she has supervised more than 35 Village Interns from Loyola’s School of Social Work. She also enjoys travel, when sensible, spending time reading, doing Sudoko puzzles and is into Folk Music and the Blues.
Vamse Kumar was introduced to The Village Chicago through Board Lead, a national organization that selected the Village through a rigorous competition to participate in their board diversity program. Vamse Kumar currently manages a team of Data Scientists and Engineers as a part of Emerging Tech – an AI team at world-renowned consulting firm PwC (formerly PriceWaterhouse Coopers). He has built several AI enabled wellness tools, including an advanced Retirement Planning Simulator which has become a part of the Financial Wellness program at PwC and is also used by many major banks. Vamse Kumar has a master’s degree from W.P Carey School of Business (ASU) where he was also a Student Ambassador. Vamse Kumar lives in Lincoln Park with his wife Sivamalini.
Jan practiced as a Psychiatric Social Worker, trained at Charlie Trotter’s as a dessert chef, and was a competitive horseback rider on the American Saddlebred Horse circuit. She practiced at the University of Michigan Children’s Psychiatric Hospital and Psychiatric Clinic, and in private practice specializing in intensive psychoanalytic psychotherapy. She has been a board member of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists and a volunteer for Y-Me. Jan is a graduate of the University of Michigan (MSW).
Niki joined The Village Chicago in 2015 as a social work intern and, as she’ll tell you, “just never left!” She earned her Master’s in Social Work with a specialization in healthcare from Loyola in 2017. Niki is inspired by connecting members to services, resources, and one another – drawing upon members’ experience and expertise just as they draw upon hers. She appreciates how the Village is adapting, building multigenerational relationships, and finding new ways to support mental and physical well being. In her spare time, Niki can be found reading too many books at once, cutting quilt squares, or cycling.
Carlos Terrazas is the Disability Inclusion Manager for McDonald’s Corporation. His strong background in strategic planning, problem solving, and implementation–coupled with his convivial personality, makes him a powerful force in developing inclusive experiences for disabled people. Carlos is a member of many of Chicago’s disability focused organizations, including Disability: In Chicagoland. He also was a 2022 Fellow at Disability Lead, a leading local organization. Carlos lives in the Fulton Market area and in his spare time, he enjoys reading, dining out, and exploring Chicago.
Mel has been a member of the Village since it was founded. For the last 20+ of his working life he was a partner in the law firm Sidley & Austin. Prior to his law career, he earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and taught at various colleges in the Midwest. Mel previously served on the board and various committees. He hosts member pastime groups including the ever-popular Saturday at the Movies. His hobbies include books (history and fiction), movies, live theater, and discussion groups.
A native of Philadelphia, Kate Spelman earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago, and an M.Div from Yale Divinity School. She is ordained as an Episcopal priest and has served congregations large and small in Chicagoland and on the East Coast. Prior to joining The Village, she worked as the LGBT+ specialist at AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging of suburban Cook County. In her spare time, she likes to work out, cook, read good books and watch terrible TV. She and her wife have a small son with a very big personality.
Brooke is a social service and public health professional who has obtained undergraduate degrees in psychology and speech pathology as well as a graduate degree in public health. She recently became a certified dementia practitioner (CDP) through the NCCDP. Brooke started her career in the intellectual disabilities field and began working with older adults within a senior living community, from there moving into legal guardianship and program management. Most recently, Brooke has been working with the Alzheimer’s Association as part of a lifestyle intervention research study aiming to protect brain health in older adults. She is looking forward to finding ways to apply her experience to help establish better brain health and to navigate cognitive changes.
Darcy brings a wealth of experience to the Village, including leadership roles at public and private universities, libraries, medical, technology, non-profit organizations and media companies. She is active in Chicago’s corporate and civic communities and serves on the boards of Ingenuity Inc., The Guild of the Chicago History Museum, The Kalo Foundation, and the Chicago Innovation Advisory Board. Darcy is a member of the Economic Club, Executives Club, and a variety of cultural and business organizations. She is an avid history buff and author who published Hand Wrought, an illustrated history of jewelry and metalwork from the Chicago Arts and Crafts Movement.
