Our Team

Angelica Hardy, MSW

Angelica is a Chicago native from the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side and has deep roots in the community violence field, starting as a youth participant in the Austin Community CeaseFire Program. After cycling out of the participant program she went on to work at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago as an Outreach Worker, a Case Manager and later a Lead Case Manager. Angelica has been with ALSO for the past three years as a Resilience Supervisor and was later promoted to Resilience Program Manager. Angelica is passionate about making a difference in the Chicago area. She is certified in non-violence facilitator training, peace circle, and 40-hour domestic violence training, and holds a Child Welfare Employee License to work at or with children in the Chicago Public School system. Angelica volunteers with Chicago Public High Schools and is a Board Member at the Ogden International High School. Angelica is passionate about working for and with her community throughout Chicago. Angelica has a B.A. and MSW from Northeastern Illinois University.

Antonella Santostefano

Antonella has been with ALSO since 2018 and managed and led the the Children and Youth and Engaging Men and Boys Comprehensive Technical Assistance program grant funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women for six years. In that role, Antonella oversaw programming that provided training and consultation to organizations working to reduce the effects of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on children, youth and their non-offending caregivers, and engaging men and boys as allies. In 2024 she transitioned to managing ALSO’s Safe Homes domestic violence direct services. In this role, Antonella supports the management of direct services to individuals from underserved communities in Chicago impacted by community violence and domestic violence.

Prior to joining ALSO in 2018, Antonella previously worked for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Center for Health Services and Society where she worked on projects supporting adults with severe mental illnesses and children who had been exposed to and/or experienced trauma. Antonella obtained her BA in Italian and Gender Studies from UCLA. Antonella is passionate about working to end violence in her community and uplifting and serving women and children.

Britt Clinard

Cristina Damiani, M.A.

Cristina brings over 20 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, with a deep commitment to ending domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of interpersonal harm. Since joining ALSO in 2015, she has held several key management positions within the organization. Currently, Cristina serves as Director of Safe Homes, overseeing technical assistance and direct service programs that support survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Before joining ALSO, Cristina worked as Administrative Director and victim advocate at the Oregon Crime Victims Law Center, and for Puerto Rico’s Office of Court Administration, where she helped launch the island’s first specialized domestic violence court and advance related programming. Her career began in New York, where she supported federal training and technical assistance projects funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Cristina holds a B.A. from American University and an M.A. from the City University of New York-Hunter College. Her work is grounded in the belief that all people are interconnected and that safety, justice, and dignity are fundamental rights for all.

Darrell Johnson

Jose Pizarro

Jose joined ALSO in 2022 as the Director of Safe Streets. In this role, Jose oversees all of ALSO’s community violence prevention and intervention programming in Chicago. Prior to ALSO, Jose served as the Director of Intervention Services for BUILD Inc. Jose holds a B.A. in Business from Lewis University and a B.S. in Information Technology from DeVry University. He is the proud father of four children, and in his spare time, enjoys serving as a US Coast Guard licensed captain. Jose was raised in Humboldt Park and Logan Square and, for the past 25 years, has helped people navigate the barriers that plague our communities.

Lisa Gilmore, M.Ed.

Lisa is the Senior Strategy and Capacity Building Manager at ALSO and a team member of its Underserved Technical Assistance and STAAR Projects, which are funded by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). In this role, Lisa specializes in capacity-building for OVW’s Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations and STOP Formula Programs grantees, providing tailored technical assistance to assigned grantee organizations, developing and delivering training programs, facilitating peer-to-peer learning initiatives, and collaborating to offer other responsive services to grantees. Additionally, Lisa provides leadership in advancing agency-wide and program-specific strategic planning and implementation efforts.  

Lisa’s experience includes serving as a Senior Consultant for a national consulting firm specializing in organizational and resource development, as well as working as the Director of Education and Victim Advocacy at Center on Halsted in Chicago. During her tenure at the Center from 2005 to 2013, Lisa provided victim services. She guided the work of the Anti-Violence Project, Legal Program, professional training and technical assistance, and the implementation of the Center’s formal systems-level advocacy efforts. Additionally, Lisa has several years of experience working with adults dually diagnosed with developmental disabilities and mental illness. Lisa has worked as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and provided individual counseling, group support, or crisis counseling to hundreds of survivors and witnesses of domestic, sexual, hate, police, and HIV status-related violence. 

Lori Crowder, PhD

Lori brings over 20 years of experience advancing both local and national efforts to end gender-based and community violence. Since joining ALSO in 2007, Lori has led the organization’s work as Executive Director, designing and managing initiatives that support in-risk populations through training, technical assistance, and community-building strategies. Her leadership bridges direct service, systems change, and national capacity-building to prevent and respond to violence in all its forms.

Lori began her career at a nonprofit organization in New York City, where she managed a federally funded national initiative focused on prisoner reentry and domestic violence. There, she led training, technical assistance, and research to help jurisdictions across the country build cross-sector supports for returning prisoners and their families. Prior to that, she managed social services for public housing residents in Queens.

Her research focuses on the impact of correctional supervision on intimate partner relationships. Lori’s publications include “Managing Ties and Time: Men’s and Women’s Reports of Relationships during Incarceration and Reentry” (dissertation, 2018), and “Prisoner Reentry and Intimate Partner Violence in the African American Community: The Case for Culturally Competent Interventions” (Journal of the Institute of Justice and International Studies, 2004), co-authored with Oliver Williams and others.

In addition to her advocacy and executive leadership, Lori is an educator. She has taught social work courses at the City University of New York and the UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work, and currently teaches social welfare policy in the MSW program at Governors State University.

Lori holds a B.S. from the University of Texas at Arlington, an M.S. from Columbia University School of Social Work, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago Jane Addams College of Social Work.

Marisol Giraud

Marisol has been a dedicated member of the ALSO team for over a decade, contributing her skills and leadership across multiple roles—including Senior Manager of Operations and Events, and Event Manager for the STAAR Project. She now serves as ALSO’s Administrative Director, where she oversees daily office operations and human resources, and fosters a welcoming environment for all.

Marisol brings a wealth of experience from both the nonprofit and private sectors. Her past roles include work with Judd Lofchie and Associates, the founder of Streetwise magazine, and with the Government of Puerto Rico’s Fomento agency. Her extensive travels and cross-sector experience have shaped her strong belief in the power of listening, connection, and community engagement. She is passionate about empowering individuals to express themselves and pursue safer, healthier lives. 

Originally from Puerto Rico and raised in Chicago’s Humboldt Park and Logan Square neighborhoods, Marisol is bilingual in English and Spanish. Marisol holds an Associate of Applied Science from Northwestern Business College and is currently completing her Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Myasar Ihmud, JD

Rolando Otero

Sami Hausserman, MSW

Sami Hausserman is the Program Manager of the STOP Technical Assistance to Administrators Resource (STAAR) Project on the Safe Homes team.  She has been working on the STAAR project since 2023, and contributed to the development of ALSO’s Domestic Violence Legal Services Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women. Prior to joining the ALSO team, Sami worked doing case management and program coordination in affordable housing for older adults in Cleveland, OH, connecting residents with community resources in order to foster independent living.  Sami is a Licensed Social Worker, and received her Master’s of Social Work from Case Western Reserve University. She is passionate about making systems level change in order to create a more equitable society, and appreciates ALSO’s focus on both hyper-local and national violence prevention work.

Samuel Santana

Seomara Sanabria

Seomara Sanabria serves as the Associate Finance Director at ALSO, bringing more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit financial management. She plays a key role in overseeing fiscal operations, ensuring compliance, and supporting the agency’s strategic and programmatic goals. Seomara is recognized for her commitment to efficiency, collaboration, and integrity, qualities that strengthen the organization’s financial stewardship and support its mission-driven work. She is also dedicated to mentoring her team and fostering an environment that encourages professional growth, accountability, and continuous improvement.  

Silvia Villeda Herrera

Silvia brings over 20 years of experience in finance, with a strong background spanning both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. She joined ALSO in 2007 after working in accounting and sales roles in the private sector, and quickly found her calling in nonprofit fiscal management. Since then, Silvia has held several key fiscal positions at ALSO, strategically managing public and private funds to maximize the organization’s impact in underserved communities.

As Sr. Director of Finance, Silvia oversees all financial operations, develops strategic financial plans, and ensures long-term sustainability to support ALSO’s mission of serving communities facing oppression, marginalization, and systemic injustice.

Silvia holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Divinity at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, continuing her lifelong commitment to service and community resilience and transformation.

Steven Rucker

Terry Gage

Valencia Jackson

Valencia Jackson is the Senior Manager of People & Culture at the Alliance of Local Service Organizations (ALSO), where she leads with compassion, strategy, and a deep commitment to ALSO’s mission of creating Safe Homes, Safe Streets. In her role, Valencia oversees a collaborative People & Culture Human Resources team, including an HR Coordinator and HR Administrative Assistant- focused on cultivating a workplace culture rooted in inclusion, respect, and growth.

With more than a decade of experience across public and private sectors, Valencia has built her career on supporting people and strengthening organizational systems. Her expertise spans employee relations, leadership development, compliance, and benefits administration. She has designed onboarding and evaluation processes, led organizational transitions as they relate to compliance and processes, and championed initiatives that center on employee well-being and belonging.

Valencia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in African American Studies from Northern Illinois University, where her studies deepened her understanding of social systems and equity- values that continue to guide her work today. Known for her collaborative approach and steady leadership, Valencia believes that empathy and accountability are the cornerstones of meaningful workplace culture. She is passionate about creating environments where every employee feels valued, empowered, and connected to the communities ALSO serves.

Yesenia Acosta

Yesenia Acosta joined ALSO’s Finance Team in June 2022 as a Fiscal Consultant, bringing with her over 18 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her strong financial background and commitment quickly led to a full-time role as Budget Coordinator in 2023, followed by her promotion to Fiscal Manager.

Yesenia holds an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in Business Management with an emphasis in Finance and Investments. Before joining ALSO, she served in various administrative and financial leadership roles for nonprofit and faith-based organizations, overseeing budgets, financial planning, and daily business operations. Her early work in the Logan Square community—organizing alongside local churches to address issues such as affordable housing, mental health resources, and living wages—sparked her lifelong dedication to social justice and community development.

At ALSO, Yesenia plays a key role in strengthening the agency’s financial foundation, ensuring transparency, accountability, and sustainability across programs. Her blend of strategic thinking, hands-on experience, and passion for helping others aligns closely with ALSO’s mission to improve the lives of those affected by systemic inequities.

When she’s not working or volunteering as her church’s treasurer, Yesenia enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing board games, and baking cookies.