Bhaskar Manda

Chair

Bhaskar S. Manda is a community leader in Logan Square, particularly in the area of affordable housing. He is active in actions, policy-making, and zoning and development processes in the 35th and surrounding wards.  He’s on the boards of Somos Logan Square and the Unity Park Advisory Council. He has been CASA of Cook County’s technical support volunteer for over 12 years. Bhaskar lives in Logan Square and works in the edtech & books industry. He is also an amateur runner, and has run in several Chicago Marathons.

David Feinberg

Secretary

My work in community development finance as a CDFI leader and a non-profit developer spans more than 15 years.  I currently work for Chicago Community Loan Fund as the Dir. of Coaching and Knowledge Transfer.  I have served as a board member of JCUA, an LSC member, served an appointment on the Illinois State Charter School Commission, and coached travel softball and baseball. I’m committed and motivated to align capital with justice and create and preserve vibrant and sustainable neighborhoods through public/private partnerships.  

Kathy Tholin

Treasurer

Kathy is a long-time resident of Logan Square, where she has worked with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (Palenque LSNA) and other groups on a wide range of housing and community issues.  She was formerly the CEO of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the founding director of CNT Energy (now Elevate Energy).  She is also a founder and board member of the Chicago Community Loan Fund and serves on the board of the Chicago Community Land Trust.

Lisa Avila

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I have worked in various capacities in social justice work. Currently, I am a communications strategist and a proud Here to Stay homeowner who believes deeply in housing as a human right. I currently serve as Director of Communications for Chicago’s 26th Ward. After experiencing displacement myself, becoming a homeowner through Here to Stay allowed me to finally grow roots in the community with stability, dignity, and a sense of belonging.  

Emilio Carrasquillo

Emilio Carrasquillo serves as Program Manager for the north side office of Spanish Coalition for Housing. He brings with him 15 years in retail management, a background in real estate sales, mortgage loan origination and has 15 years’ experience as a Director in the nonprofit housing management field.

He has served as Co-chair of the Midwest Region for HomeOwnership© Center Managers as well as the National Homeownership© Center Managers National Advisory Committee with NeighborWorks© America. He is on several other community boards and has been appointed to the Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund board by Mayor Lightfoot. A lifelong resident of Humboldt Park, Emilio is passionate about creating housing opportunities for families all over the Chicagoland area.

Jadid Hernandez

Jadid is a new HTS homeowner and human rights advocate. Jadid works in Advertising and grew up in the Logan Square/Avondale neighborhood. She has been involved with her community from a young age. In 2010, she was introduced to Palenque, where she learned the importance of caring for the village that cares for you. Years later, Palenque introduced HTS, who helped her accomplish her dream of buying her parents a home.

Julio Pensamiento

Julio was born and raised in Hermosa and currently serves as the Strategic Partnership Coordinator at Center for Changing Lives where he manages all of the external relationships with quality partner organizations that wish to collaborate with CCL and its programs. Before his role at CCL, Julio spent two years performing constituent services at a local aldermanic office where his passion for community-based organizations originated and grew. He enjoys working towards helping empower the people in his community through quality social services.

Benjamin Serrano

I am a born and raised Chicagoan with roots in the West Town and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. I worked as a teacher and community educator. I am currently transitioning to my second career as a nurse.  I want to help create communities that can access affordable and equitable living situations where the people who build that community are in control of that community and not beholden to the stress and trauma of displacement and gentrification. As a proud co-owner of an HTS condo, it allows me to live in community with other HTS families, finding stability in the neighborhoods they grew up in.

Lincoln Stannard

Lincoln Stannard is a passionate community development practitioner and housing advocate. He leads LUCHA’s affordable housing efforts as Director of Community Development, guiding projects like Encuentro Square and the redevelopment of Humboldt Park UMC. Lincoln began his career at the Chicago Community Loan Fund, where he managed construction lending for the City of Chicago’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Born and raised on Chicago’s West Side, Lincoln has called Logan Square home for 14 years. He has been active in housing justice and tenant organizing projects, including time spent on the board of the grassroots organization Somos Logan Square. In his free time, Lincoln can be found exploring bike trails or on the walls of his local climbing gym.

Susan Yanun

Susan is the Director of Planning at Palenque LSNA. During Susan’s time, Palenque has completed two community-led Quality of Life Plans, the last in 2018 called Here to Stay. A key component of that plan was the development of a Community Land Trust, which Susan staffed until HTS hired its first program director. Other community development projects led by Susan include working with tenants of the Lorington Apartments to be the first group in the state to use the Federally Assisted Housing Preservation Act to preserve their 54 Section 8 apartments. Susan also led the organizing campaign to help Bickerdike gain support for their 66 unit, all affordable, Zapata Apartments. Susan got her Bachelor’s Degree from Tufts University and her Master’s Degree in Urban Planning & Policy from UCLA.