Thomas Applegate • Executive Director
Thomas is excited to work with our amazing team of staff, volunteers and community stakeholders for the betterment of life on the Northwest Side, where he is also a resident. He is committed to social justice, equitable access to resources, trauma-informed practice, and inclusive community and economic growth through the application of community intelligence.
As the Executive Director, Thomas has the principal responsibility to deliver our mission to improve the quality of life for all constituents in our community by creating affordable housing, quality education, community resilience and safety, health equity, arts & cultural endeavors, open spaces, and thriving neighborhood businesses. Thomas is proud of the tremendous 615% growth since 2015 in annual investment by NRC in the our communities and the 240% growth in staff delivering positive change with community.
Prior to NRC, he was the Executive Director of Hostelling International-Chicago where he oversaw the $3.5m hostel facility operation with 36 full time employees. Thomas started his professional life as a litigation attorney in Chicago and also owned a fine Asian antique store with his spouse Athene.
Dalia Aragon • Housing and Economic Development Organizer
Dalia is deeply involved in the communities served by North River Commission as both an Albany Park resident and activist. She founded Israel’s Gifts of Hope Foundation in 2018 that partners with Moms Demand Action, Never Forget Chicago, and other community partners to raise awareness on important community issues. A native Spanish speaker, Dalia spent her 5 month internship prior to starting on staff full time working in the business districts bringing essential resources for growth to our many family-owned businesses. She is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Justice Studies and Psychology with a passion for creating opportunities that will help create a stronger and more equitable community. In her spare time, she enjoys going for runs, entertaining her toddler, tuning out to music, and reading. Hablo español.
Carson Poole • Community Organizer for Parks, Recreation, Open Space, Arts and North Park Village
Carson works with the North River Commission and community stakeholders to support equitable, responsive, and resilient community development. He applies his Masters in Urban Planning and Policy (MUPP) from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he focused on community development, and his experience as a planner and community practice professional in Chicago. Carson brings a passion for ethical urban practice, resilient urban ecosystems, and dynamic arts and cultural opportunities as ways to improve quality of life. He has previously worked with Place Lab (at the University of Chicago Arts and Public Life Initiative), the Chicago Botanic Garden, Openlands, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Carson grew up on a third-generation family farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University. In his spare time, you can find him biking, working in his community garden, playing 16" softball, baking bread, or talking about the finer points of maple syrup production to anyone who will listen.
Marisabel Pozo • Economic Development Organizer
Marisa is thrilled to work with North River Commission and help small business owners and entrepreneurs achieve their goals through the Regional Business Center program. She is looking forward to applying all of the knowledge she gained in her Masters in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
After working in the private sector for a couple of years, she is happy to get back into economic development and use the experience she has working in nonprofits and government agencies in Chicago and abroad. Born and raised in Ecuador, she moved to Chicago for college and lived almost 15 years in Albany Park, where her parents still reside. This background gives her a sense of belonging and understanding of the identities in these neighborhoods and their potential. She is excited to continue to build strong relationships with businesses in order to achieve a thriving, inclusive and equitable community. Hablo español.
Madeleine Polovick, Education Community Organizer
Madeleine (Maddie) is thrilled to bring her passion for the intersection of social justice and education to NRC where she will oversee efforts to enrich and expand education initiatives in the community, including the FORGE program and a partnership with Illinois State University’s Teacher Pipeline. A Michigan native and Albany Park resident, Madeleine studied sociology and education at the College of Wooster. She began her career in Chicago by intentionally committing two years to AmeriCorps service with City Year and College Possible, catalyzing her dedication to social impact work that uplifts systematically disadvantaged communities by connecting resources to areas of greatest need. Madeleine has worked closely with English Learner and immigrant students and communities across the state during her time with the Illinois State Board of Education, where she also oversaw Illinois’s Seal of Biliteracy program, and she looks forward to bringing that experience into her new role with NRC.
Outside of work, Madeleine spends lots of time in the kitchen baking all sorts of delicious treats! She is a lifelong musician and enjoys spending quality time in nature with her husband, often going on long bike rides, adventurous hikes, or having beach days at the lake.
maddie@northrivercommission.org
Catherine George • Economic Development Organizer
Catherine George is excited to join North River Commission and work with a team to support small businesses and create sustainable change in the community. Catherine will apply the knowledge that she gained as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic where she served in community economic development. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado in Economics and Biology and her passion lies in finding the balance between a healthy ecosystem and a healthy economy. In her spare time, she enjoys kayaking, scuba diving, quilting, and watching Netflix. Hablo español.
Erika Geraldino • Housing, Health and Safety Organizer
Erika Geraldino is excited to join the North River Commission and support the organization's efforts to improve the quality of life of the Northwest neighborhood's residents. Erika graduated from Northeastern Illinois University and received a bachelor's in Latinx and Latin American Studies. Originally from Colombia, Erika grew up surrounded by educators and non-profit workers who inspired her to serve her community. She loves going on walks, making candles, and traveling in her free time. Hablo español.
erika@northrivercommission.org
Kaanan Raja • Health and Safety Organizer
Kaanan is enthusiastic to work with North River Commission and support the organization's efforts towards building solutions to redress health inequities and enhance public safety within the community. She received her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Northwestern University with a concentration in Community Health and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Kaanan is passionate about the intersection between eliminating local health disparities and social policy. She was born in a first-generation Indian American family and strives to be an advocate for underserved populations. In her spare time, you can find her in line at her local movie theater, scavenging through her favorite thrift stores, or taking daily walks by the lake.
Josebell Rivadeneira • Economic Development Organizer
Born and raised in Quito-Ecuador, Josebell finds joy in helping people and small communities to grow. She believes that change can also be made on a small scale with dedication, solidarity, love, and hard work. She is excited to work with the North River Commission to make a great impact on small businesses and the communities of Albany Park, Irvin Part, and North Park. She recently finished her undergraduate in Social and Cultural Anthropology, Women’s Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Latin American and LatinX studies at Furman University. So, she is especially enthusiastic to use her research, project management, communications, and marketing skills to deliver programs and other services.
Nacida y criada en Quito-Ecuador, Josebell le apasiona ayudar a las personas y pequeñas comunidades a crecer. Ella cree que el cambio también se puede hacer a pequeña escala con dedicación, solidaridad, amor y trabajo duro. Está emocionada de trabajar con la Comisión North River porque quiere crear un gran impacto en los pequenos negocios y comunidades de Albany Park, Irvin Part y North Park. Recientemente terminó su licenciatura en Antropología Social y Cultural, Estudios de Sexualidad y Género de la Mujer, y estudios latinoamericanos y LatinX en la Universidad de Furman. Por lo tanto, está especialmente entusiasmada por utilizar sus habilidades de investigación, gestión de proyectos, comunicaciones y marketing para ofrecer programas y otros servicios.
Abraham Espino • Housing Health and Safety Specialist
Abraham Espino is an Albany Park native and first-generation college graduate. He has always been passionate about giving back to his communities, so he is excited to join the North River Commission and its efforts to make the Northwest neighborhoods of Chicago a better place to live. Growing up, Abraham learned the importance of connecting with people and engaging in dialogue about the issues that matter most. He is a graduate of Earlham College in Sociology & Anthropology and a Bonner Scholar with over 1,300 hours of community service. Abraham enjoys speaking with people from all walks of life and learning about their perspectives. In his free time, Abraham enjoys listening to music, writing, and hanging out with his dogs. Hablo español.
Abraham Espino es nativo de Albany Park y es el primer miembro de su familia que se gradúa de la universidad. Siempre ha sido una persona apasionada por devolver a sus comunidades, y está emocionado de unirse a North River Commission y sus esfuerzos para hacer los vecindarios del Noroeste de Chicago un lugar mejor para vivir. Al crecer, Abraham aprendió la importancia de conectarse con las personas y entablar un diálogo sobre los temas que más importan. Es graduado de Earlham College en Sociología y Antropología y becario Bonner con más de 1,300 horas de servicio comunitario. Abraham disfruta de hablar con personas de todas las clases y aprender acerca de sus perspectivas. En su tiempo libre, a Abraham le gusta escuchar música, escribir y pasar el rato con sus perros.
FORGE School Site Coordinators
- Albany Park Multicultural Academy • Amaranta Cuesta
amarantacuesta@northrivercommission.org - Bateman Elementary • Alexia Limas • alexia <at> northrivercommission.org
- Palmer Elementary • Stef Coleman
stefcoleman <at> northrivercommission.org - Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center • Marc Lopez
mlopez@northrivercommission.org
Parent Mentor Program School Site Coordinators
- Haugen Elementary • Jessica Reyes
- Hibbard Elementary • Luisa Burciaga