Team Overview

Mary Aboutar

Program Director of Allied Health

Mary Aboutar has been active in the field of Training and Educational development for 15 years, focusing on teaching and growing Medical Assisting programs both online and on-ground. Mary has deep experience leading Medical Assisting programs, including developing and managing cost centers, providing administrative and educational direction for staff and students, and creating rigorous curriculum, policies and procedures for clinical training. She has also lead the growth and operations of an Ambulatory Outpatient Education center. Mary currently serves as Program Director of Allied Health for Accelerate U.  Mary holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management from St. Leo University, an MBA-Management degree from Westwood University, an RMA-Registered Medical Assistant certification and CMC-Certified Medical Biller & Coder certification.

Chieme Atubi

Finance & Data Analyst

Bringing over 6 years of professional experience, Chieme is a seasoned Finance and Data Analyst at Accelerate U. Having served in roles emphasizing financial analysis and data management, Chieme now closely collaborates with the VP of Workforce Pathways, overseeing critical financial operations for strategic decision-making. Proficient in SQL, Python, and data visualization tools, Chieme excels in distilling actionable insights from complex datasets, significantly contributing to the realization of Accelerate U's strategic goals. Beyond the numbers, Chieme is motivated by a commitment to equity, seamlessly aligning with Accelerate U's mission.

Eisha Cloption

Externship Coordinator

Eisha has over 18 years of experience in healthcare, starting her career at Ann and Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital as a CNA and serving most recently as a Lead Medical Assistant. Eisha is also an alumnus of the Accelerate U medical assistant program and a Skill Lab instructor in the program. She is passionate about teaching students how to be successful starting in the healthcare field. Coming from the Englewood community herself, she understands the need to set an example for new MAs starting. Eisha has become a mentor to many new MAs from the program. Eisha wants to further her career by obtaining a BS in Healthcare Leadership so she can someday give the same opportunity to minorities she was given. 

Alicia Collins

Senior Career Coach & Innovation Lead

Alicia has more than a decade of experience working in both charter and public schools in Illinois and Indiana. Most recently, she was an elementary school principal, and she has also served as the Senior Dean of Culture at a charter school in Chicago where she supported a team of more than 20 staff whose collective efforts resulted in a steep decline in disciplinary referrals and a 100% high school graduation rate. Alicia has led workshops around Trauma Informed practices, Social Emotional Learning, and Culturally Responsive teaching practices and has co-authored a social emotional learning curriculum for grades 6-12. Alicia is a proud alumnus of National Louis University and has a Master’s Degree in Education Leadership from Concordia University-Portland.

Shantall Del Giudice

Director of Career Coaching

Shantall has over 15 years of professional experience that spans across teaching in Chicago public schools, college counseling, career/vocational coaching, and content creation/blogging. She brings a passion and knack for coaching others to achieve something great in their careers. As Accelerate U’s Lead Career Coach, she coaches participants on utilizing their learnings in class within job interviews, during the program’s externship, and afterwards in the workforce. Shantall received her B.A. from Texas State University - San Marcos, a Master’s in Secondary Education from National Louis, and a Master’s in Public Service Management, Higher Education Administration from DePaul University.

Maria Ixtlapale

Senior Coordinator of Program & Learning

Maria is a people-oriented professional with a background in business management, case management, and operations. Before joining AU, Maria coordinated and managed events in the cosmetics industry, helped lead social media campaigns, and nonprofit promotional events — work that strengthened her communication/organizational skills and people-first approach. At Accelerate U, Maria helps keep courses running smoothly behind the scenes. She revises and updates course materials, ensuring everything is clear and easy to navigate, and supports the overall learning experience through better data practices, hands-on learning technology support, and continuous improvements across AU’s different programs.

Maria earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from National Louis University and is currently working toward a Master’s in Business Data Analytics. Outside of work, she loves long walks with her dog, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.

Renisha James

Career Coach

Renisha James spent her first 5 years after college as a middle school teacher. Before landing here at National Louis, she worked with adult learners as a trainer and assisting graduates as a college recruiter. She wholeheartedly believes that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and guidance from someone who is invested in you and cares will take you even further. She is ready to be that person for AU learners!
 
Elephants, puzzles, riding her bike along the lake, playing with her dog Khobi and spending time with her family are just a few of the things that bring her joy. She’s also a part time lettering artist and specializes in creating beautiful art using words and letters. You can find some of her work via murals around Chicago!

Thackston Lundy

Vice President of Workforce Pathways

Thackston has nearly two decades of experience in the education sector across K-12 public school systems and networks and non-profit workforce development organizations. He brings a passion for building accessible career credential pathway programs and launched Accelerate U at National Louis University in 2021. Thackston received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Gabriela Khodja

Career Coach

Gabriela has over half a decade of experience bridging opportunity gaps for historically underserved communities through case management and post-secondary coaching. Her experience includes supporting a preschool expansion program, assisting families in crises at a residential facility, and coaching students in getting to and through college. Prior to joining NLU, Gabriela was a program manager for an Americorps program that focused on developing the next generation of nonprofit leaders. Gabriela is passionate about sparking self exploration in others and unlocking their potential to flourish. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a Social Work emphasis from Wheaton College and is a certified Reiki I Practitioner.

Nina Mercado

Career Coach  

Nina is a Chicago native with over half a decade of experience within the educational realm (public, private, and non-profit development) ranging from k-12 to high school, and community college environments. Prior to working at NLU, Nina was a Program Coordinator with One Million Degrees at Malcolm X, where she connected students to academic and personal support opportunities and scholarships.  She is people oriented and began this work primarily because of her own educational barriers and experience within Higher Education. She aims to continue the work of uplifting historically marginalized communities by dismantling gatekeeping, bridging knowledge gaps, providing a brave space for students to feel empowered, and navigate their path to success. She holds her B.A from Denison University and is excited to work towards her M.A in Higher Education. 

Richy Arturo Peña

Director of Employer Engagement

Richy Arturo Peña is an experienced community engagement, corporate partnerships, and social impact leader with a deep commitment to proliferating economic mobility and bridging the racial wealth gap. Grounded in his lived experience as a first-generation son of immigrants, Richy has built his career on centering community, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and leveraging the corporate and philanthropic sectors to drive systems change. As a Program Officer of the NBA Foundation, he co-led seven national grant dockets, stewarding more than $100M to 200+ Black-led youth workforce nonprofits while spearheading partnerships between the league, NBA teams, funders, and other key stakeholders. Richy also managed a multi-million dollar portfolio of donor initiatives and nonprofit organizations at Arabella Advisors where he specialized in launching new nonprofit organizations and managing complex lobbying and advocacy activities. Richy obtained his B.A. in Government from Georgetown University and his M.A. in Public Policy and Public Administration from Northwestern University.

Jennifer Robin 

Director of Program Excellence and Operations

Jennifer Robin has spent nearly two decades supporting students in a variety of educational settings in both secondary and post-secondary landscapes. Most recently Jennifer led NLU’s transfer strategy and oversaw the launch of Direct to Success, a comprehensive initiative to support direct transfer students in completing Bachelor’s degrees. Prior to being Director of Transfer Strategy, through her direct support of the inaugural group of Pathways students at NLU, Jennifer built the undergraduate coaching model now adopted by the undergraduate college at NLU and served as Director of Undergraduate Student Success. Before coming to NLU, Jennifer spent ten years teaching in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Jennifer received her B.A. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and her Master’s in Teaching from National Louis University.

Kylie Vadnais

Senior Director of Program & Learning

Kylie Vadnais is an educator and program designer dedicated to expanding access to pathways for students pursuing their future aspirations. As a first-generation college graduate herself, Kylie brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, grounding her approach in empathy and equity. She began her career as a high school science teacher in Chicago, where she developed a deep commitment to creating engaging, student-centered learning experiences. That commitment continues to guide her work today in leading the program team for Accelerate U. Kylie is driven by a belief that all students deserve learning experiences that recognize their potential and support their success. When not at work, Kylie loves to get outside – hiking, cross-country skiing, or swimming at the beach – with her husband and two daughters.

Makiah Watson

Career Coach 

Makiah Watson brings a unique perspective to Accelerate U as both a first-generation professional and workforce development alum committed to expanding educational and career access. Before joining Accelerate U, Makiah served as an academic advisor supporting first-generation college students in navigating their academic and professional goals. She later advanced into workforce development, where she provided case management, facilitated workshops, and built community partnerships to prepare high school interns for future success. Rooted in her lived experience, Makiah is passionate about holistic student support and creating innovative, accessible pathways that empower learners to thrive both personally and professionally. Makiah holds both a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences from Illinois State University.

Laura Yepes Rengifo

Operations & Program Coordinator

Laura Yepes Rengifo is a people-oriented professional with a background in social work, education, and public policy. She has experience supporting children, youth, and families through education-focused and community-based programs, as well as collaborating with universities and non-profit organizations in Colombia. Laura earned her degree in Social Work from Universidad del Valle and completed an MBA with a focus on Business Analytics from Southern Utah University. She is passionate about creating inclusive and protective learning environments and supporting students through accessible, student-centered programs. Laura brings an international perspective, and a passion for education as a tool for social transformation. Laura looks forward to bringing all of her experiences together as she approaches program support and general operations for AU.

Elizabeth M. Alexander, Ph.D.

Manager of Program & Learning

Elizabeth M. Alexander, Ph.D. creates dynamic learning media for scholarly and general audiences alike. With over ten years’ experience as an educator, scholar, artist, designer, and developer, she champions student-centered, justice-oriented, & universally accessible educational media that empowers all learners. Their broader research practice blends creative interface design with information embodiment, centering Black women’s technoculture & the viral justice networks that root Chicago’s Southwest Side.

Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. & M.A. in Literatures in English from Cornell University, and a B.A. in English & Black Studies from Amherst College. Their work has appeared in Studies in Romanticism, Interactive Storytelling, & Change Agents the Podcast. A third-generation Greater Englewood resident, she is excited to uplift & serve Chicago’s most untapped learners through Accelerate U. Learn more at ema.works.

Gissela Gualoto

Career Coach

Gissela Gualoto holds a Professional Educator License (PEL) with an endorsement in K–12 Bilingual Education and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Education. She began her career teaching ESL in Ecuador, later as an English Language Learner paraprofessional, and spent six years as a Multilingual Specialist in public education.

Through her work with Language Empowers All People (LEAP), she coached students in communication and career readiness, supporting them in preparing for interviews, clarifying their goals, and building strong workforce communication skills.

Gissela’s approach is rooted in relationships and honesty. She takes time to understand students’ experiences while encouraging them to think more deeply and take ownership of their growth. She is especially committed to supporting bilingual and first-generation students as they navigate unfamiliar systems and access new opportunities. Outside of her work, she volunteers with the Sant’Egidio community focusing on distributing food for the unhoused, contributes to faith-based storytelling through Rich in Faith, and enjoys summer sunrise bike rides along the lake.

Sofia Blanco

Alumni Success and Career Coordinator

Sofia has spent several years in the workforce development nonprofit space, working in both direct services and managing recruiting efforts. She is passionate about creating equal opportunities for Chicagoans to succeed academically and professionally. Having been a beneficiary of numerous educational and workforce development organizations herself, she hopes to craft a network for NLU AU’s completers so they graduate with a solid network of professionals. Outside of National Louis University, Sofia can be found visiting museums, exploring Chicago’s diverse restaurant scene, and viewing live music.