Our Village

together we are

Changing the future, one family at a time

Families

Board of
Directors

Executive
Team

Funders &
Donors

Partners

Families

Jasmine

“That was the best feeling when I signed my lease. We got our own. We got our own so we can stick our own keys in the door.”

WATCH
Angelica
Angelica

“When I originally came to a shelter I thought everybody was going to be in a gymnasium in bunkbeds, the way you see it on TV. And it wasn’t like that here.”

WATCH
Tiffany

“I never had an apartment in my life and Primo got me there. This is me and my kids home, this ain’t no shelter anymore.”

WATCH
Valerie

“The first time I walked into my own place, it was a gift, more than what I could have asked for.”

WATCH

Board of directors

Executive Committee

Quintin
Quintin E. Primo III

Co-Chairman

Chairman and CEO,
Capri Investment Group

SEE BIO
Diane
Diane Primo

Co-Chairman

CEO,
Purpose Brand

SEE BIO
Heather
L. Heather Mitchell

President

Individual Member

SEE BIO
Danielle
Danielle Meltzer Cassel

Board Member

Shareholder,
Vedder Price, P.C.

SEE BIO
Lee
Lee I. Miller

Chair, Executive Committee

Co-Head of Management and Investment Committees, Abundant Venture Partners

SEE BIO
Dana
Dana Orr Williams

Secretary

Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel,
Northern Trust Corporation

SEE BIO
Felicia
Felicia Blakley

Ex-Officio

Chief Executive Officer,
Primo Center

SEE BIO

Board Members

Cheryl
Cheryl Hartshorne

Board Member

Senior Executive,
RedMane Technology LLC

SEE BIO
John
John Holmes

Board Member

President and CEO,
AAR Corp.

SEE BIO
Michael
Michael Pagliuco

Board Member

Principal,
Pagliuco Design Company

SEE BIO
Joel
Joel Putnam

Board Member

Chief Design Officer,
Capri Investment Group

SEE BIO
Lisa
Lisa Skolnik

Board Member

Partner, Senior Vice President,
Purpose Brand

SEE BIO

Executive team

Felicia
Felicia Blakley

Chief Executive Officer

SEE BIO
Lashunda
Lashunda Brown

Chief Officer of Quality & Impact

SEE BIO
Shelley
Shelley Cooper

Chief Community Relations Officer

SEE BIO
Latanya
Latanya Gray

Chief Program Officer

SEE BIO
Datjaeda
Datjaeda Moore

Chief People Officer

SEE BIO
Cheryl
Cheryl Thompson

Director of Finance

SEE BIO
Katy
Katy Walsh

Chief Development Officer

SEE BIO

Funders and Donors

Thank you to the many Primo Center contributors for their financial support. Through funding opportunities and philanthropic gifts, we are able to provide critical services to children, families and individuals struggling with homelessness in Chicago. Primo Center is truly grateful for your commitment! The following is a list of funders and donors contributing to Primo Center between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. 

US Dept of Housing and urban development
DFSS
IDHS
HRSA
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
BCBS
IL Child Healthcare Foundation
Crown Family
Polk Bros
Weinberg Foundation
United way

$100,000+
Blue Cross Blue Shield
    Illinois Special Beginnings ®
Chicago Community Trust
Polk Bros Foundation

$50,000 to $99,999
Healthy Communities Foundation 

$10,000 to $49,999
Episcopal Charities 
Leonard C. Goodman
Help for Children | Hedge Funds
    Care
Kingdom Charitable Trust 
Northern Trust Foundation,
    Robert McCormick Foundation
Quintin and Diane Primo
Sutherlin Martin Fund 

$5,000 to $9,999
Albertson’s Company Foundation
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kunze
Dr. Leslie McClellan
L. Heather Mitchell and Family
Samantha Biaz Walton

$1,000 to $4,999
Brian Fargo
Fay Ferguson
Madeline Murphy Rabb
Annette Pugh
South Suburban Chicago
    Chapter, Jack & Jill of America

$500 to $999
Francis Beidler III and Prudence
    R. Beidler Foundation
Alexis Brandon
Paul Campbell
WOLBC, Pastor J. Abel

$100 to $499
Megan Barton
Thomas Best
Kevin Dougherty 
Robert Grigsby
LaKoya Hampton 
KPMG Gives c/o Bergen
    County’s United Way
Aaron Lambert
Patrick Leen
Kimberly Livingston 
Katharine Niedorowski 
Mark Peppers
Stephen Rynkiewicz
Adam Stock
Michelle Turner

$50 to $99
Kent Cichowicz 
Rachelle Cooper
Fatima De La Torre 
Fay Ferguson 
Aaron Lambert
Joshua Storm
Cheryl Thompson

Although Primo Center is striving for excellence in stewardship of your donation, there is a chance a donor has been accidentally omitted or acknowledged incorrectly, we apologize for the error. The Development Team is currently optimizing our database for accuracy and efficiency and standardizing our donation process. Please reach out with any corrections, questions or suggestions to Katy Walsh, Chief Development Officer, katy.walsh@primocenter.org. We appreciate your support and want to ensure you experience our gratitude in everything we do!

Partners

Primo Center is an established partner in Chicago’s ecosystem for families struggling with homelessness. Primo, along with a myriad of partners, strengthen the safety net with trauma-informed care for children, parents and individuals. Together, we support unhoused families grappling with poverty, food insecurity, prenatal care, childcare, healthcare, mental health, and unemployment. Here are a few highlighted partnerships supporting Primo Center:

Above and Beyond
BCBS
special beginnings
Catholic charities
Center for Housing and Health
Chicago HOPES for Kids
Christian Community Health Center
Facing Forward
UIC
HAH
HBH
Illinois Chapter
Lavin Family
Lawndale
Matthew
The Night Ministry
Hope
Salvation Army
share our spare
Teamwork Englewood
WIC
UofI

Above & Beyond Family Recovery Center  provides high quality free out-patient behavioral addiction treatment.  |  BCBSIL Special Beginnings® Initiatives provides funding to improve maternal and infant health through prenatal care for pregnant mothers at Primo. |  Catholic Charities co-lead Kids Connect, a child-focused advocacy program and their families in navigating education, healthcare and mental health services.  |  Center for Housing and Health specializes in people experiencing homelessness and chronic illnesses.  |  Chicago HOPES for Kids provides after school and summer youth programming to support academic growth, social-emotional learning, and positive relationships.  |  Christian Community Health Center provides quality health care to families.  |  Facing Forward to End Homelessness provides long-term housing, essential resources, and personalized, family-wide support services.  |  Health Equity and Justice Partners SOPC, University of Illinois Chicago  focuses on health inequities and challenges faced by marginalized populations.   |  Heartland Alliance Health co-lead Kids Connect, a child-focused advocacy program and their families in navigating education, healthcare and mental health services. HAH also conducts screenings/intakes and well child home visits.  |  Howard Brown Health conducts screenings/intakes and well child home visits.  |  Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics is a guidance resource for child, youth & family well-being and quality healthcare.  |  Lavin Family Foundation provides crucial in-kind soft goods including adult and children’s clothing, footwear, coats, and bedding.  |  Lawndale Christian Health Center has designated space at Primo’s facility in the Austin neighborhood to provide primary medical care for residents.  |  Matthew House, Inc provides food and other critical services for individuals who are unsheltered or facing homelessness.  |  The Night Ministry provides overnight and short-term housing programs for young people and adults.  |  Nourishing Hope provides nutritious food via a personalized food distribution program.  |  Salvation Army- Emergency Homeless Assessment and Response Center(EHARC) serves as the access and assessment hub for families awaiting shelter placement   |  Share Our Spare donates items (e.g.: diapers, car seats, strollers) to directly support Primo mothers with limited means.   |  Teamwork Englewood connects Englewood residents to mentoring, digital literacy, workforce training, career readiness programs, and job placement services.  |  Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a food assistance program for pregnant mothers, new mothers and young children to eat well and stay healthy.  |  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign-School of Social Work: Children and Family Research Center  serves as the research partner for Kids Connect. 

Quintin
Quintin E. Primo III

Co-Chairman

Mr. Primo serves as founder and executive chairman of Capri Investment Group, a real estate investment and development organization established in 1992. Over his many years in the industry, Mr. Primo has challenged conventional wisdom in developing new markets for investment. He was an early and major investor in underserved urban property markets and has pursued other groundbreaking strategies in U.S. and global markets, with more than $15 billion in transactions completed. As a leader within the commercial real estate industry, he has been an outspoken advocate for diversity and inclusion. Mr. Primo serves as co-chair of the Primo Center for Women and Children and was founding chairman of the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, amongst many other nonprofit and civic engagements. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in Finance, with honors and high distinction, from Indiana University. He holds an honorary doctorate from Sewanee, University of the South.

Diane
Diane Primo

Co-Chairman

Diane Primo is the CEO of the Purpose Brand agency, an award-winning, Chicago-based public relations, branding and digital marketing firm. Diane’s focus on impact marketing stems from the belief that brands must be relevant, purpose-driven and committed to consumers to be successful today. Consumers’ demand for meaning, transparency and authenticity has changed the nature and raised the stakes in all communication.

As founder of Purpose Brand, Diane builds on a groundbreaking, 30-year career leading some of the top marketing organizations in the country. She served as general manager at Quaker Oats, president of product management at Ameritech and SBC (AT&T), chief marketing officer of CDW and CEO of a Kleiner Perkins-backed e-commerce startup in the home services sector. A communications innovator, Diane was recognized as such with Ragan Communications’ Top Women in Communications Trailblazer Award. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Smith College.

Diane is a board member for P33, the private sector initiative to promote Chicago’s standing as a technology center. She is also a committee member of World Business Chicago’s ChicagoNEXT, the Economic Club of Chicago, The Chicago Network and the Business Leadership Council. A sought-after speaker on corporate social impact, Diane is the best-selling author of ADAPT: Scaling Purpose in a Divided World and ALL Report: Culture, Diversity, Leadership – Stop Talking and Execute.

Diane’s personal public service record reflects her personal commitments to eradicating homelessness, helping underserved populations and furthering gender equality. She was proud to consult with the George Floyd family’s civil legal team. Diane received the Hassenfeld Family Initiatives Humanitarian Award and was a presenter at the G8 UK Deauville Partnership Summit. She is currently co-chairman of the nationally recognized Primo Center, Chicago’s largest center for homeless families, which she co-founded. Diane also co-founded SOAR, an organization that focuses on empowering, connecting and growing the number of women of color in media.

Heather
L. Heather Mitchell

President

Heather Mitchell is passionate about access to education, housing and equity initiatives. She received her B.A. from Williams College and her M.A. from Dartmouth College. Heather previously served as Senior Advisor on the Transition Team for Chicago Mayoral-Elect Lori Lightfoot and as both Senior Advisor and Political Director for Chicago Mayoral Candidate Lori Lightfoot. Prior to these roles, she served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Capri Capital Partners, LLC, a minority-owned real estate private equity firm headquartered in Chicago. Heather is Board President of the Primo Center for Women & Children, a Board Member of the Black Impact Community Fund (Los Angeles), a Steppenwolf Theatre Board Member and a member of the Women’s Political Committee of Los Angeles. She previously served on the St. Andrew’s School (Delaware) Board of Trustees, Windward School Board of Trustees (Los Angeles), and is a former Board Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee for Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Danielle
Danielle Meltzer

Board Member

Download full bio here

Danielle Meltzer Cassel is a practicing attorney with more than 29 years of experience dedicated to transactional real estate, land use law, public incentives, regulatory compliance, and business licensing. Since 1996, her work has covered a broad spectrum of property types in both urban and suburban contexts, including mixed-use developments, retail and office developments, hotels, restaurants and bars, cannabis dispensaries, performing arts venues, fitness and recreation facilities, hospitals and health care centers, cemeteries, daycare centers, schools and universities, religious institutions, industrial parks, manufacturing and waste management facilities, billboard signage, and residential projects ranging from transitional shelters and affordable housing to luxury high-rises and subdivisions.

Lee
Lee Miller

Chair, Executive Committee

Lee Miller Operating Partner and Board Member, Abundant Venture Partners 

Lee Miller is the Operating Partner of Abundant Venture Partners and a member of the Board of Directors. Abundant seeks to create or invest in early stage companies that help define new markets of opportunity consisting of investments across three focus areas; Human Wellness, Human Performance, and Human Engagement. The portfolios focus on improving Human Wellness deploy technology and service enterprises that help patients, providers, and payers to lower costs, increase quality, and improve the patient experience. 

Mr. Miller has retired as the Chair Emeritus of DLA Piper. He is a former member of the DLA Piper Global Board and the US Executive Committee. Lee was one of the principal forces behind the national and international expansion of DLA Piper over the last two and a half decades. Lee has also been a driving force behind DLA Piper’s extensive pro bono and corporate social responsibility initiatives. 

Lee was devoted to advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal community. Under his leadership, in 2010 DLA Piper launched its Alternative Work Schedule program, adopting a set of best practices to guide a flexible work program to meet the life/work demands of the firm’s diverse workforce and support DLA Piper’s business strategy of attracting and retaining top-quality talent. The program stems from DLA Piper’s involvement in the Project for Attorney Retention (PAR), an initiative bringing together prominent general counsels and law firm chairs who work to make the legal profession more inclusive for women and minority lawyers. 

Lee has received several distinguished awards such as the American Jewish Committee Learned Hand Award; Simon Rifkind Award; Georgetown John Carroll award and Paul Dean Award. 

Memberships/Organizations: Sinai Health System, Board of Directors Abundant Venture Partners, Board of Directors Vale Health, Board of Directors Workstorm, Board of Advisors Pro Bono Task Force Legal Service Corporation, Board of Directors

Dana
Dana WIlliams

Board Member

Dana O. Williams serves as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Northern Trust in Chicago. In this role, Dana provides strategic legal counsel and advice on all aspects of the employee lifecycle to global Human Resources teams, including talent acquisition, employee relations, inclusion, HR consulting and HR operations. Dana also manages threatened and pending employment litigation matters for the company.

Before joining Northern Trust, Dana practiced at Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Chicago, focusing on labor and employment law and complex litigation, including trade secrets and corporate espionage matters for Fortune 500 companies. Dana also worked at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP (now Dentons) in the litigation group.

Dana earned a B.A. in African American Studies from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from Georgetown University.

For more than a decade, Dana has been a dedicated board member of Primo Center, supporting its mission to provide permanent and transitional housing for homeless women and children on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Dana also serves on the board of CARPLS, Cook County’s largest provider of free legal aid services, and is a proud Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow (Class of 2022).

Dana lives in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood with her husband and three children.

Cheryl is proud of her reputation for putting the critical alignment of people, process, and technology into action. The foundation of her career was built with the Alberta Government in Canada, initially practicing child welfare work, and then leading large scale change and improvement initiatives. She provided leadership to Child Welfare, Prevention, Disabilities, Family Violence, Mental Health, Addictions, Homelessness and Eligibility programs. Passionate about helping children realize their potential, Ms. Hartshorne was involved in supporting many non-profit agencies through board development and service. She has been involved with agencies serving vulnerable children and families, family violence, refugee resettlement, homelessness, harm reduction strategies, mental health, and addictions, as well as education and community building groups. Ms. Hartshorne was also a sessional instructor in social work, Indigenous child welfare and change processes at MacEwan University.

Felicia
Felicia Blakley

Chief Operating Officer

Download full bio here

Felicia Blakley, the CEO of Primo Center since 2024, leads Primo Center’s holistic approach to breaking the cycle of homelessness through housing, trauma-informed care, mental health services, early childhood programs, and workforce development initiatives.

A socially conscious executive leader, Felicia leads with radical authenticity, unparalleled passion, and an inspirational vision. With a proven track record in government, public policy, higher education, and philanthropy, she is deeply committed to advancing equality and equity and believes in the power of collective action to transform lives, families, and communities.

Previously, Felicia served as President and CEO of the Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW), where she successfully completed the organization’s Comprehensive Fundraising Campaign, raising $45 million over four years. Under her leadership, CFW launched the SHEcovery™ initiative in 2021, a commitment to identifying, uplifting, funding, and supporting a more equitable system to help women and families emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Felicia is an engaged civic leader, serving on several boards and initiatives. Past civic leadership includes serving on the Illinois Senate Sexual Discrimination, Harassment Awareness, and Prevention Task Force. She is a 2014 Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) Fellow and a 2016 Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL) Delegate.

Both Felicia and her husband offer their time, talent and treasure through volunteer efforts and serving on non-profit boards whose missions they care deeply about. She is a member of the Board of Regents at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a Trustee and Board Co-chair with Court Theatre at the University of Chicago, and a Board Member at The Partnership for College Completion and the Better Government Association. She also contributes nationally, serving on the NIH’s National Community Engagement Group for RECOVER, a research initiative seeking to understand, prevent, and treat PASC, including Long COVID. Previously, she served as one of RECOVER’s inaugural National Co-chairs and Executive Committee members. Felicia is an active member of The Chicago Network, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, and the Economic Club of Chicago. When she’s not working, Felicia is an avid reader, foodie and culinary wiz! :-) 

My favorite quote is “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” In essence, it’s a gentle but powerful encouragement: you can always begin again – to live more authentically, bravely, and fully aligned with who you were meant to be. 

Cheryl
Cheryl Hartshorne

Board Member

Cheryl Hartshorne is from Alberta, Canada, has spent over 25 years working to strengthen and support vulnerable children and families. Ms. Hartshorne is RedMane Technology’s Senior Executive responsible for the leadership and vision of their Human Services practice. Since moving to the private sector in 2012, Ms. Hartshorne has been the executive sponsor of many transformational projects to support Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Prevention, Children’s Mental Health, Eligibility and Child Support. These projects  have been instrumental in revolutionizing the way jurisdictions interact with vulnerable Children and Families.

Cheryl is proud of her reputation for putting the critical alignment of people, process, and technology into action. The foundation of her career was built with the Alberta Government in Canada, initially practicing child welfare work, and then leading large scale change and improvement initiatives. She provided leadership to Child Welfare, Prevention, Disabilities, Family Violence, Mental Health, Addictions, Homelessness and Eligibility programs. Passionate about helping children realize their potential, Ms. Hartshorne was involved in supporting many non-profit agencies through board development and service. She has been involved with agencies serving vulnerable children and families, family violence, refugee resettlement, homelessness, harm reduction strategies, mental health, and addictions, as well as education and community building groups. Ms. Hartshorne was also a sessional instructor in social work, Indigenous child welfare and change processes at MacEwan University.

John
John M. Holmes

Board Member

John M. Holmes is Chairman, President and CEO of AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR), a leading aviation services provider to commercial and government customers worldwide. The $2.8B company’s nearly 6,000 employees serve customers across more than 60 sites. Since joining AAR in 2001, Holmes has grown the Company through multiple acquisitions, including Airinmar, Premier Aviation, Trax, and Triumph Group’s Product Support business. Under his leadership, AAR launched a Digital Services organization, earned recognition as one of America’s greatest workplaces, and received FAA acceptance of its corporate safety management system program. Holmes was named President of AAR in 2017, CEO in 2018, and Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors in 2023. Holmes currently serves on the Board of GATX Corporation (NYSE: GATX). Active civically and philanthropically, he also serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association and as the Chairman of Columbia College Chicago’s Board of Trustees. Additionally, he participates on the Boards of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Executives Club of Chicago, World Business Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park Zoo, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Illinois Economic Development Corporation. Prior to joining AAR, Holmes worked in investment banking and private equity. He earned a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Follow John M. Holmes on LinkedIn and X for his perspective on leadership, aviation, and community

Michael
Michael Pagliuco

Board Member

Michael is the founder and creative director of Pagliuco Design Company, a nationally recognized branding and design agency based in the Chicago area. Since launching the firm in 1990, he has led award-winning work across branding, identity, packaging, and marketing communications for clients in a wide range of industries. Michael has been a dedicated advocate for organizations that uplift families and strengthen communities. He has supported the Primo Center for Women and Children since 1993 and joined the Board of Directors in 2005, contributing his expertise in design, communication, and strategic storytelling to advance the Center’s mission of empowering women and children to build independent, stable lives. In addition to his work with Primo Center, Michael has been a longtime supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where he co-created the Chicago Grand Chefs Gala and was honored with the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award. A graduate of the University of Illinois with an MFA in Communication Design, Michael continues to blend creativity, compassion, and leadership in both his professional and philanthropic work.

Joel
Joel Putnam

Board Member

As Capri’s chief design officer, Joel is responsible for ensuring the overall success of projects by overseeing all stages of the design and construction process, from feasibility and programming to execution. He combines expertise in design, architecture, and urban development with a strong interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing research driven decision-making and creative exploration. Joel provides strategic guidance, interprets complex project goals, and creates coherent design frameworks to meet both client and community objectives. His leadership fosters innovation, collaboration, and high-quality standards, inspiring teams to achieve ambitious goals.

Cheryl is proud of her reputation for putting the critical alignment of people, process, and technology into action. The foundation of her career was built with the Alberta Government in Canada, initially practicing child welfare work, and then leading large scale change and improvement initiatives. She provided leadership to Child Welfare, Prevention, Disabilities, Family Violence, Mental Health, Addictions, Homelessness and Eligibility programs. Passionate about helping children realize their potential, Ms. Hartshorne was involved in supporting many non-profit agencies through board development and service. She has been involved with agencies serving vulnerable children and families, family violence, refugee resettlement, homelessness, harm reduction strategies, mental health, and addictions, as well as education and community building groups. Ms. Hartshorne was also a sessional instructor in social work, Indigenous child welfare and change processes at MacEwan University.

Lashunda
Lashunda Brown

Chief Program Officer

Lashunda Brown has dedicated more than 23 years to advancing social services, specializing in service delivery and system integration. She joined Primo Center in 2014 as Shelter Director for the Interim Housing IH-1 program and was promoted to Chief Officer of Quality and Impact in 2018. In this leadership role, Lashunda partners with executives and program leaders to develop and implement effective operational strategies while ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. She also evaluates and communicates the organization’s impact, helping shape strategic decisions that guide Primo Center’s programs and services. Beyond her organizational leadership, Lashunda serves on multiple committees addressing homelessness and housing equity, including OSI’s leadership team, the Coordinated Entry Leadership Committee, and ICAAP’s COCHI initiative. In 2023, she joined the board of Share Our Spare, extending her lifelong commitment to serving families in need. Lashunda enjoys relaxing, socializing, and recharging with family, friends, and faith.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

Shelley
Shelley Cooper

Chief Community Relations Officer

Shelley Cooper, Chief Community Relations Officer, began her journey with Primo Center as a volunteer before officially joining the leadership team in 2008 to help transform the organization from a small shelter into Chicago’s largest and most innovative trauma-informed family homeless service provider. She raises public awareness of Primo Center’s mission by coordinating volunteer and outreach programs and nurturing long-term partnerships. A graduate of the University of New Haven (B.S., Business Administration) and Cornell University (Consumer Economics & Public Policy), Shelley is an active member of The Links, Incorporated; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; and Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing Scrabble, and immersing herself in Chicago’s vibrant visual and performing arts scene.

“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life, you will have been all of these.” – George Washington Carver

Latanya
LaTanya Gray

Chief Program Officer

LaTanya Gray joined Primo Center in 2018 and currently serves as Chief Program Officer, overseeing multiple program areas and ensuring high-quality services for vulnerable families. With over 20 years of experience in program implementation, mental health, and family support, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges facing families experiencing homelessness. LaTanya earned a B.A. in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Carthage College and has advanced training in trauma-informed care and home visiting under the Parents as Teachers model, presenting nationally on early childhood trauma. She serves on several influential committees, including the Housing Insecurity and Homelessness among the Pregnant and Parenting Advisory Committee (HIHIPP), the Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC) Executive Committee, and the UI Health Hospital Community Advisory Board. Recipient of the 2024 Power of Hope Award, LaTanya is passionate about improving outcomes for families in transition. In her downtime, she enjoys scrapbooking, shopping, and watching television.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things, but the one that gets people to do the greatest things.”

Datjaeda
Datjaeda Moore

Chief People Officer

Datjaeda Moore serves as the first Chief People Officer at Primo Center, joining the organization in 2025 to oversee all aspects of Human Resources and strengthen the workforce serving Chicago’s unhoused community. A proud Colorado native with more than 15 years of leadership experience, Datjaeda brings expertise across healthcare and nonprofit sectors, guiding organizations to align strategy, culture, and mission. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management and is a SHRM-Certified Professional, as well as a member of the global SHRM Executive Network. Beyond her professional role, Datjaeda owns Positioned for Purpose, where she coaches young professionals in career development. A trained mediator, public speaker, and community leader, she is passionate about fostering equity, inclusion, and healthy workplace cultures. Datjaeda is also a devoted wife and mother who values lifelong learning and meaningful connection in all she does.

“When I’m winning at one thing I’m failing at another.” – Shonda Rhimes… for me this is a reminder to hold space where I can and not where I can’t!

Cheryl
Cheryl Thompson

Director of Finance

Cheryl Thompson joined Primo Center in 2019 and plays a vital role in managing the organization’s financial operations and systems. As Director of Finance, she oversees Accounts Payable, supervises the Billing Department, and leads Custom Information Solutions (CIS), ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of grants, contracts, vouchers, and invoices. Before joining Primo Center, Cheryl served for more than 15 years as Chief Administrative Affairs Officer at Beacon Therapeutic Diagnostic & Treatment Center, where she strengthened financial systems and administrative processes to support the organization’s mission. A summa cum laude graduate of St. Xavier University, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and brings a strong commitment to fiscal stewardship and organizational integrity. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Cheryl serves on the Trustee Board of Advocate United Church of Christ and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She enjoys spending quality time with family.

“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried but you’ve actually been planted.” -Christine Caine

Katy
Katy Walsh

Chief Development Officer

Katy Walsh started as Chief Development Officer in 2025. A seasoned nonprofit leader and storyteller specializing in strategic communications and fundraising. With senior leadership roles at national organizations, including fourteen years as Chief Advancement Officer at National Runaway Safeline, Katy has successfully executed major rebranding efforts, revenue growth strategies, and national marketing campaigns. Most recently at One Hope United, she increased development revenue by 15%, optimized stakeholder engagement, and enhanced organizational messaging. She is a board officer for the Carol Oppenheim and Jerome Lamet Charitable Fund, a consultant providing fundraising and communication guidance and a writer that reviews Chicago theater. Katy holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of St. Francis and a master’s degree in journalism and public relations from Ball State University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, puzzling and hanging out with friends and family. 

“In the end only kindness matters!” – Jewel