Our Team

Executive Team

Mike Shaver

President & Chief Executive Officer

Read Bio
 

Mike Shaver

President & Chief Executive Officer

A longtime advocate for children and a recognized leader in the child welfare field, Mike Shaver believes in strategic collaboration and in using research, evidence and data to develop, deliver and analyze innovative practices and programs to ensure children and families receive only effective, quality services. Mike has served as President & CEO of Brightpoint since 2019, and prior to serving as President & CEO of Children’s Home Society of Florida from 2014 to 2019, spent seven years as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Brightpoint.

Mike worked for the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services from 1998 to 2003, serving in a variety of roles including the Deputy Director of Budget, Research and Planning. His work included performance-based contracting for community-based, non-profit agencies, federal waiver demonstrations, and the redesign of intensive treatment and placement stabilization services across the state for children with serious emotional disturbances. These and other reforms were instrumental in reducing, by half, the number of Illinois children in foster care.

He earned a MA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy and a BA in Political Science from Colorado College.

Mario Perez

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Read Bio
 

Mario Perez

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Mario Perez is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience driving organizations and initiatives that empower families and expand impact to communities. As the COO of Brightpoint, Mario will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive business strategy that ensures programs and services positively impact children, youth, and families throughout Illinois. 

Prior to joining our team, Mario served as the Executive Director of El Hogar Del Nino, where he spearheaded critical initiatives to connect families from underserved communities, in particular Pilsen and Little Village, with essential resources like early education, childcare, and mental health counseling. During his tenure, Mario guided the organization through a period of remarkable growth, delivering an impressive 125% increase in revenue over 10 years. 

Mario also brings extensive consulting experience to the table, having conducted strategic assessments, developed grants, and established organization-wide policies and best practices. His expertise has been sought by top organizations and even the State of Colorado, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the Governor’s vision for education and healthcare policy. 

Mario is a graduate of the University of Colorado, where he earned his BA in History, and the University of Chicago, where he earned his MA in Public Policy. He has also served as a founding board member of Illinois Latino Agenda and holds board positions with the Illinois Network of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA), Illinois Head Start Association, and Language Empowers All People.

 

Angelica Stapert

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Read Bio
 

Angelica Stapert

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Angelica Stapert has nearly 20 years of experience in accounting in the healthcare, education, and nonprofit sectors. Angelica comes to Brightpoint from the Noble Network of Charter Schools, where she demonstrated her ability as a Controller. During her time at the Noble Network of Charter Schools, Stapert successfully closed financial deals ranging from $22 million to $30 million for the construction of new schools. She also served as Vice President/Treasurer on the Noble Network Education Foundation Board.

Added to this relevant experience is Angelica’s familiarity with the human services sector, including leadership roles at Erie Family Health Center and Heartland Health Center. Angelica’s love for mission driven organizations started early in career where she served as an audit manager at one of the largest auditing firms in the world, Ernst & Young, where she relished working with clients making a difference like La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Franciscan Services Corporation, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities, among others.

Angelica earned a MA in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in Accounting from Loyola University.

Sean Hall-Soun

Senior Advisor to the President & CEO

Read Bio
 

Sean Hall-Soun

Senior Advisor to the President & CEO

Sean Soun has over 15 years of experience transforming organizational cultures, advancing the principals of equity, diversity and inclusion and driving organizational change as a senior human resources executive.

Sean has dedicated the majority of his career to the non-profit and public sectors, joining Brightpoint from the Legal Aid Society (LAS) in New York City. As the Chief Human Resources Officer at LAS, Sean worked collaboratively with the senior executive team and unions in maintaining and affirming the organization’s commitment as a progressive, antiracist and inclusive workplace of choice. Sean was responsible for reimagining LAS’s human resources approach, culture, structure, and policies that supported and guided the work of 2,200 employees across 29 locations. His leadership was instrumental in securing LAS as the premier home for those engaged in the pursuit of equal justice in New York City. Sean was the Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources, for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) for four years where he oversaw critical areas of the agency’s equity, diversity and inclusion efforts. At HPD, Sean developed an employee retention plan, internal training program and a promotion selection process which reduced overall employee turnover. He co-created a diversity hiring initiative to share a talent pipeline across four City agencies.

Sean earned a MS in Human Resources Management and Development from New York University and a BAS in Social Science with an emphasis on Law from the University of Washington.

Melissa Schlinger

Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff

Read Bio
 

Melissa Schlinger

Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff

Melissa Schlinger is an education and social impact leader with three decades of experience spanning nonprofit, education, philanthropy, and mission-driven organizations.

Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, systems change, and human-centered leadership, where she has led organizations through periods of growth and increased impact.

Melissa has been a trusted advisor to CEOs – and a CEO herself. Most recently, Melissa served as Chief Executive Officer of The Goldie Hawn Foundation and previously held senior leadership roles at CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), where she helped shape organizational strategy, expand partnerships, and advance the field of social and emotional learning through cross-sector collaboration.

Known for her collaborative leadership style, Melissa is deeply committed to equity, youth development, and building organizations where people feel empowered to do their best work.

Earlier in her career, Melissa held leadership roles in education publishing and edtech, and she began her career she as a middle school teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Melissa lives in Frankfort, Illinois, with her husband, Mark, and their 18-year-old twins who are headed to college this fall.  She is involved in community organizing, volunteering, and has been a “Big Sister” to April for 23 years. She is an NPR and “The Daily” devotee, and enjoys reading, staying active, learning, and above all, spending time with friends and family and especially her beloved pup, Alice.

Matea Varvodic

Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer

Read Bio
 

Matea Varvodic

Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer

Matea has over 15 years of experience in external affairs and development roles in the nonprofit sector. Before joining Brightpoint, Matea was Senior Director of External Affairs at OneGoal, a national college access and success organization. There, her team raised $6.3M annually to transform postsecondary advising and support in Illinois. Matea led the regional marketing & communications function, executed an annual gala, increased visibility of the organization and its leaders through media placements, and supported OneGoal’s statewide expansion and go-to-market strategy. Since 2015, Matea has also been a nonprofit management consultant supporting 11 organizations with fundraising, strategy, and outreach. Her primary partnership during this time was with El Hogar del Niño, Brightpoint’s newest early childhood education center in Pilsen. Matea has also worked in Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood and District & School Partnerships at Teach for America. Outside of work, Matea is Secretary of the ACLU of Illinois’ Next Gen Board.

 

Matea has a Bachelors degree in Graphic Design, Communication, and Art History from Carthage College, and a Masters degree in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she focused on social justice advocacy through community based art. She also holds a Nonprofit Management Certificate from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Paula Corrigan-Halpern

Senior Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer

Read Bio
 

Paula Corrigan-Halpern

Senior Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer

Paula Corrigan-Halpern has more than 25 years of experience of leading statewide advocacy efforts and building public support for innovative practices and policies that improve the health, education, and well-being of children and families.

Paula has led Brightpoint’s Ahlquist Center for Policy, Practice & Innovation since 2013. The Ahlquist Center advances program innovations and public policies that are antiracist, equitable and directed at creating social capital, economic mobility and systems designed to insure thriving children, families and communities. The Ahlquist Center team has passed legislation providing child care to families of young children exposed to neglect or abuse and establishing the Governor’s Youth Budget Commission. The Youth Budget Commission analyzes public spending for older youth and young adults and recommends policies and funding strategies to enable young people to enter adulthood with the skills, education and agency to build exceptional lives. Programs incubated by the Ahlquist Center include the Illinois Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care (IPPYC) Home Visiting pilot and the Power of Fathers program.

Prior to joining Brightpoint, Paula was the policy advocacy director at Voices for Illinois Children where she worked closely with staff, partner organizations, and community leaders to create effective policy solutions and champion Voices’ advocacy agenda in Springfield. She has also worked on family economic security issues, afterschool initiatives, and K-12 education, directing communications for the Education, Human Development, and Workforce Division at American Institutes for Research. Paula directed the state policy agenda for Metropolitan Family Services and worked as a journalist early in her career.

Paula has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a master’s degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago.

Kathryn Mattie

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Read Bio
 

Kathryn Mattie

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Kathryn Mattie is a technology leader with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of data, technology, and social impact. Her career spans roles in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors where she has helped teams to drive strategic initiatives, scale programs, and foster innovation. Prior to Brightpoint, she was an advisor at Wicklow Capital on social impact technology initiatives.  

Previously, Kathryn held the role of Director of the Master of Science in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) program at the University of Chicago. During her tenure, the program saw enrollment growth, the introduction of new courses on technology and public policy, and the launch of the Civic Data and Technology Clinic.

At GCM Grosvenor, Kathryn served as Executive Director of Information Technology during a period of rapid growth and modernization for the firm. In this role her team managed projects across software development, infrastructure, data management, and information security that strengthened the firm’s global technology capabilities. She partnered with the executive team to align technology initiatives with the firm’s business goals as part of the annual planning process for strategic investments in technology.

Earlier in her career, Kathryn was a Project Manager at the City of Chicago’s Department of Innovation and Technology, where she collaborated with the city’s first Chief Data Officer to leverage data and technology in service of more efficient, transparent city operations.

Kathryn holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Boston University. She has been an active technology mentor, contributing to Chicago’s Gender Equity in Tech initiative, coaching for the Hacking for Defense (H4D) program, and supporting future leaders through the Civic Digital Fellowship program.

Amber Wasendorf

Executive Assistant to the CEO

 

Amber Wasendorf

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Leadership Team

Seth Baker

Vice President of People & Culture

Read Bio
 

Seth Baker

Vice President of People & Culture

Seth comes to us with over 10 years of progressive human resources experience.  He started his HR career as a human resources coordinator in the private industry.  In his most recent role at Malcom X College, he served as the Director of Human Resources with all HR functions reporting up to him.

During his career, he’s managed almost every aspect of HR, including talent acquisition and management, culture, training and development, succession planning, technology, data, benefits and leave management, and labor and employee relations.

Seth has a passion for our mission and vision since it aligns with his personal beliefs. He also brings a service-orientated and collaborate leadership style.  He received his Master of Public Administration from DePaul University, School of Public Service.

In his free time, he loves to travel and take weekend trips to visit family in Ohio.

Emily Medere

Vice President of Child Welfare

Read Bio
 

Emily Medere

Vice President of Child Welfare

Emily Medere now serves as Vice President of Child Welfare at Brightpoint. She previously held the role of Deputy State Director of Child Welfare Services with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS). Emily holds both Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration, specializing in Organizational Leadership.

Before her time at Brightpoint, Emily served as Chief of Staff for SCDSS starting in 2019. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing divisions such as Staff Training and Development, Accountability, Data and Research, Strategic Planning and Innovation, Communications and External Affairs, as well as Agency Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement.

Emily has extensive experience in Child Welfare, beginning her career as a frontline Child Welfare Investigations case manager. She has since held numerous roles across the field, including work in Investigations and Intake, building and implementing evidence-based services for non-custodial families, and developing support programs for foster children and parents. Additionally, Emily has experience in creating quality improvement systems for various programs within Child Welfare and ensuring timely access to medical and behavioral health services for children and families involved with the system.

Emily is known for her ability to streamline processes to improve productivity and program outcomes, with a deep passion for creating systems that support families and promote better outcomes for children. Her vision for Child Welfare focuses on developing a well-being system that fosters authentic collaboration with individuals with lived experiences, providers, and partners, leading to innovation and excellence in serving children, young people, and families.

Gabby Hidalgo

Vice President of Mental Health & Wellness

Read Bio
 

Gabby Hidalgo

Vice President of Mental Health & Wellness

Gabby Hidalgo leads Brightpoint’s statewide Mental Health & Wellness division, shaping both the clinical strategy and the operational systems that make community-based mental health care more accessible, effective, and sustainable.

A licensed therapist, Gabby served previously in senior nonprofit leadership roles overseeing disability and mental health services across Illinois at organizations such as Aspire and Anixter Center.

Colleagues know her for bringing clarity to complexity, building trust through collaboration, and creating environments where staff and participants feel supported, capable, and heard.

Gabby holds a master’s in public policy administration (MPPA) from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Clinical Professional Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois, bringing a blended perspective that bridges clinical insight with systems-level design.

A native of Michigan, Gabby has lived in Chicago for years and enjoys spending time outdoors with family, friends and her two rescue dogs. She proudly serves as a volunteer and auxiliary board member for The Center on Halsted.

Her work is driven by a commitment to dignity, access, and inclusion — and a conviction that when organizations work better together, communities do too.

Mendy Smith

Vice President of Early Childhood Services

Read Bio
 

Mendy Smith

Vice President of Early Childhood Services

Mendy Smith has over 20 years of experience in child and family services at Brightpoint. As the Central Region Vice President for Brightpoint, Mendy is responsible for the over site of all aspects of the region including program development and overall program management. She also participates in community collaborative human service networks and develops and partners with other agency leaders in reducing gaps of services and accessing opportunities of growth to additional service populations.

Mendy’s background in prevention services includes working with award-winning home visiting programs such as Healthy Families, Parents as Teachers, Doula Programs, and Safe from the Start, and parent group services.  Prior to her assuming the role as Center Director, Mendy worked in a wide range of roles for Brightpoint including as an infant childcare teacher, Parents Care & Share Illinois regional coordinator, and Program Manager over home visiting services. Mendy has worked with the National Fatherhood Initiative and serves on local task forces for fatherhood involvement. She has also presented at local, state and national conferences on the topic of prevention services.

Mendy has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Missouri and master’s degree in social work from Illinois State University.

Eric Brenner

Vice President of Technology

 

Eric Brenner

Vice President of Technology

Greg Trotter

Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications

 

Greg Trotter

Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications

Tiffanny Powell

Senior Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Support

 

Tiffanny Powell

Senior Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Support

Rosaura Arellano

Senior Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Support

 

Rosaura Arellano

Senior Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Support

Mary Grawe

Vice President of Advancement

Read Bio
 

Mary Grawe

Vice President of Advancement

Mary Grawe has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit advancement and development, with a focus on building philanthropic partnerships that advance educational equity and family well-being.

Before joining Brightpoint, Mary was Managing Director of Development at City Year Chicago, where she led a $3+ million annual private fundraising portfolio and partnered closely with the executive director and site board to grow major gifts, steward institutional funders, and execute large-scale fundraising events. Prior to City Year, she spent a decade at Chicago Jesuit Academy, serving most recently as Vice President of Development. There, she led a $40+ million capital campaign, increased annual fundraising to $10 million, and built and managed a high-performing development team while personally securing multiple principal gifts.

Mary began her career as a fourth-grade teacher in the Mississippi Delta through Teach For America, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to equity, access, and long-term outcomes for children and families.

Mary holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Dayton.

Our Program Leads

Administration

Ali Schoon

Director of Public Policy

 

Ali Schoon

Director of Public Policy

Lucy Cardenas

Director of Institutional Advancement

 

Lucy Cardenas

Director of Institutional Advancement

Maribel Castillo

Finance Coordinator

 

Maribel Castillo

Finance Coordinator

Kari Daniel

Director of Learning and Development

 

Kari Daniel

Director of Learning and Development

Michael Freund

Director of Financial Planning & Analysis

 

Michael Freund

Director of Financial Planning & Analysis

Maureen Kelly

Director of Development Operations

 

Maureen Kelly

Director of Development Operations

Claudia Lopez

Facilities Coordinator

 

Claudia Lopez

Facilities Coordinator

Hugo Nieto

Technology Solution Lead

 

Hugo Nieto

Technology Solution Lead

Shannon Ring

Director of Special Projects (Development)

 

Shannon Ring

Director of Special Projects (Development)

Toni Shumate

Director of Benefits and Employee Relations

 

Toni Shumate

Director of Benefits and Employee Relations

Family Support

Jaime Russell

Program Director

 

Jaime Russell

Program Director

Viviana Vergara

Home Visiting Coordinator

 

Viviana Vergara

Home Visiting Coordinator

 
 
Child Welfare

Loni Wilson

Director of Statewide Foster Care

 

Loni Wilson

Director of Statewide Foster Care

Ashley Trosper

Director of Statewide Prevention and Intact

 

Ashley Trosper

Director of Statewide Prevention and Intact

 
Mental Health & Wellness

Julie Noobler

Program Director

 

Julie Noobler

Program Director

 
 
Early Childhood & Education

Ilian Espinoza

Early Head Start Coordinator

 

Ilian Espinoza

Early Head Start Coordinator

Stacy Mirro

Director of Child and Family Services

 

Stacy Mirro

Director of Child and Family Services

Janice Moenster

Director of Early Childhood Services

 

Janice Moenster

Director of Early Childhood Services

Caroline Norwood

Head Start Coordinator

 

Caroline Norwood

Head Start Coordinator

Leo Ortega

Enrollment Coordinator

 

Leo Ortega

Enrollment Coordinator

Sharyl Robin

Director of Training and Contracts

 

Sharyl Robin

Director of Training and Contracts

Get Involved

Learn how you can support Brightpoint through individual or company engagement opportunities!

Ways to Help

Donate Today

Make your gift today to support programs and services that help children and families thrive!

Give Now